Adams reached Trenton on Thursday, and on Friday night there was ‘a handsome display of fireworks’ in his honor, ‘in which Mr. Guimpe, the artist, exhibited much skill and ingenuity.’ The initials of Adams and Washington ‘displayed in colored fires was received with shouts of applause.’ On Saturday, Ellsworth arrived. Hamilton appeared upon the scene. Just at that juncture the conspirators were much elated with the news of the successes of the British army under the Duke of York in Holland, and the triumphant march of the Russians under Suwarrow in Switzerland. Might not the next report bring the news of the restoration of the Bourbons in France, and the end to the hideous nightmare of democracy? Here was a new club, and the conspirators laid eager hands upon it. Hamilton called to urge the point.
‘Why, Sir, by Christmas Louis XVIII will be seated upon his throne,’ he declared.
‘By whom?’ demanded Adams.
‘By the coalition,’ Hamilton replied.
‘Ah, then,’ said Adams, ‘farewell to the independence of Europe.’[1690]
When the President entertained the two envoys at dinner, he was amazed to find Ellsworth echoing the views of Hamilton.
‘Is it possible, Mr. Chief Justice,’ demanded Adams, ‘that you can seriously believe that the Bourbons are, or will soon be restored to the throne of France?’
‘Why,’ said Ellsworth, smiling sheepishly, ‘it looks a good deal so.’
‘I should not be afraid to stake my life upon it that they will not be restored for seven years, if they ever are,’ was Adams’s retort.[1691]
The coincidence in the views of the two men was not lost on Adams, who asked a member of his Cabinet if ‘Ellsworth and Hamilton had come all the way from Windsor and New York to persuade me to countermand the mission.’[1692] That was an ominous comment. The resulting excitement among his advisers did not escape the watchful eye of Adams, who wrote Abigail that it left him ‘calmly cold.’