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 0^ES^NT STATE 
 
 
 * *• . 
 
 or o^n 
 
 Political Relations 
 
 V I T K- TH « 
 
 United States cj North-rApisrlca. 
 By JOSEPH FAUCHET; 
 
 . EX-MINISTER OF THE 
 
 FRENCH I^EPUBLJO 
 
 AT PHi;.ADELPHIA. 
 
 Til AMI AT K& «.V |H| |01t&«. O? XH-» ^(UROXV 
 
 e H I I, A D E l P H I Ai 
 fpinuihy ScNj FRANKLIN BACHE, A'.. ii», hUrha.fi.ce:^ 
 
 K.DGCXCVII. 
 
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 Jl CLmCAL events have, like thepherlomena o^ 
 
 Jure, their fuccefllve changes and their progreflion* 
 e art b'f obferving the one and the other, of watching 
 mtir &velopments, of calculating their iflue, conftitute^ 
 
 iplifeiencc of the natural philofophcr and of theftatef- 
 Sh. The laf ter W never fb proiound as ^heft he join^ 
 t5 the dalculat ion of the different changes the poWer o^ 
 dire£ling, oiT fohduing ^nd 6f malting inevitable incon- 
 veniencies bend to his vievtrs, or of neutralizing them by 
 wife precai; 'ions.' All 'hofe who were enabted By their 
 &tiatiph to pay fome attention to our relations witii' 
 JCherica, have forefeeu the prill's of which we aire now; 
 witncfles: Infa£(, the cburfe df events had( heteflarily 
 brought ft or.| anid nothing has delayed its approach, but 
 the indiffefetic^ andl the apathy, int© which the affiurs 
 of Europe had plttnged our government, wx^ regard td 
 that nation. , , 
 
 Much" has been writt^ atid mii/ch fai({ on thisTu*bje£i; 
 The/ofiiy rcfult 1 have been able to draw from all thal^ 
 has been done in this vcfpea is, that the public took' 
 feme intercom it; and it is partly this corifideratiori* 
 that has deteritiined me to offer fome ideas dn that fub- 
 16&. 1 have, perhaps, fome ngh't to do this. The na- 
 ture of the funaions I difcharged near thd American* 
 g6vcrhmenti my ferfonal Htuatioil, vi^hicli places me be- 
 yond the reach of all fufpicion, either of ambitious views/ 
 orof partiality for the executive} the filence which I, 
 have hithfcTtopreferved, a filence whicTi beft fuited my 
 fituation and the times; the indirea allufions of which' 
 my adminiftratron has been flie bbje£f, aill engage me 
 
 Cfjltisto bcremarked,, that this pamphlet appeared iij' 
 Parwl^forc the 4th, of ^cvtcmbcr; which gives aftronger 
 character of impartiality to t)ie animxdverfions which it coni' 
 tains upon Paftoret, Segur ahd Co. who, it has been en-' 
 deavourcd to prrfuade tlie citizens of the United States 
 wire our friends; but wko, in fact, were only the partlfanJ 
 •t our admbiftration* ' mtcoftkWra/sldi^rP 
 
 'f ■ 
 
 „ •-^i»Hrw**iS»'T>'if>-*i*-, 
 
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 to take up the peri, with the thoroiigh c«nvl£iIon thtlt I 
 fljiill tilt: it without timidity and without palfion. 
 
 iWions! Why fliould 1 biing ihcm into a difcuflloii, 
 like this? Do the pcrfonal connedlions I have had de-' 
 inandit? 'rhcfe eoiitiedUons have been as imparti;il on 
 my fide, as they ever wtro oii tlife par* of any of my 
 ^rcdeceflbrs, and from this Impartiality muit have %"nj|, 
 a reciprocal regard which ought to have left in my brta»^! 
 to rcicntment to fatisfy. I dcty Calumny lc» coiuraiLa. : 
 tticfc afltrtionsj . '.' J 
 
 ' The Prcfident Waftilngbn granted me that efteetfl^V 
 Which he could not rcfufc to a man incapable of htt* 
 tnonizing with the open ot fccrct enemies o£ his couiU I 
 try. 1 have, In critical llmeSi and during a ftate of thing^j 
 the unfavourable rcfleaed Inipteflions of which it w«ii 
 difficuh to witkiland In fbreiatt countries, enjaycdr* 
 much refpefl as ever a Mhiifter of France ciijoyd 
 As to the atticks, open or maflccd, of whkh I may hai 
 been the objca, thef have no linger power to itritato 
 me. I know too well of what value opinions are »» timei 
 likcUofe we live irii The fpirit of party created and dc-^ 
 ftroys reputations*} ihe moft ptbiligatc debauchees, Ipropce* 
 hetesl of the dourtof Charles II. # re citdUed as prodigies 
 ^bf h&oi; and virtuci by the writers of tMoll»iiarty^ Amaa 
 Who IS ciiUghterted •itough to form an opimojt, teHakM. 
 enough to maintain it, Ihotild fliare k« fate; it Wotild 
 be as coWatcUy on his part p (hun this, a* dn the part 
 bf a (oldier ip fculk ftoth the danger of thetorp8# 
 
 Wliich he is embodied. ; . • .'.^ 
 
 AdOiatdt %hd poff^fles afejiutauoo proportioned t<^ 
 the imporuncef which his party atiachw to hinj^ J»i 
 taken the lihcfty to caft upoii my prcdctcffiw neat th» y 
 tJnited States, a cenftirc Which hefecmi to haTCtntend* 
 H to ekterid to rtic. He knows neither what relatej Ui | 
 irie pcribnally, no* to my admlniftration^ hisfpecch *Jj 
 &11 of a biece ; he has drawn his rcflcaioris on mcjijand i 
 his arguniehls oil Mnp, froiri the fame foujxcs. I mji 
 Jperh^s, in the cbtirfe of drise%, cdttvmce^him that 
 he his been inji^ofed tipdn with refpcft to the latter | 
 ^«nd if he thence cltaws &«i confequence, that he maj 
 *^fo# bed* delimited With *cgard to pcrfoiis^ I fbaM 
 • Tb» Cirtara Paftorfl* 
 

 I Idhgratulart* myfijJfj on account of the Clti:ictt Genel* 
 I njy prcdeceflbr, againlt whom he haa inor«f particularlf 
 direac^ hi» aniwadrerfious ; and as that Gitijtcn is ab* 
 fctit, and ii Is fjofliUle that the opiuioa oftht deputy of 
 fearis may not befo indifferent to him a« it is to mc, I fhall 
 Bt Icaft have cbntrihiited toreaify, with fcftie^ to hi»i 
 tikkc ideal of a hianj wlio, without intereft to defamd 
 «|im> can hate uoae to pcrfift in aa injuftlcc which ho 
 tm tomenitted upon truHi ; 
 1 Thofc wbd hate taken tWJ trdubfce of conferring on 
 ♦tee the rcputatioa cf inaaivitT, wUl be aftoniflied to foe 
 Wpt»ca«ia imbKc. I fhotildbe forty if dirt^woik were t« 
 tha«g©thch"QpinioiiS»ith rejaxHmej IfhouW fcarthcy 
 Wghtdifcover in it iym^tamof that kind ci aaivity 
 %lSoh I prise hok Iktl^ and which eottfiUn id taking ad- 
 ' %2}t«gfc of o»t% phyfical poweti, by appearing ev«y* 
 / Witfe^ and multiplying one's-felf hva manner : I fliall 
 i '^deavoir tb prorc that ftudy may be united to irpofei 
 and that a man may havo thought, *witho»t hating fpbken 
 tetxh or wntte» much. 
 
 u. 
 
 Tittilfe aic olrciimAaneca in the niutttal r«la«i©nMi nui 
 Viom, when .thoirgovernraBnts can no longer ag«e witft- 
 tafih'«i^t^ aM wheniti becomes necefliairy to refott ta 
 txttaoBdimty Ihean&of explanation, and often e^entiO 
 Hi© etiieli esMreiiiitle* cf war. Our ptcfijntpofitiori, ht 
 U ^awMtiitlie United Statc»< ftemay at the fell glancCj 
 l^have alt thk lymptomftM tha««lc|»I<^^I« alt^mativo. 
 Honrerer, kw muft not be deceive* by tkdfe 6w^A ap- 
 pearances f great sm the aBiawfrtyihif be which hash!** 
 thectq, onbdtkfidcli,mprfce«l th^ hiiniAcrial difi«aCchet>and • 
 mahtfeftoes, fti there exifts ftill a ppint of contaa ; it- 
 is the common intereft, vrWch tcprobates a rupture. 
 By a. ftria anaiyfiftof the aas tif both parties, it may 
 newrtheleft be teen, that in«idctatwn is on the fide ol the 
 
 ExecuiiTC Bireftory. . *; « ^ « * 
 
 Uis fttffici^t to tead th^iiotes which thrSectetaty ofc 
 6taita» Uii Pkkeriflg, ha» figned fiftce his coming mio 
 &e miniftry, to be pcrfeaiy comdnocd tha^thc Ataen* 
 tancabiaei has, #lth regard tout, fwn» *^* T?°2 
 ihat the (Kfcuffions began to become fetkMft, run thrt>tt|K 
 ill the Heipwt of ito« Mifft madte*^ «ootcmpt; f^m 
 
