with the Leaders of the Federalist Party in violent disagreement over the direction of the quasi-war with France an accusatory letter brought Alexander Hamilton and John Adams to their own armed conflict, a duel in Weehawken:

"It has been repeatedly mentioned to me [Alexander Hamilton] that you [John Adams] Please click the icon to follow us on Facebook.have on different occasions asserted the existence of a British faction in this country, embracing a number of leading or influential characters of the federal party, as usually denominated ; and that you have sometimes named me, at others plainly alluded to me, as one of this description of persons.

And I have likewise been assured, that, of late, some of your warm adherents, for electioneering purposes, have employed a corresponding Ianguage. I must, sir, take it for granted that you cannot have made such assertions or insinuations without being willing to avow them, and to assign the reasons to a party who may conceive himself injured by them. I therefore trust that you will not deem it improper, that I apply directly to yourself, to ascertain from you, in reference to your own declarations, whether the information I have received is correct or not ; and if correct, what are the grounds upon which you have founded the suggestion".

In better times Adams might have adroitely sidestepped the issue with a diplomatic response, notwithstanding the poor judgement observed by Benjamin Franklin "He means well for his country, is always an honest man, often a wise man, but sometimes, and in some things, absolutely out of his senses". Unfortunately, this was a dreadful moment, not only was the Presidency slipping away from Adams but had just received the crushing news that his son Charles had died, succumbing to alcoholism at the age of just thirty.

To settle the issue, the two men met for an "interview" at a secluded spot in Weehawken, New Jersey. Adams and his supporters expected that honour would be served by both men agreeing to discharge their weapons and walk away. But Hamilton, hell-bent on self-destruction, had a more sinister plan in mind: to kill the President in a "misfire", use his position as the Major General of the Standing Army to seize the Presidency and declare war on France.