Privately he informed me that the
purpose was to make a place for Fletcher. In the course of my remarks,
in reply to Lunt I said that if the object of the managers was to
provide a place for a man who had fallen into discredit, in another
branch of the public service, then as far as I knew, the bill was _sui
generis._
Several members, among them General William Schouler, disclaimed all
knowledge of any arrangement such as I had referred to. These
assertions of ignorance were not troublesome, but Otis P. Lord, of
Salem, rose and after many personal compliments said "I call upon the
member from Groton to give his authority for the suggestion he makes in
regard to the purpose of this bill." At that moment my mind reverted
to the controversy between Adams and the Federalists.
In 1825 or 1826 Mr. Jefferson wrote a letter that was printed in the
_National Intelligencer,_ in which he gave his version of statements
made by Mr. Adams. Among others he said that Mr. Adams had told him
that he had evidence of the purpose of the Federalists during the War
of 1812 to secure a dissolution of the Union, and the organization of
an eastern confederacy.
Mr. Adams wrote a letter in which he explained some of Mr. Jefferson's
statements, but of this he took no notice. Its accuracy, therefore,
was admitted. Thereupon the Federalists of Boston, wrote to President
Adams, demanding his authority for the statement.
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