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 pifocetdcd fvicceflivcly from an iridecttit levity (a tn<! - 
 ione of infult, a tone which reigns from one end to thtf 
 other of the voluminous performance ^hich has becti 
 dirtftcd to Mr. Pinckrief, onder the title of difpatchesi 
 ^nd which its agents at Paris have had tranilated and cir- 
 , qulated nrofufeljr» The Dircftoi-y has confined itfcJf td 
 atling, and we ihall fee how I'm it has had h right of do^/ 
 ing fo. Tlie ttotes direftly exchanged at Pans breuth^^ *• 
 Only coldnefs and c:\lmnefs : Thofe forwarded to the 
 United States ni^ghi have becfi bettet adapted to the cir«, 
 cumitances* the localities^ and the government, in th^^ 
 name of which they were ifTued } but they do not, how- 
 ever, in the lead; deviate from decency and moderation. 
 Let us not deceive oUrfclves y Mt Pickering, when he 
 ftgned the lad difpatckdf June id, 1797* forefaw that 
 he would find defeiiden^ at Pari^} he knew what Mr^* 
 Pincknty afterwards wrote him from Paris, that the nevli'* 
 ele£t/ons Would give another afpe£t to aiFairs * in France ^ 
 <knd that his tnanifeflo would arrive opportunely to fe- 
 cond the arrangements of fome men, who waited only for 
 that momenf to break illence.^^y It is to be regrcttect 
 that fttch tfc thd paffions at this day } that men \ti\ xui 
 rcpugnjincts in taking a text, of denunciaition againft the 
 txecutiv^ branch of the govefiiment, frbm a diipatch 
 whidi bears all; the ckarafleks of the deepcil enmity : I(;f 
 is yet niore to, be regretted, that it fhould be Relieved', 
 ppifible, in filch eafes^ to f^pamte th6 fubie£t matter of 
 difpute from the decUiinat6ry part { and that entirely ne-^ ' 
 gle^ling the former, which is the moft important, the . 
 latter ihould be dwelt on without refledlion, and without 
 bounds., It was a very important queilion to be foived/ 
 
 .^ Blcport ofMf; Pfckcrinf to the Secretary of State on 
 his reception at Paris. ,,..., 
 
 '^h) The conDectiou between otir admiaiftration and the , 
 rdyadifltpaHy, lately overthrown in France, has long been fuf-' 
 pectcd, and cannot no n be doubted. Thus we fee that Meflra ." 
 Pickering, Se bo. carry on the fame intrigues in other Couo-: 
 tries, for which they fo vehejiiently blame, an^ without 
 btfing able to adduce .proofs oi their exiitiMaee, tne French 
 agents here. What a pity that Mr. Pickering cannot cora-^ 
 maud an annual appropriation for fecret fervicet; tre fliouti ; 
 tlieft have our P// as wt baVe our Cwrjfe.— [T*ra/M/d«»ir; 
 
 "**%J'^feiiJ^a 
 
_ . ., . . „J1J -^ 
 
 
 E '7 3 
 
 yirhctticr a right exifted of bringing forward a qucftion of 
 that nature ? The ftep being once taken, it ought at Icaft 
 to have been fupported by a thorough knowledge of the 
 fubjea of difcullton. » 
 
 However, whatever may have befn the mqtive o{ 
 fhcfe extraordinary motions, the Direftory is, ncverth«;r 
 Uk, on the eve of entering into ne^ociationa on the differ- 
 ent points in difpute with the cabinet of Philadelphia. It i^ 
 wailily perceived, what difadvan^age it will have in this 
 icgocuiiqn, after what has pajTed ip the councils •, but 
 ibtting afide, for the moment, the probabilities of fuccciisi 
 which the two parties may have, it would be important 
 to furnifh thofe wjho are intercfted in that tranfaaioi^ 
 with the means of calculating its dircftion and iffutf, 
 Suchistheobjeaofthisfketch. We (hall firftfumma- 
 xjly review oUr grievances, and examine their weight. 
 g» it would be exceeding the bounds pf a work defignedj 
 for the public, to give a miriute detail of all the wrongs 
 with which France reproaches the Fedeial Government. 
 A very detailed account may be found in the difpatch of 
 Mr. Pickering to Mr. Pinckney, of which merftion hasi 
 already been made. We fhall fay then, that our com^ 
 plaints relate in the firft placebo the inex-cutiott and the 
 yiolatipn of Ircatles. " What ar* »he treaties tbaf unites 
 America to France ? They arc well known : They con- 
 $ft of a treaty of alliance offenfivc and defenfive, (c) and 
 a treaty of Amity, Navigation and Commerce, both^ 
 figned on the fame day. Thefc treaties arc the firft conv 
 ^afts which the United States fipicd' as a natioil, 
 They cftablift therefore, In favour of France, rights an- 
 terior to any rights, which other nations may have af- 
 terwards acquired} agreeably to the princ^le of the laiy 
 of nations, which gives to the oldeft treaties the pre- 
 ference over thofe more recently concluded; as Io«g as a^ 
 war has not deftroyed them. France has by thefe trea- 
 ties refcrved none of the advantages which the fituatioh 
 of th? United StaJj^S, might have induced her to cxaa. 
 She ha« contented herfelf' with recognizing the Itipula- 
 tions moft common, and which form the bafis of all trea^ 
 (c) Mr.' Fauchet is here in an error. Our treaty wi t|i 
 Frafice it only de/eriiivc and nut offcnfive. Xransiato,., 
 
 ^. 
 
^ 
 
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 lici of that nature \ tnd the benefit Hie mi^j^hi CKjpoiS^ 
 Iromit, proceeded lefs from the intrinfic value of t)fa9 
 ftipulations thtmfclvxs, than from the prbriry T,'h»c!! (lis 
 had/ iicquireil oyer other ftatcg. Tiw treaty of aPiiincio 
 waSt ruhout any doubt, vh^gitoty on th? American s^ 
 notwithitcsnding the change tU4t took piace in our go- 
 vernment, whatever mc^ fold to Great Ikitain, and 
 blinded by pcrfiunal hatred may have written ' g^nit the 
 immortal negociator* of that treaty. We have not re- 
 quired the e:!^ccutiou of that treaty, altl\ough thq cajus fas- 
 feris ha« cxii^ed in its full force, Ihid jnudc. atH>,n on our 
 
 })art ouglit, at leafl, to have fvcured to us the cnjoymei£t 
 \i tiie advantages (lipulated by the qthcr treaty^, in the 
 eventual cafe of the neptr^lity of one of the t^o parties. 
 
 Nothing proves more the want of caution or the ex- 
 fcfllve goud^vill of Qu^ ^egociators for the United 
 (itatc^i (luupi tlve principles they havp ^tdopted in that 
 treaty, rclatxvdy \o tlte above eventual cafe of i^cutralit^. 
 |t was cafy to forefee, tliat adpal reciprocity could lio^ 
 f;tift for a long time to come ; For it is difiicult to c<«»- 
 f eive a combinatiop Qjf clrcuro|lar\ce« which, involving 
 the United States in a war of apy importance, f^oudd 
 |)ermit Fr«4icc to remi^in neutral, ' Hovyeycr, if Trance 
 ((lid x^ iofe fight of the cbje^'itowards y^^ch, for a cen? 
 tur J ^'^x ^i "*^ p!*^* ^^^ dire^ed* thjtjt of undoimin- 
 ing tae commercial m-eponderance of Ei^Iand, (l>e ougltt 
 fo liave ufcd sdl poll^ble circumfpcdl ion, with r^g^rd to. 
 the advantage Q>e was ahouC givmg to a flag d«i^ii^ tt» 
 W the cvTi^r fif all the 9thie( ^aim^rcial iiitions ia 
 dime' of war, She fi^ghttoi have taken t|ie greater pre-, 
 fautions \\\ thjiy ve(pe4, as the fioiili^ity of i^^Aero 
 and of lattguage greatly favoured the nbufs* y^^ch^ 
 England might make of the American ftag and fnilDCft* > 
 
 Forgetting tho£e gceat yatei^fts^ guided by. the id«% 
 more g|e|Kro«s than pontic,, n^t to depaet* in any l>f. out 
 treaties, fcom the principlea of neutriiUi^ of whidi^wc 
 ;|^oclaiq:i6d oipTfi^ei^ th« pcou£tcrs, '^. do \5at^nn8s 
 treated upon rJie Ubci:;U banf» of thofe princupiei. Tite 
 only equivalent which ^omttd to b^ Kefs)rv«4.H« us,' wgis. 
 the priyilege of conducting pur prizes and ottr priva- 
 |eers to the United States^ witl^put the Iq;;^ oi^cer& Ki^ 
 
1«ii cognizance of Uifi vaMaity of the former j aftefwdMS 
 Ihat of our fhipl of w?r 'jcing allowed to enter their porti 
 luid vi£Vuali to t: ^ txclufiort of thofc of oor encmiei) 
 S»hich, in all polfiblc com^jinatibns of cVentSi waft a* 
 much as to fay, thofe of Great Britain and her alUefti 
 This fecond ciaufe conulneda pointed and eXttaordina^ 
 Vy favour, bUt It will ceafe to appear fUch by the deV«i 
 lopments which here followi i •, . : , , 
 
