The Life and Correspondence of James McHenry: Secretary of War Under Washington and Adams

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Burrows Brothers Company, 1907 - 640 pages
 

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Page 68 - I consider it as an indispensable duty to close this last solemn act of my official life, by commending the interests of our dearest country, to the protection of Almighty God, and those who have the superintendence of them to his holy keeping. " Having now finished the work assigned me, I retire from the great theatre of action ; and, bidding an affectionate farewell to this august body, under whose orders I have long acted, I here offer my commission, and take my leave of all the employments of...
Page 368 - I will never send another Minister to France without assurances that he will be received, respected, and honored, as the representative of a great, free, powerful, and independent nation.
Page 420 - I have for some time past viewed the political concerns of the United States with an anxious and painful eye. They appear to me to be moving by hasty strides to a crisis; but in what it will result, that Being, who sees, foresees, and directs all things, alone can tell. The vessel is afloat, or very nearly so, and considering myself as a passenger only, I shall trust to the mariners (whose duty it is to watch) to steer it into a safe port.
Page 337 - ... call Generals Knox and Hamilton into service as soon as you please. Your request, to be informed whether I attach any portion of the intrigues, which I alluded to, if any have been employed, to you, is reasonable; and I have no scruple to acknowledge that your conduct through the whole towards me has been candid. I have suspected, however, that extraordinary pains were taken with you to impress upon your mind that the public opinion and the unanimous wish of the federalists was, that General...
Page 431 - Beware, my dear sir, of magnifying a riot into an Insurrection, by employing, in the first instance, an inadequate force. 'Tis better far to err on the other side. Whenever the Government appears in arms, it it ought to appear like a HERCULES, and inspire respect by the display of strength.
Page 222 - Navy did not take place till some time after. I well remember the meeting, for I have often thought of it since. It was composed of Mr. Wolcott, yourself, Mr. Lee, and myself. Mr. Adams, in a familiar way, said, " Gentlemen, what think you of Mr. Gerry for the mission ? " None of the gentlemen offering to speak, I observed : " I have served in the old Congress with Mr. Gerry. If, sir, it was a desirable thing to distract the mission, a fitter person could not, perhaps, bo found. It is ten to one...
Page 309 - ... office I now hold, were too numerous to be detailed in this letter, and are too obvious and important to escape the observation of any part of America or Europe. But as it is a movement of great delicacy, it will require all your address to communicate the subject in a manner that shall be unoffensive to his feelings and consistent with all the respect that is due from me to him.
Page 460 - They write private letters. To whom ? To each other. But they do nothing to give a proper direction to the public mind.
Page 89 - I have ever been a friend to adequate powers in Congress, without which, it is evident to me, we never shall establish a national character or be considered as on a respectable footing by the powers of Europe. We are either a united people under one head and for federal purposes, or we are thirteen independent sovereignties eternally counteracting each other.
Page 320 - Your opinion respecting the unfitness of a certain gentleman for the office he holds, accords with mine, and it is to be regretted, / sorely, at this time, that these opinions are so well founded. I early discovered after he entered upon' tfte duties of his office, that his talents were unequal to great exertions or deep resources.

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