5143. MAZZEI (Philip), Consulship and.—
An alarming paragraph in your letter says Mazzei is coming to Annapolis. I tremble
at the idea. I know he will be worse to me
than a return of my double quotidian headache.
There is a resolution, reported to Congress by a
committee, that they will never appoint to the
office of minister, chargé des affaires, consul,
agent, &c., any but natives. To this I think
there will not be a dissenting voice; and it will
be taken up among the first things. Could you
not, by making him acquainted with this, divert
him from coming here? A consulate is his object,
in which he will assuredly fail. But his
coming will be attended with evil. He is the
violent enemy of Franklin, having been some
time at Paris, and, from my knowledge of the
man, I am sure he will have employed himself
in collecting on the spot facts true or false to
impeach him. You know there are people here
who, on the first idea of this, will take him to
their bosom, and turn all Congress topsy-turvy.
For God's sake, then, save us from this confusion
if you can.—
To James Madison.
Ford ed., iii, 425.
(A.
1784)