 To thoft who know the fitiiation of the Americart c-:i* 
 tWeht, relative to the Weft tndicB* the moft aroarenti 
 if ndt the moft real tentn of the commerce of Europe^ 
 h will Appear /JTident tlut the permiffion io carry our 
 prizet to the United Stntei, to the exclufion of Enaland; 
 wa» of great valUc. , England was as well aware bf it as 
 \re i therefor*, ds foon aS the prpfcht war thfcatehed to 
 break out, (he ertifJlbycd all poffiWe ahs to neutralize 
 the eventual ewrcife of that right : Since the iiomthence- 
 mcnt of hdiiilitlcs, (he has doiie etcry thing to (hackle 
 it: And Hnally, as th* fcntiments of the American ca- 
 binet afl'umed in afp?a niore and more malevdlertt, (he 
 progrelTed towards the objcft which (he willied to at- 
 tain, that of rendering that right illufory, and even ruinu 
 
 tUstoFniiJcei.. ^ ; , , i.. H*il\ »; r 
 
 In faa, Wha^ ftch fiumbers bf prizes llbpt i^ th* 
 febrtsof the United States, under the moft fWvolotii prc- 
 fexts, and delivfered Up to the illicit examination of thd 
 Amcrifcan tribunals: It is particiilarly in the t>orts of th<i 
 fduthern ftates that thb fcandaldus proceeding has been 
 tobfcrved. Thefe prizes detained, brought befbre cburti 
 Whofe forms ate more or lefs expertfive, have filially becil 
 i«ftorbl to the tap«iired, and ofteti ruined the taptori. 
 Sippofmg that amo.^ the pretexts held Up to julkify fo 
 extraordinary a cbndufti fome were Valid, the demand 
 icpcatcdly made to place the captured and thccaptors oil 
 art equal footing, by rfquaring of the plaihtiffi Whoever 
 he might bei a fectirUy which fliould (faeltet againft a( 
 j>rQfe$ation evidently unjuit* ought to ha^e bech ac- 
 ^aiefced in. The American govemmenti after havm j 
 fokmnly rccognified our rif^t to carry our prices into ite 
 portSi pewnitfcd their fak in thfe fetne ports: Thisf*. 
 fo^ privHege, although merely gratuitous, turned td 
 Iht »irma^ of iw cuftom-houfes, and it» n««tr4»ty rtf* 
 
 
 .N 
 
 
m 
 
 \ji 
 
 V f ,1 
 
 r^-^-^v 
 
 »'. * 
 
 Ihatneii fiot the lets inviolate } fof tKe right tit difpofij 
 of the property, was but a coiiieqMence of thxt of con>< ■ 
 dudl^ing that property inro its yottn'f aconfecfuencewiiicb^ 
 in reality, but little ihterefts the captured^ But the aits' 
 of England foon c;tufed thil §vtot to be Couddetcd. in a 
 diftevent Hght j It Was refolvcil to depri<re us of it. To. 
 attain thfs^ object, different iJretRXte were devifed for feiz- 
 ing the prize ) at laft the advantage ^as opehJjii nkedv 
 ftom us* ' - ' 
 
 Th^ pretexts (rf the fedewi gowrnftient, for taking 
 cognizatfce of French prises, are reducible to mo j cap^ 
 tare tvithin the limits of its jurlfdi<Slionj dn4 capture 
 by ve^ls armed nctthin its waters. No obje£fcion ha» 
 ever beeniitads to tecogniiing' the jufiliice of the firft 
 principle :, h would be >conteiting t> ? foltereigntf of at 
 ftate to wife doubt* <)n that head. The fecond is muchi 
 leCs reafonable i It has been conceded only as a natural^ 
 tohfequeiice of the fatisfa^lion which was given, witk 
 rcfpe^ ttf the ptiv4te«r& atmed in the United fixates, un^ 
 der the utimiler Genet v- but giving the latitude which 
 the gov^ttiAient df the IJrated States cont^/Mlsfor, wa» 
 inanifeflii^ axi evidemfteo^ ill- will: A ^<vateer was ac<«^ 
 tufed 'trf hkviag beehawiRed in the Un**ted S&ttes, ha<i-^ 
 ihe but taken in tflJdiit mu&ct, of opentd a port-hdle 
 befocR thttt ujfc '" 
 
 * However, » teif greiit proot o? cbncilia^ion was gtv^ 
 en, by piropofing &at ah thefi^ fubje£lts flurald be fobralt^ 
 ed to an amicable negociation betweeni the miniOer o^^- 
 France and the American goiremn>enr) by this means ' 
 the tnterefts of the two nation^ would have been fecur* 
 ed, and the tfeaty which I'equires that tte afietts of the 
 Paid parties Jhall mt take cogmsuMce of thf validity efprixjiff 
 wnuld have beeti reipe6ied< Hhe American goyernmenC 
 re^e^ed all (hefe ove.-ture8 : Its motive of a£tic^i was 'A- 
 fervite coffdefcenffon for onr enemy, snd it ail^fwered ali 
 our remofrftranc^tf by /ayiftg, that when an affeir. Wa* 
 once before its tribunak it ctiuld not withdraw it, nof- 
 give us any fatisfaftien in that tcf|e£t. 
 
 This was in geh^ral the Hiield wliich «he ^Wfcftraenf 
 cooftantfy oppofed to «s^ T4>difc«^^ valucof that;quit>« 
 toe, it would ferft be neceflfary t»ej»ait»ine whether '^e cart 
 ^dnnt.k, who Ivavs. a tre;fty> whcthev a govcrumeiK wtuk- 
 
t n 3 
 
 0ppofe tntcrti^il law$ tp a political nompaJk : Then th? 
 federal government might be a^kcd, whether it ia no| 
 the fubterfuge of bad faith, even acpording to their own 
 i:Onftit«t|on ? Whether it» admiralty courts, Ly. taking 
 cognizance of matters, from yjiich they are excluded by 
 fi folecnn txeaty, donot vimatc the daufe of the confti» 
 tution, whfch fays, that tieaties are the fupreme law of 
 the land, a> ptimmount lai^,. to ufe the expreifton of the 
 j,ngli(h juriltb. > 
 
 Without fuggeiling to itfclfthofe doubts, the A men-. 
 <:an adminifttatTon has advanced with perfeycrance ta 
 ^ en4 marked out by it» maleyaleneti towwds us, and 
 by its preiilcaien for Great Britain^ Its tribunals, iiK 
 fluCinced by tlie fame fpirit which direCked that cabi.ict, 
 po longer kept within bounds \ the dignity of the rspub^ 
 ^ hij b^en on an hundred qceafionn committed, and, 
 Ibofe who fitted out privateer ruined, 
 
 I am ferjfible of the juft value which ought to be fef 
 in)onthi$ portion of QV gri«T»nQC8i accordingly it is 
 not my intention to examine tkQ degrea of favour whick 
 ^e fittc^$ of privateers, fuch ai thoft? wHofc interefti bavl 
 Veen irtv<dve4 in the United fttdteS) 4e(erve y no one Is 
 more^confeious than I am, haf# UKtl9 feafon thcw i» ta 
 ^ forward ii>fifliing ferious , c^iflHWon on ^CQiint of 
 concerns of privateers in |^nsral» and of thofe wp'treatj 
 ^f in partictilary ftut it ia with govetmucnta as with in- 
 dividuals : In n[iatter8 oftepatatlon a&well as of intereft« 
 both %?e e^aiy h% aafoou s^i we cftafe %a he jealous oi 
 preferving tKem in all cafes^ 
 
 Befides, thebtifiiiefs wis ^ put »rfeatic& to. a trial, th« 
 :^pUcation:of which emad not; till then have been calle* 
 for. It Mra$, therefore, important to watch left conftruc-t 
 taons ftwuld fupercede their literal meaning ; left depar- 
 tures from the treaty, upon the ground of momentary ac^ 
 oommodntion, flipuld becojne the fpurcc.of a number ol 
 precedents whieh wq^jW^ wi^dut fail» be marflialled 
 sigainft U6 in future. ' ^ 
 
 As to Ac right of ent«r«t>|f viHtH and viaualUng out 
 e^ips of wtr in theXJnited Statses^ it was equally, well cftab^ 
 Ufticd. The exclufion of England could not be a fal*» 
 j^ of doubt, agreeable to the terms in which, the i7tK 
 9l^€l« is e«prefied. In *«4« not .to giue to that tk<^ 
 
 til 
 
{"'^. 
 
 l >cl 
 
 (VPii) A QhatdStn too repugnant to neutralityi it was Wx 
 jlpil^eci ^o Oiips Yft^ft ihould have made feme pii?;e8 upr 
 
 'fhc Fetjeral goyernment wiihing to elude here, the 
 literal f^nfe, ha^ entangled itfelf in its own interpreta- 
 ^on^. |t contendod that that exclufion lelated only to 
 ^he ihips entering yrith their prizes, and then to the 
 prjz^q ^emfejves. The Eqgliih Minifter, Mr. Ham- 
 mond, prptefted, in (he name of his court, ag^^nft that 
 interpretation, and it is, as yet, unknown how the Ame- 
 ficaq' cabinet has b(;en able to conciliate its interpreta-r 
 fion yrith the contradiftorv interpr-^tations of both the 
 JVfinillers otf France and England. 
 
