62/78 Personal expenses at London were so great that the post of resident minister was ruinous. Mr.Adams promised Mr.Gallatin _carte blanche_ as to his instructions. But instead of latitude and discretionary power he received at New York voluminous directions which he engaged faithfully to execute, while regretting that they had not been made known to him sooner. Nevertheless, in the three days which intervened before his sailing, he wrote to Mr.Clay a lucid statement of the points in issue, and mentioned the modifications he desired. |