2460. ELECTIONS (Presidential, 1796), Vice-Presidency. ‐ [further continued] .
It is difficult to obtain
full credit to declarations of disinclination to
honors, and most so with those who still remain
in the world. But never was there a
more solid unwillingness, founded on rigorous
calculation, formed in the mind of any man.
short of peremptory refusal. No arguments,
therefore, were necessary to reconcile me to a
relinquishment of the first office, or acceptance
of the second. No motive could have induced
me to undertake the first, but that of
putting our vessel upon her republican tack,
and preventing her being driven too far to
leeward of her true principles. And the second
is the only office in the world about which
I cannot decide in my own mind, whether I
had rather have it or not have it. Pride does
not enter into the estimate. For I think with
the Romans of old, that the General of to-day
should be a common soldier to-morrow, if
necessary. But as to Mr. Adams, particularly,
I would have no feelings which would revolt at
being placed in a secondary station to him. I
am his junior in life, I was his junior in Congress,
his junior in the diplomatic line, and
lately his junior in our civil government.—
To James Madison. Washington ed. iv, 154.
Ford ed., vii, 98.
(M.
Jan. 1797)
See 74.