 Coi^ld fhe wor4|ng of that article offei the lead (ha^ 
 4ow of difi^cul^y, ^t would be fufficisnt t» recur to the 
 f irci^mfl^nces, and tp the etijetnbh of the negociation oi 
 ^778^ to remove it. Mr. de Vergennes, in order td 
 tranquillize the United States with rerpe€^ to our views, 
 find |p gua^d againft every rowans of difunion and diftruft^ 
 itipuiated, at the defire of the American Plenipotentiary, 
 ^he formal renunciation to any eventual pofl'eilion by 
 f'ranccj of any of the ter^tories ceded to Great Britain, 
 at the peace of ^63, on i^e Northern continent of Ame^ 
 ifica., {.This renunciation was abfolutc) w« loft thcreb]|i 
 ^he hopes of obtaining, by war or by negociation, a porl 
 in theGulph of St. Laurence, or in Nova-jScotia, in order 
 %(> balance the advantages which the exclufive pofleilion 
 pf all the mariume ports of that continent gives to £nn 
 gland. : 
 
 ^ Had t}ie independenoe of the United States not ie- 
 cured us, in its ports, the means of counterbalancing that 
 pofitioi^ of En^and, we ought to have thought of taking 
 Advantage! c(f the war and of conquering for our o^n 
 account: Our contrary condu£l is explained by thet 
 claufes which fecure to us, in the eventual cafe of the 
 neutrality of the United States, tfie ufe of its ports fon 
 pur fquadrons ; without this the whole negociation 
 would have been a mere folly on our part, and this can- 
 ]|iot be maintained, knowing tHoie who were charged to^ 
 jflipulate in oUr behalf. 
 
 ■ The two grievances which we have juft examined wuld 
 Wi\ ^py^^^^t ^YC boc^ worth entering ^nto fei.in^ 
 
4litMfRon8 about^ If theyl>ad ftood aloive. • If ti»aF?4p* 
 f al govcrhmcnt had afted in other refpefts with finccrity, 
 \t WQ^14 have advanced fqmcplau^ble pretexts to attcn 
 puate the impropriety of i^s cpndqfV «pqn tbofe twa 
 points, An infant tra4e> deftitute of every m^aqs of pro^ 
 Xe€tion i the New World abandoned to the defpqtifm 
 of lingland, and as it were to its difcretion i preferve4 
 from total (ubje£^ioq, by (^upcndous convulfioas, asterri-i 
 ble as the dangers of which they dinainiflied the chance*, (</) 
 the unqertainty which charafterized the firft events of thcj 
 war; a governn^ent to fettle ', wounds to hei(il, ancmp. 
 ty treafury, a nation without n^oney ^^4 without an ar* 
 my;— fuch a^e the motives, founded on ijitcreft, whicl^ 
 the Arherican cabinet might have pleaded to jqftify, in 
 confidential explanations, the defertion of i^s allies, and. 
 ^s partiality for England. But n^alevolence was th^ 
 ^ul of its a£^ipfis: Qovernments do no.t, moi^e than in- 
 dividuals, fquarc Aeir ?on4u£\ accpyding to the external 
 ibrms of a correfpondence ; the intention (fejfousenttndu) 
 is always what is on both fides endeavquTcd to t^e founds 
 out. The American flj^ectitive fay<?d u# this trouble by 
 Cgning witli England, and in 'the midft of hoftilities, 
 without giving OS any previous notice, while oil the con- 
 trary; they w*lte promifing to 4© no fuch thing, a trea- 
 ty derogatory ttf that of 1778, containing claules hbftilp 
 tp us, and calciU^ted for the prefcnt war, 
 
 A pioU^cian whofe experience gives him the right t^ 
 exprefs an opinion upon this fubjcd •,• a diember of tliQ 
 l^giflative body yfho. has ^ated it without having a 
 knowledge of it, have both jullified at once the Ame^ 
 r^can government, on the fubje£t of the treaty of Lon- 
 4on. Both reft their opinion on the ground, ths^t that 
 government I^a4 the right to make this treaty, and that 
 it was in no manner anfwerablc to us for its condu6t^ 
 I will neither infult the one nor the other by fuppofing 
 
 (d) There is fome obfcurity Ir this fentence. By AW 
 Worldy' we iijiagine^the Weft Indies are meant ; and that the 
 writer alludes to the manurniffion of the blacks, thro' oieanw ' 
 of which the French government prevented the conqueft of their, 
 iQands; but occafioncd " ftupcndous (internal) convulfions as 
 terrible as the dangers of which they diminilhed lU? chanc?,^ 
 ^^ ' ^»iKi>,mSegur the eider. 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 . S ^^m * 
 
 £^** -■-■*_ 
 
*>*Vi. 
 
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 t M 1 
 
 IliiJta feriotw in llhis mode of itftfi^iilg. This irguttrt«| 
 ^29 already been fuccefsfolly apfwercd : It may Defidcn 
 be faid, that the fir|l of tht writers px quriftiori is fidf 
 ijgnorant, that one of the immedidtft confecjtietices of ail 
 ^Hance is, that the allies flhoirW cammpmcate to each 
 0ther the negpciatiorts which might produce any chiftigciH 
 tkhcir fektrre pofrtiom, that sA} nationft^ at Jtaikth<»f<! Avi(hr 
 ing to fen^ain above fufpicioij, a£lt in this thafirtct, Thi^ 
 writer i« too yifeil verfe^ ift the negociatibi^a of th6 en^f 
 pi thi^ century, and efpccially in thofe which have re- 
 lation to the mdyen>ents m the North, of whicH we havft 
 feen the (iemttemetttt to lay don'n fcrioufly, a« a g^crner^ 
 pofitionjf that a ftate has the power of chandng, at it| 
 pieafuTC a!\d without any one's finding fault, its externa^ 
 ij-elations. Cii^umftances might be recalled to his tt* 
 <}olk:£licm in which he has a£led on vety different priiici*> 
 pies. Af to the declamations' whiph the orator (PaftorelJ 
 has recourje ^q }rpoa this pointy ^ey may, without in¥ 
 fJonvcnience, remain without >i» anfv«r } they could oiV^ 
 iy be combated by imitating tl^m. If it wii^ neceflarjf 
 to carry further the rcfutatioH of this fophifrnj it migh^ 
 j>e fat^j that iff the Aitierican goTemn)«nt had alight t^ 
 ^gociate the treaty, it ought itot td haY<6 con^a^tly «rfk 
 furedftts, at Philadelphia and at ^afidj ^ the^ yroyj!^ 
 t»e none eonclu4edt. ' 
 
 It is, however^ a fiscondary quef^ofi #hich ifz hdv^f^' 
 jttft examitied. -^i^efijrft and raeft impottamtiilafl, re-t 
 ](pcding the treaty of Londotij is whether it ^^Untfebut 
 interefts, and if it was rightful for i^ t6 fliek^ pVtfelVeit 
 from the nece^ry efficlfs of that ^^ upbn us^ 
 
 No one hasl^tnerto eo;t»f ended fhat the treaty is hot- 
 unfavcJura^fe to us \ the principles of neutrality^ whktit' 
 ibrm the bafis of oura, are completely £tctificedih it|i' 
 f ontrary principles ikt therein tecognized. To^ rendt# 
 (his part of the dif<^i($o^ af^0r< $lear> let us go bsc^k t<yV 
 few principles,. 
 
 The prerogative, which neutral nations enjoy ip time 
 ^f war, is the portion of the law of nation man fubje^ 
 to difpnte. Neutrals having a great intereft in enjoying 
 the mofl extenfive liberty for their commerce ; bielhgett 
 i;^«t |K)wersj yrho hfiycdi^ \ ^aii^«: foj;^ tJo j^' 
 
 ■■•^.f 
 
totJVbys, h-4vitig an equal intcreft that theircomrrierceffiff ^ 
 tantinufunditT a neutral flag during hoftiUties, it is clear^' 
 that thofe ttva kinds of ^cj-si-ctt biift, rieccfl^riljr, hate' 
 Co^ilantljr endeavoutcd to give to the trad^ tJf ticMtrzU 
 t^iC utmpft latitude df freedom i 'therefore do we fefe 
 all thg^*eati<f GttndlCidcd for a «ett*OTy and a half h^c'k) 
 by cidver ontbr bthirbHh^tWa l^inde of powerl^hkh ' 
 we h«re defignated, cotrtain jmnrtples extremely liberal 
 in this refpefti Authors Vho hai^ written ori ihc law 
 of nations haye iaid dowfl the maiiini that eiiumy'a pro- 
 pcity dod8 not tcafe beirrefbtioder a friendly flag, 2li\A 
 fconKqtiently tnif be rei2ea. Hie treses of which vi c 
 llbeak above, eftablifli, on the contrary; thatthe ftien^lf J 
 flag protefis i;ncrtiiy*8 prop<irty, aifti places it b^ydttd vi-fv 
 olation} this 10 what is cdmriK>hIy called the modcrii 
 rieutrality. 
 
