“From this government having brought into such serious discussion objects which would certainly have passed unnoticed had they occurred in relation to the King’s enemies, his Majesty’s ministers may be led to suspect that such a resolution has been dictated by some hostile design,” wrote Merry, with increasing solemnity; “but it is proper for me to observe that ... I cannot persuade myself that they will dare to provoke hostilities with his Majesty, at least before Mr. Jefferson’s re-election to the Presidency shall have taken place.”[287] Merry made a representation to Madison on impressments; but his arguments did not satisfy the secretary. “This specimen of Merry shows him to be a mere diplomatic pettifogger,” wrote Madison privately to the President.[288] Merry’s temper was in this stage of ever-increasing irritability, when an event occurred which gave him, as it seemed, a chance to gratify his resentments. After the adjournment of Congress in March the British minister heard nothing from Pickering and Griswold. Early in June he wrote home that the democrats were carrying all the elections:[289]-- “In addition to this triumph of the reigning party, there have lately appeared in the prints of this country, which are generally made the instruments of the measures of all parties, publications of the discovery that has been made of secret meetings held at this place by some of the Federal members during the last sitting of Congress for the purpose of consulting upon the important point of the separation of the Eastern from the Southern States, which publications seem to have imposed a complete silence upon the Federal adherents.” A few weeks afterward, July 11, occurred the duel between Burr and Hamilton. Merry had no relations with Hamilton, and felt no peculiar interest in his fate; but he had become intimate with Burr at Washington, and watched his career with the curiosity which was the natural result of their common hatred of Jefferson. July 21 Burr fled from New York, and a few days afterward reached Philadelphia, where Merry was passing the summer. While there, Burr sent one of his friends--an Englishman named Williamson--to the British minister with a startling message, which Merry immediately transmitted to his Government:[290]--