Pitt,  it  seems,  was  decided  for  the  scheme.  Miranda  replied  to
Hamilton's  August  letter  in  October.  "Your  wishes  are  in  some
sort  fulfilled,^'  wrote  the  South  American ;  "  since  they  have  agreed
here  that  no  English  troops  are  to  be  employed  on  shore,  seeing  that
the  auxiliary  land  forces  should  be  American  only,  while  the  naval
force  shall  be  purely  English.  All  difficulties  have  vanished,  and
we  only  await  the  fiat  of  your  illustrious  president  to  set  out  like  a
flash."  To  this  point  Hamilton  had  brought  the  mad  scheme  with-
out the  illustrious  president  knowing  any  thing  of  it

But  even  this  was  not  the  wildest  nor  the  worst  of  Hamilton's
misuse  of  the  transient  power  which  circumstances  gave  him  in
1798.  What  shall  be  said  of  his  attempt  to  fasten  upon  the  United
States  the  stupid  and  shameful  repressive  system  of  George  III.  ?
What  of  the  Alien  Laws,  inspired  by  him,  approved  by  him,  passed
by  his  adherents  ?  The  mere  rumor  of  the  intention  to  pass  such
*aws  sent  shiploads  of  French  and  Irish  exiles  hurrying  home,  and
prevented  worthy  men  from  seeking  needful  refuge  here.  Kosci-
uszko  and  Volney  departed ;  Priestley  was  not  deemed  safe ;  noble
Gallatin  was  menaced.  By  these  Alien  Laws,  the  wonder  and
opprobrium  of   American  politics,  servile  copies  of  Pitt's  servilt


552  LIFE  OP  THOMAS  JEFFERSON.