 Of all the t»oiJrerf , whieh By theii- natuf^ i.tt riicK 
 frequently cngagedlin maritime wars, France is the one: 
 ^hlch has defended the bft Mentioned principles witl^ 
 ftioft wsrn^th* England*' whofc conimcrte, even irf 
 liinc of war, is always carefullv pijoteaed, has fhewrt 
 Itfclf but littIc/dlfp<Jf<4d to acltno^ledge ihemi oftert 
 however fhe has admitted them irt her ttieaiie^, cither 
 becaufe ihe wa« farced fo to do, df becaiire (he expell- 
 ed to fecurc immediate advatkages as an equivalent fofr 
 tiiis condefceniicfH ; but, whatei^er the lettef d thefe 
 treaties niay hai%faid« (he- has rarely aflted in conformi- 
 ty to th^m Upon this points In pra£iice (he has always 
 adhered tQ the imicient maletm, that the friendly flag 
 does not proteft enemfs property i when fhe has purfu- 
 tdz contf^ary condud^, it is when (he has. been obliged ' 
 to; it by. leagtfeft capable of overailiring her, as iil 
 
 The above ;« a ftatcm'ertt, «C \^lucK Mt. Plfckcring; 
 Itimfelf will not queilion the candour. I proceed/ 
 i^'rance, in gir \ this example of her conftancy in main- 
 taining the modem neutrality, could not however always 
 *rifli it to its detriment* ITiiar would iiappeA if Ihe alone' 
 admitted it in favour of tlic other mamime powers; for/,ji 
 in this cafe, her enemies might fhip their property un- 
 #6? neutral flag, whith Frao6« i/ravU be obliged to r«^ 
 
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 ifpcdi and the enemies of France not having, ^{i% 
 that natiojj, any fimilar ti;eqty, the property that Franc« 
 i(tjjghi: ihip urd^ic .diij: fiag would enjoy no fccurityj. 
 iii^ this* Jrefp^dl/ the fotnicr government cannot bc»c- 
 cuic^ of having been, guilty of luch an oyerfight. 'fhc 
 jpowers wli.ch, in thqr treaties witk us* have Itq^ateci 
 ififfa^pur of theife jprinciples,^ have alfo Ui^ulated for ; 
 them with England ) Jhence it iioliows, that if £iiglan<t 
 \* as to exc<;ute her treaties ^itji |Jli)ofe« nations, in cafe of • 
 iiieir remaining neiitirai, vrt, jnig|it tranf|Mrt 6ur prOf" 
 Iperty in time of war, ijnder their flag, as England trarvl 
 fports heirs. Hence we Iwve ihore thari opec irequured 
 that neutral pow»»)r8, ,w|,ofc flag was infdltcd b our de^ 
 triiAent, iJiould force j^ngland to execute Jver treaties^, 
 ind to confirm hertclf 10 tfi fame ppncigles. . This i« 
 what we did more particularly as to Holland in 177.7. _ 
 Thisdcmw^ brought about the rupture between that 
 |)6wer and England in 1780. , . ^ • ^ ■• * 
 
 America tiad yet ho treaties in 1776; ih'bfc (he con^ 
 fcrajSied witiiuawefe, a? we have already fjwd, herfirl? 
 j)hritical €ompa£ls. "^hen iecdgni?ing in tKofe treaties 
 the prinpuples of modern nltutrpiiy 'in their full fcope, 
 we cdUM not , furely ; expeQ: ^^that the un^4 States 
 •would confent, in thpif polienor ^eatiM| to, contrary 
 princ^lts : It is particularly fhc nature t^^^hciir ftipula* 
 tipas widx Erigland tjiat wa(S calciilated to embaxrafs usi 
 We coulti not defife tliat that power (hould be at liber- ., 
 ty to mike; life of theiir flag af its pleafure, while the fame , 
 advantage fiiould be interdided to U3. . . .* 
 
 Such, however, is. the ftate of things which has , 
 been brought about By the treaty of Lpndon. Thd 
 United States have explicitly abandQhed, in that treaty,^ 
 thfe modeM neutrality •, 'whence it fefults thai Englan^; 
 may legally plunder us under the American flag, ai.a 
 tihkt we are '.j refpe£i what (he places under that flag; 
 
 The principles of neutrality in queftibri, extend alfo 
 to a part of the coriimerce of neutrals liable to mi ny 
 difcuflions j it is the fubjcdi of contraband. Accordj 
 ing to the antient law of natiotis, all that was Jcftined 
 for the enemy, all that left an cuemy 'sport was con- 
 tmband, and more particularly articles uted in naval at 
 ]ai)d arfenals and even ^ vifions* 
 
 v» 
 
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li iscafily {i<!fteived how inconvenient and ruinoiii 
 Ais barbarous rlile mtift be to nations whofe whole 
 wealth confift9 in' the exportation of thofe articles •, hence 
 if is the norihfehi pbwers wlio have modified, in their 
 tresi^ies, this antique right. At this day the modern neu- 
 trality rank* aS cdntraband only articles fit to be ufed 
 iTttmcdiately for ofFertce or defetice, and thofe which 
 nM be wrought before they can be ufed in this way. 
 afe excluded. Provifion? are contraband otdy in the'^ 
 c*fe6f their being cartied to a blockaded and befieged, 
 pmii fudh ai-^ aUb the principles of our treaty of x 7 78 
 
 ai' tA contraband. ''■■■■ e' 
 
 The titaty of Londdrt reebgnizes the ancient laV^ ot, 
 hitibns in this rrfpca ; that is, it makes it legal for £n^\ 
 glirtldtd feize all objcas fit for (hip yards, which thdj 
 jmd'icljib niight bring ue 5 wlitk we aire to refpeft thofe 
 faihc'atticles carried mto England under the fame flag. 
 As to fjrdtrifioris it is It^ft at her will to declatc when they 
 aj«e<omribandi that'is fcizable, when gjiing to France 
 or to our colonies, upoti American veflels. . 
 
 •This difFererice, farely, is Rrikitig, and yet tftw w, 
 ^atthe citizen Paftbret finds fcarcely worthy offlighlj . 
 aniftiadverfioii. Th^ difadvantaees of pur ipmm ar^,. 
 paipablS with tw6 t^at»e« fo diflihiilar. Have we not 
 leVal means if re-aaing againll fuch a ftate of vthirigs, ^ 
 afid of placttg outfaves precifcly on the footmg oii 
 wfiich England firidsherfelf ftandmg i)y her trdaty ? 
 
 -There weri^ <mly two means of ibihg it:' Firft, hf 
 caiiiife <«tth' a fegHliitivB decifion, which llioUld fufpend 
 tHe tlaufes bf our trjiaty of 1778, whieh recognize a 
 d«lElHtie'fcGtit¥afyko that Which is fotittd Ift the treaty of ^ 
 L6hd6ri.' Second, by a Were executive a£k, it Was in 
 odit' power to taVe advantage of thfc^ ad article of tjie/, 
 treaty of 1 778, which guarantees to^us all the idVantagei 
 of^riavigation and 'commerce whicH might be granted to 
 o,t4l«r poweV5,— anfi place, by means of this article^ the 
 refiublic upon the fame footinjj as ^nglandi This is th^ 
 tcAd^hich the difeQoty has preferred: It iS the mq^ 
 prbper, and isj ftrifitly c^^itutiprtal.' The other would 
 h^e given,' perhaps, a firmer bafis to its'fyftem of t|f 
 ffifal*, and woul4 ha^-^rcvented much ckmoiiri ^ 
 
 ,1 'I 
 
 1% 
 
\i 
 
 C 18 J 
 
 It is here that to c;ich fliould be ftriftly given what 
 h his due. T'.e dire£lory, or rather the minifters of 
 tht diredlory have {he wn, in this bufinefs, fome irrefo- 
 lution, and a defe£live knowledge of the fubje^k they 
 had to handle. It cannot be conceived how it was p<rf- 
 /Ib!e to pafs the refolvc of the 14th Mcflidor, IVth year, 
 which ordcra the cruifcrs of the republic to a£l towards 
 neutrals, as the Englilh conduit themfelves towards- 
 them. . It is not right to give orders to the armed force 
 to a£l, iji circumftnnces fo delicate, according to a 
 fyftcm of which the principle only is laid down to them, 
 and of which the cabinet alone poflefles the detail. Did 
 the privateers know how die EngJiih conduiled them- 
 felves towards neutrals ? Were they acquainted with, the 
 dcclfions of the admiralty courts of London ? In a word, 
 that refolve was a text which the diredory ihould bave^/ 
 given for development to an intelligent miniiler, jmd if 
 it w.ns to be made public, it (hould only have iflucd as x^ 
 warning declaration po the neutral ppwers^ as hasbcMi^Jt 
 done frequently in preceding wars. ' c^ |«ii 
 
 Tlic dei:r?c of the 1 2th Ventofc^ which was pafTed af- 
 terwards^; gqcs more diredly towards the obje£l ; but 
 lll^cs^ beyppd it. Tlie minifter of , j^ice, whofed*;- 
 pfirimetit, bytheljyj had nothing ^0.40, yrith the buiS- 
 nefs, fte^ld.havc "confined Hmfdf to mc^ abfolutely 
 c6-ordhiate to the principal obje£t, and,not JufFer himfcdf 
 to be led, away, by the infinuations of ignbirance or inte- 
 rell, which have forced from him clau^a that are Jncor- 
 poratfed in wife and moderate fyftcm of reprifals, only 
 •»s fhey give ijt an odious fhade. The minifter who baa . 
 d^awii up that decree will readily percejve which articl«^=, 
 I mean to fpeak of; He ought efpi^ially not to have 
 taken, according to the letter, the article relative -to 
 plates, which is, in the treaty of liondon, a common 
 claufe, and imitated /from, a fimilar article in ours. To 
 fum up, I fay of that refplye, that tnc dircdory did 
 f^ieif duty, but that' the minifters nave miffed doing 
 theirs. "This refolve, furh as it ftands, becomes the 
 folirce of a croud of vcxatory proceedings, which are on- 
 ly dltnmejti^al to the end, and throw much embarrafp* , 
 mehl in th,c pegociation which is about being opened. ^ 
 
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 The decree, fuch as it ought to have been, would 
 have cxcitea no complaint from the American govern- 
 ment i or if that government had made any, they would 
 have bc6n anfweredby producing the treaty of London. 
 But now they complain, that we go further than that 
 treaty itfelf, and it is difficult to anfwer this objeaion. 
 
 Thefe acknowledgments will appear ftrange to that 
 fpccicsoFmen, who confider the nature of the fubjed 
 which I comment on as their exclufive property, and 
 who confider the ardent friends of liberty as beuigs 
 guided by paffion, and beyond all moderation. 
 
