3617. HAMILTON (Alexander), Coalescence with Jefferson.—
He[President
Washington] proceeded to express his earnest
wish that Hamilton and myself could coalesce
in the measures of the government, and urged
the general reasons for it which he had done
to me in two former conversations. He said
he had proposed the same thing to Hamilton,
who expressed his readiness, and he thought
our coalition would secure the general acquiescence
of the public. I told him my concurrence
was of much less importance than he
seemed to imagine; that I kept myself aloof
from all cabal and correspondence on the subject
of the government, and saw and spoke
with as few as I could. That as to a coalition
with Mr. Hamilton, if by that was meant that
either was to sacrifice his general system to the
other, it was impossible. We had both, no
doubt, formed our conclusions after the most
mature consideration; and principles conscientiously
adopted, could not be given up on either
side.—
The Anas. Washington ed. ix, 131.
Ford ed., i, 215.
(Feb. 1793)