 I write witlidut the intention of making myfelf friends 
 imong them, and my only view i& to furnifh data to iiu- 
 partial and enlightened men : I neither fcek appl a i^e nor 
 fear Wame. There arc, befidcs, fo few Ctuations m 
 which one can fpeak the truth, that it is neceflary to 
 feizc with avidity the occafion of publifliing it when it 
 
 prcfcnti itfelf. . . t , i 
 
 We have examined our grievances, and wcif^hed the. 
 tneafurcs of reprifals taken by the government. I might, 
 infupport of my opinions, have cited fragments of ths 
 fpeeches delivered on this fubjea in the late extrapi-din 
 nary feffion of congreft-, but this would lead to ufelef^ 
 prolixity. I invite the citizen Paftoret to read thofe 
 , fpeeches : H€ may find in them a model for dlfcuffions 
 of thiskindiWhc wiH learn how thefe fubjeCls are 
 handled in a leciflative body. There remains for me to 
 fay foracthing of the circumftances, political and moral, 
 which have prepared, ripened, and accelerated the pre- 
 sent crifis, and throw together forae ideas on the means 
 «f terminating the differences. 
 
 It is a very fingular political plienomenon at firft view,^ 
 to fee France ready to draw the fword with America, 
 her pupil, twenty years after liaving raifed her, or at 
 lead after having contributea to raife her to the rank of . 
 nations. But this event ceafes to furprize, when we fee 
 Lewis XrV in a conteft with that Holland which Henry 
 IV and Lewis XIII affifted in raifmg triumphant out of 
 an unequal conteft with the.houfe of Auftria ; and that 
 fame houfe of Bragance, which owed to us the throne of 
 Portugalj dctr 'tlelf from us immediately on the peacfe 
 •f the Pyrenees. 
 
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 Whence then ari(es thatfataUty w)>|cU lij»8 prQdace4 
 |ho proverb, tliat nations und governments are yngratef 
 ful? Is the fault to be attributed to the.bit;n«<fi}^W.«r 19 
 the protected ? The three evciits wb^jch h|»ye ahaye 
 claimed our attc^ition will expbin tlii? ei^ig^pa. jReijuuv 
 ing too mych on the part of he who con/ers the oWigai- 
 tion i on the part •( the obligedi a ftubbornefs ftf con, 
 duel which afifcs from t^? perpetual (ufpicion that it« 
 independence is menaced, for the very reajbn, t^iat (orayp 
 ifoundation might he^ fuppofed tp exift /or (uch prctenfir 
 pns: 'ITiefe arc th<p two pringipjcs Y^hich, with tjb^ 
 flalhing of iriteref^s, contribute to brcajt alliances found- 
 ed on envnent ferviccs. T^h^k are the elements whicli 
 become the bafisi of tjhe intrigue of powers, which h,vi% 
 ^n intereft to fepjiiatjc the two allles/^^ 
 
 lioweYcr, going from ^hg general to thf particular^ 
 we d^nt pej^eive that Frarice is tP be reproacW witl^ 
 ^cfpca to the United States, a» their benchii^o^r. I take 
 VP ^c treaty 0/ 1778 j J fep in it np exdiifivp ady?m, 
 t^agc in CUV fpor^ ^nd 1 am far frpni CQufidcr|ng th<x 
 French pegpcjators, fritninal p^ this ^iccount. fruf^ 
 over the i;epprt5 pf the iwp allJ€|J ^wing the wa^, frPin 
 78, when ^c began to CP-pp^rate, tP 8? : I (cp pp^hipg 
 in them th^'t looks Jiljc a fuperipr, ;}irrogating to Wtnfelf a 
 controu^fPver a fubprdins^te po:^eT» The ^^Mjociatipn of 
 peace heaps the meafute tP this gec^rp'fity : The inde- 
 pendence' pf America was m;jde thcftm pia m" oi" p^ce^ 
 XTiis pir^lipin^ry fixed, ^be alUcV negpciatcd feparately 
 their Jntetcfts, fp that Uiere cpijld not b^ rppm for evej^ 
 tlie flighteft cpraplaiiits. ^r. Jay* has trici^^ ^ is true, 
 
 C'J Taleyrand Perigord, the pref^nt French pjinifter , 
 of foreign affairs, appear*, by a pubiication which ya» giyen 
 with his p^ipe, (hoTiiy after hi? J^ffiT^al in VrapQC, toliavfj, 
 had more correct notions on thij (i)b|ev:t> The iod^ucnce, 
 which our commercial connections with Enj^^an^ hav? upo;t\ 
 our politics* is the chief cj^uife of the alienation of our adfii:.- 
 niAration ft-ora If ranee and predilection for Britain. And 
 this caute will op^rrate until the French can rivil th^?riti$\ 
 vith their manufactares ini)ur iparket; or wntiltht agricnl* 
 tural part of our nation determine no longer to drav their 
 politics with their merchandize from our commercial cities. 
 
 I'rqn.ifator* 
 * One or the Arhrrican plenipotentUries at Tm\^ \]>t Ti^^tiff^ 
 ^Sncd the treaty vi(Ub Engiaad in 1794. ' > 
 
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 pa raifcdoiulr over this a^gotiation, nndlias aecufed bur 
 cabinat : Already in 1783 be mt«iitated to ground cm 
 thcfc accufationa, a fyikim of iktruaion and ciiluinny, 
 direa«l againft thcjJefctved *nf!uence whU>h the war 
 ffavc U8 in America. From timt time his confidentiiU 
 tools have not ceafed to retail the fame .calunmiCB i until 
 atlaft the federal government has judged fit to mtro- 
 duce rhcm in it? manifefto of the *6th January laft. 
 Rut thefe v;un attcn»pt8 will he baffled by the fadU 
 which co:itra<Ua \o^diy our detrivaors, Tl»e jjeac^- of 
 'B3 does not prove that Frange has cowtertaed the uh 
 tcreils of Awcrica : It prove3 wily (and this incident i» 
 due to ^U- Jay) that the American^ tHfringcd the agree* 
 ment wivch the allies had mad«. of not tigmng oi*<S 
 vrithout thcothws//; Is F«aqe to be criminated tor 
 having been unwiUing to divide wiiU the U«ited btute« 
 her fi«wfoundJand fiOierie* i h (he culpable for not 
 having fuftaincd agai.ift Spain, l»er ancient ;Ulv, pre. 
 t^fio^s tending tp her dfttriwcntandiupported by Mr* 
 Im, for the foje ei?d, perhaps, of hftvmg a pretejct for 
 complaint ? U Mi. Ofwald, empowered to treat with tiic 
 Americans,^ in tlic name of Great Britain, did raifc 
 doubtft of the fincerity of France in the ncgociattons, 
 are we rather to believe that France was perfidious, than 
 retort thefefu^cionsuppa Mr. Ofwald and upott his 
 
 "^ItT/eafy at this day to undcrftand in this fabulous 
 narration what belongs to its author: His Moufy 
 againft FranUin j the ilings which his pride hud felt at 
 Madrid : The c»centrieitie8 of thofe two paflions which 
 naturally difturbed the mind of Mr. Jay, by raifmg a 
 thoufand phantoms, arc the ingredients of which hii 
 hatred for ^^ is made up, and conftitute the quahficationj 
 which have rendered him worthy of figmng the treaty ot 
 J^ndon, From this it is eafy to bring 10 its true ttand, 
 
 rr) If France had taken umbrago at this ftcp, whi?li it 
 appe^s >vas pro.nptcd by Mr. Jay, >vhat would have bjea 
 tbe fituatiDS of the United States? It gave her gocd region 
 ior breaking with us;-lhe mi^ht have patched "P h«^n«»-«;« ' 
 with England, and have left us to laaiotam a Jlecond flru-sr* 
 Vith that power, and fingly. Tramhtur^ 
 
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 ard that part of the manifefto of the i6th January, whlck 
 develops our pretended perfidy from the very outfet of 
 cur allianac, and the clue of the ridiculous artifice, by 
 menus of "wliicli Mr. Pickering, prompted by Mr. Jay, 
 has hoped to deceive the Americiin* on the fubje£i of 
 lour lomj-.hintft, i,i eafdydifcovered. 
 
 lown, that fiucetltcbej/inning of the revolutiui , we 
 arc liable to fonfe.l'eproacheg.* 'IThe National Conven- 
 tion, atT^w^iK-girtniffg -of its fenion, wiftied to acquire 
 the j»ood wilhftilhWNderal f;ovcrnment, by accufinif our 
 former {.-[ovcrnment^ pcrfuly. Thcfc aflertions, found- 
 ed oo prcfumption anddOntradiftcd byfafls, ought ne- 
 ver to be utttred by a government fuccc^ding another; 
 It was wrong no record the fiiVw idea and the fame error 
 in the inftrudlons of the Miniitcr Genet, which have 
 been made public in the United States j and Genet wai 
 IHII niore in the wrong to ifluc that publication j but the 
 proclamations of the Convention, or the inftruflions of 
 the MiniUer can never convince in oppofiiion to fa£l4 
 which one word is fufBcient to rcftore to perfe£l puri^' 
 
 I alfo grant, that cirricd away by the torrent of cir-' 
 cumltanccs j fowered by an oppofition which he juftly 
 attributed to a fcctct ill-will j thrown out of the bounds of» 
 moderation by the dangers of his country, and more 
 anxious to arrive at his end, than ftudious to comba* the 
 pretexts on which the Federal government leaned to 
 oountcradt him,— Genet comr ' ■^ev^ faults ; cairied the 
 praife-worthy firmnefs of a mmitcr I eyond w^at his 
 pofition permitted, aiul fub^ > : i netimes, to the 
 manly pride which beoomcs an agent attached to his 
 country, the language of indignation, which is never 
 fucccfstully ufed in diplomatic affairs. I grant, that bi- 
 '.ifled by example, and fowered by the fame circumftan- 
 ces*, ourconfuls fometimes pafTed the bounds of ftrift 
 propriety, and beyond the fphere of their authority. But 
 could this juftify the hoftile iyftem which we daily pcr- 
 et'ived developing itfelf? Has not the French govern- 
 
 • 1 do not pretend to ju(I«;e Hic Confuls without appeal; tlieJr 
 noiives were as pure as their paiiiotifm: It gratifies me to pay 
 tliem here tile tribute of myefteem ; aniJ 1 muft openly exprefs my 
 furprife at the povernment peimitting their zeal andtheir itX'^tA* ta 
 len-^in in inaiflivity, \t\iX\t\—/e(l fuftrant, &c. 
 
nitnt even in the mlilft of the greatcft political ftofnUi 
 fhcwn ursir.uricjbkcagcrncfs to rearefHthe foumlcd grier- 
 anccs which h^rc been prefcnted to them? Has not thet» i 
 the denunciation of Genet by Rob^fpiere at the J;.':o- 
 bin club \ thb cruel order* dircd>ed againft ihnt Mi- 
 nifter, ami which have deprived tlw Republic of one of 
 its finccreil friends, been able to ex^iiguifh the flnmes 
 of < rcfcntmcnt I Haie not the comiiufiees of Vubho 
 Safety of the dd and ofthc 3d yeari^ptacti the neutra- 
 lity iwranteedtto the United Stiiiitll|^fh«tPeaty of 
 1I78, as rciitfoufly as famine, andifci favagc wattcam- 
 edin agairia us, permitted ? Was It not at the moment ; 
 when the means of fatisfyin^ fome complamts, made by ' 
 the Miniftcr Mr. Monroe, wtre utuler difc«ffion at Paris. . 
 that Mt. Jay figned in London the ttqaty which wa*».to 
 ftrikfc a Wow^atour honor and our interefts'v fo fure as tor * 
 giyc Mr. Pktthc occafion, at the opening of the ntx« 
 feifion ofParHaracpt, to make it a fubjc6t of ttiumphT 
 Let the partlzans of the Federal government anfwet thefc 
 q£fttoD8, and then wc may ccafc to believe that a leaven 
 of hatred had pofljeflion of its mind, and that it feizcd 
 with eagernefs the opportunities which afforded a plau- > 
 fible pretext of putting afide the jm^. 
 
 Every thiilg proves, in faft, that- hatred as much a» 
 the confcioufneU„of wcakhcfs guided the American ad- 
 minlftration in it« conduft towards us. General Waih- 
 ington oeafed to view our rcVttlution with a favourable' 
 eye, as foon'as he faw La Fayette and the king ftruck, 
 whom he delighted in calling the protedor and father of 
 his people. Ml the individuals who compofed his coun- 
 cif, except Mr. JifFerfoni all thofe who had the right, 
 by their reputation and their former fervices, to influence 
 his condua through their correfpondencc, excepting the 
 Moultries, the Livingftons, the Clintons and the Samu- 
 el Adams', all were united againft U3 and ftrengthened : 
 him in his hoftile intentions.* It is the general opinion 
 
 • LeJ us attend to a Member of Congreft from VlTginia, on the 
 fubjea of this marked hatred of a certain claf« «f nvn lor France. 
 anU the extraordinary Infinuations whi^hthe Biiti(h(««ion throw out 
 againft the frienda to principles and of liberty, of being under foreign 
 influence. " 1 hear calumny attacking the amendment whjeh I pro- 
 nott { and becaufe its tendency is to conciliate, accufing me of bemt 
 (mUer French influcncp : Siran|0 phantom, \7bich is ufcd to depre. 
 
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 that-Mf* Talflin cniTif- to-Fhifaiddphia on a" contfiflendal 
 mi^fioa from the pretend??: Ht wa» admitttrf to a very 
 p^kmculat audiepoe with the-Prefitisnt^ befbre the ar- 
 r Ural of th^ Misifter Gendt at Phiia4klphia. To the ia- 
 riiMi3tkM*a oi that envoy mwii? be attributed the fiivio* 
 of cHicftions upon' vk4itc'h GohoraF Vi a^ingtbn required 
 the opinion* of hi» Mi«iftcrs, and which atch«l6cfa^il to 
 the Pr«rid«nt, has ftnpt> oiithe veil of fecrecy which 
 ought forei||h.to h«ve concealed- tham. Mr.- Himtltoti 
 ^^s thc$ fo^^df|tt|M»t id)f«i«nlity:} and this writings 
 wjthf whieb ^'CpwP|^e p»p«ra# imdra* the fignatare of 
 Pae^mjhr W^ro/ f<«)eandtng/toi ^ itlceHhood, the juftifij 
 cation and d«veiOp«Re»t erf the 'opinions which 1^ ex-^ 
 prefled in cot|»eilfc . 
 
 Whj»* vmf tc^beeiij»c€l8d firottr ail adriiiniflafatidn .tefet^i- 
 <Ufltly iHfdifpofcd agftioftthferinfant'ftepoblic? All tha*^' 
 has bees feen to have fallowed,: A w^vcuiagjftBu.^lity,- 
 abaiidonfid^o tlie inflneiiccof lile^and? fomii cdndefeen^i* 
 tion8jfairi»tRkf»hef extwtsedi bf thci unequjvocalgood'wi!!' 
 o( ta€ nation-; ;btt4iii fad):/. eontradided by «idbs-m»^5il r 
 with the (l t93pid£ma)eirbk}nce « a>gveair •eagernci&to ie- 
 cure %h« ady9nl»gQ»>w]»ick<ctrouiia)ftnnces anda f«w tt-i' 
 rors of our agents ofiittoad^ Jn oticterto bringto c«>nfttm-i< 
 tnation the lav0ovit«t>n)jiQ£l offdrawir^ ek&ii to Ei^|l»id, 
 apd |Nr«p»rii*g-Uie triUoip&'HjIihit povvsii' 
 
 rt«#fcthtmoftu]Uixl!er«ae(JLBpii»ii>n«.- Butlctfjii^s M )n"nisfaMbr^ 
 ward; let atiy itNiVroper cvhnedio'ii be' r|Veciii.!(l bvtw^Q « fineli 
 Members! JJJKKirefnblV'And-tt fottjgn poWw, let "th«- triltbl's,' if' 
 tlKrc«re«n)r,rber:pa»at«^Oiinan<£levihftmM pttikHhed;! I iRffrte.^ ' 
 «;u(iF(l of being arongljf 4Um.heil tft Fraiift. . Ttva ll|(loty oftlMKAOM 
 iat;»rftem ii qitiitf DJKuul. WlienI firfttoaJc my feat in thil bqflft 
 France was «flente»d'«nii!Hilej-wMh Mifirttmhwintntj- «•* ttVtrtli ^ 
 to- Liberty; asthe Cnt%ea •tn frM ft«K,' louMit )f^^ttt;(>er;isMUt( < 
 Ki^emcMitvf^ i)( ryiiipaUiyfora.^ople-tawlMlBvtyFaHt^fffMteie^flwiritiie f 
 of felfi-goveram^ht ? Was Inot to feet it the moieas I had feen mr r 
 cmri4-9u iylnafimllai'AtdtiioivMdt uTilim)«yriit-tHi<i>da^ tliSt 
 ihUpMnof theoabirwtvt SiJ famn* wt« ta atuik «i>y if 4h«M»W.' 
 tion had triumpheii ? AHsthrc-rewfan in>prei&d.Me'ili|aB|;ly r«ri|t4( ' 
 this attaoli'mehf fbir+>ance. Wfien I arrivcJ in f hiladelphia, v h»t 
 H-as my aUorii(hment to find a tr.tal indiflerence at to the event* c,f 
 I«ro|»«! Iownttiisradi»t;jreBceOioil#<tmp| I o*>»t}rtt't(hiidd«t^ii 
 tvhen I pcrceived.it wa« iV^urwkd on an aiH»pi*Jgst)»*t Iftlk <THg^iHl»<t 
 *i;aiR»tepuhUcan forma.. A natural iTrci>iK«4« redh.g Im^dled hrt 
 t{»op|>oCeit,his torrent, undil thought it my dutv wpcfjly to^xpte^ 
 •<«UMrf»q>hi»aii6/'— 5]pvr*io/,.V^l Nft^ifM'i'-jktikgvf^fif xidfH^'- 
 
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 Hie oijlv oVftaclc m the way of that prpj^a was. tU 
 njarlc€4 attochment 9f the nation, for bur cnufe. Confe- 
 qijentry tflc adfti^niftiati&n has qmi.ted, nothing for fivo 
 y^atsba^, to depreciate our'charaaer in the public opi- 
 niom ' T^ nc^jr/Rapew which are known to be under it» 
 in^Uence, aije fijled with' inveifl^v^ and perfonalities 
 againi this Republic and againltit8;agentgr/The goyern- 
 i^sii^ <if tlie Repjfblic.at ef«? pmo^i|i|luijder every 
 ^ciii,' t^p tiie'very Tateft 4a"iysI j|||p |4ipthofe Ga- 
 2ette8^ 'covei;ed \yith qaljimpji jSffmntediti die molt 
 aJuUvft njani^et. If tljc kedaffeuf, [a Frqnch paper un^ 
 det^ influence ofithe DircaoryJ-hajd contained againft 
 tlie I^edcR^ gbvernnaifnt the hundredth par.t of what is 
 daiiy to be foiindin ^^ Gazette ^(^iheUmted States ^ apinft 
 th^^iyeaiofy, t^/lie^^^^^ an4. in general 
 
 Mint! th^ Repfibljc, Ipngago fpnie deputies, forward 
 
 atrqin 
 
 % 
 
 caUir 
 
 l3^ £91^ te^fon pcijiaps, wpd maae amotion 
 
 •Jliui^ep^^ioryVs"? account P fubjeft. A wri- 
 .ter,"pubUcly ^qufntpib^ in the ^ay of the Britiih lega- 
 tidiH pHbJ4"ies^ periodically. ii» P.hijaddlj^ia, themofta- 
 trpciouaiibers^i^nli^^s*;^ a^d iti» almoft certain that 
 tliis/iibdiler'ij^enccw^f^j^ed'by aUjhj^^^ compofc tl>e 
 
 admi;ii|tratipi?< 
 
 n|u^ a fyft^^ QPUM nP' lp«$.lKWe efcapa^ ^^ ^T^\' 
 jaa<)ljvcrAoa of V^e ^rencih government, had not a multi- 
 tude ojf ca^a. tivett;^4,^!^^ *.*^^t*P'* ^^ ^W"ppe, and vj^ith- 
 oiijr the cqntjradi^bry account^ pf the djif^r.ent individu- 
 als emglbygd, 19 tjii^ Wan<;h of our foreign, affairs, who 
 a^dcd,%y^^ei^ v^ipw^s ftorjes^to theernbarraflrmcnt ere- 
 atftfl^^y , t^jfrgurplAnpes^ "^very tjijng w.as aVandpned to 
 t6d cb|ij|^(^ln^ paffipni pf-fom? rnen, or elfe to th^, moft 
 aSlpit^^ ci^Wi ^ijdbi|r/§oy^m^ njcddled not in 
 tfte;4iTel£|io9. qCPV>T, J^Ut^^aTrelauona withi that ppwer^ 
 eicej^bj^a femig[jeij^of|g.99d wjill» ly^ich when. unacr« 
 
 lengA^ thj^|ir"ij:q|xMct» ^v;ho. arrived. wWle the S^nat<; 
 ^s ditiberating upon the tireaty'of tiondon, appeared 
 itCHfilFi^^W^WVM^^ to kayn that thes^ wa» a tircaty 
 
 * Hb nan* ir C«bbel, and lie writet un#cr the namt of PetQf 
 
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 with England on the carpet. It is, no doubt, to th*e pro^* 
 found filenceof oureovernmentonthisfubje£l, whehhc left 
 Paris, that we mu(l attribute the paiTive line of condu£t 
 he has held in circumftances fo important. Genet had 
 given the alarm on, the real intentions of the adminiftira- 
 tion } but his conduct, his paflions, rendered his reports 
 fufpefted, and other paflions, interefted in a contrary 
 diredion, have npde promifes which have only^ ended , 
 in prolonging our fecurity. As foon as the conftuutional 
 government wai^fettled, and that the Direftory was in 
 a fituation to follow any fyftem as to external afiairs, it 
 could not be long without perceiving how we had been 
 the dupes of America. The treaty of London had com- 
 pletely opened all eyes: The material change which waa 
 openly efFefted in the neutrality of the United States, by 
 virtue of that treaty,* has put thefeal of duplicity and 
 of falfhood on the aflurances fo often repeated, that the 
 treaty Ihould make no change in the ftate of things which 
 exifted prior to that treaty. The United States, on the ' 
 firft intelligence of our awakening, "took for hoftilitics 
 theendingof our exceflive and patient toleration. General 
 Wafhington, feeing the end of his political career darken^ 
 ed by clouds which announced a ferious difcontent on 
 the part of the Republic, fought, by a mieafure equaHy 
 ur.juft and impolitic, to efcape its odiums He irecallcd 
 Mr. Monroe, who has been guilty of the vprong, accor- 
 ding to his view of things, of being attached to the prin- 
 ciples of our revolution, and of being the open enemy 
 to Britilh influence, as well as to the fyftem wluch that 
 influence hadcaufed to be adopted. He believed it in 
 his power to throw upon Mr. Monrocj and upon his par- 
 ty, all the blame arifing from the a£lual ftate of things, 
 by accufmg him, as it were, of having caufed it. The 
 refult of this falfe ftep has been to leave the Dirfeftory 
 abandoned, without any counterpoife, to its fufpicions; 
 this event has confirmed and encreafed them, and our 
 meafures have become, more decifivc. Far from ex- 
 plaining our condu£t as it was natural by the lyfterai 
 
 • The French mi nifter was notified, after the exch«ngfrOf_ ririfi- 
 ca ions, that weftiould no longer enjjy the advantage, which till 
 tlicii had bean grantei uj, to fell in the American port* our Eng;* 
 )i(fa prizes. 
 
 j*H4»»71U*., 
 
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 "1 i 
 
 C n 3 
 
 WKich had been purfued heretofore, topics of recrlmina- 
 ^lori hive been fought for, and if poflible to bring about a 
 "r^ipturc. It ^aseafy to fower the mercantile clafles,bypre- 
 Tcilting them with tlie fpedacle of the loffes which our 
 teprifals muft h?.^"£ pccafioned j and to irritate, at the 
 fame time, the minds of the reft of the nation, our con- 
 duft has been teprcfentetl to them as the confequence 
 of a fyftem long matured by France, for ufurping in 
 the United States an abfolute infl uencc. General Wafli- 
 jri^tonhad (ketched pUt the phaiitom'df this plan in the 
 tiddrefs which preceded his retirement^ Mr. Adams 
 completed it, and eyeh coibured it witffmore warmth 
 than could have been fuppofed to belong to him at firilj 
 lb that at tliis day the merchants have been made to be- 
 lieve that we wi{h to ruin them, and declare v/ar agaitift 
 diem, and the people that we wifh to enflave ' their go- 
 vernment. 
 
 The Executive Direftory after having, by vigorous 
 mcafures, caufcd the French nation to be refpeiled, dnd 
 fheltercd our interefts from the attacks diiredled againft 
 them by the Tederal govfernment, ought to npgleft noth- 
 ing to deftroy thefe falfc imprefuoos, by which we Ihould 
 be foon reduced, atPhiladelphia, to play a part unworthy 
 of the republic : It ought to trace out for its agents a 
 line of conduft which fhall fhelter us equally from the 
 fufpicion of an improper interference hi their hiternal 
 affairs, and of an indifference which provokes contempt. 
 All the delufrOns which the adminillration attach to our 
 name, fliould vanilh before this open condudl. We 
 h^ve fo much to gain by conciliating the efteem of a nati- 
 on where the public opinion, notwithftanding the intrigue 
 of a foreign power, has yet prefer vcd the remains of 
 independence, not to try this fyftem which mull in the 
 long run triumph dver prejudice^ 
 
 The- United States are generally either too little re- 
 garded, or efteemed much beyond their importance. 
 Both extremes are the refult of fdiffv;rent judgments up- 
 on the morals of that nation. Some fee in them only 
 a collection of Jews, bufy in deceiving each other; wh^e 
 others, carried away by an enthufiafm as little founded, 
 find there, compared to Europe, models of wifdom and 
 of virtue. 
 
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 liut tKcfe contrary opinions are formM on a %i%i jj 
 which the ftateiman ought not alwi^Vto aTk'w mu^h 
 impoitancci the natioi^al manners o*Jghtnot tobcppWi- 
 dered as an infallDiie datum to j^dge thc-pepplc. Ihfo- 
 pcn^entiy qf what thefe manners maj have cither prittfc 
 worthy or Wamcatie in America, there is an iiicoirtcitib^ 
 truth, at which we muft flop, to make of it^the .ground 
 work of a fyftcm to be putfued reipeaing that power •, 
 it is thp importance to which the linked States are ^r- 
 led. That impprtance w fo much the more certain, that 
 the developn^ents which muft biiijg 'ijt abou'» ^"* 
 not be checked by any 6t the obftacles wliich would pp- 
 pofe it, if the United States were lb fitua^d as to be fi^- 
 ble to be involved in the dificntions of Europe. « » 
 vainly attempted to attri"bute to circumftances, Ac pro* 
 grefs which the tFnited States have made, fince the adop- 
 tion of their new copftitution, a period when the mtcr- 
 nal troubles of France and the misfortune of its colonies 
 began. Independently of tliefe accidental caufes, the 
 United States, by the extent of their territory, the nature 
 of their population,their charafter and a£Vivity,andby the 
 fituation pf their coafts, are evidently called to exercife, 
 inNorth,l\Tnerica,aconfiderablc influence. The pow- 
 er which ihail know how to conciliate them will find 
 in theiA an intfjrefting friend, and their nfcutralil^y wiH 
 perhaps be not lefs to be courted rlian thdr alliance. 
 
 France has a ftrong intereft to prcferve a good undcr- 
 ftanding with America. It is lefs the fituation of her 
 Welt indies, which command it, than the pofitionof 
 Spain, which might tun the greateft dangers by the 
 combined efforts of England and the United States. 
 Whatever may be the afcendancy which commerce has 
 given to England in the whole extent of tliofe ftates, we 
 Ihall always be able to oppbfe fuccefsfully all- political 
 ties which that power might wifli to eftablifli with them, 
 if we may judge by the adual ftate of the commerce be- 
 tween the United States and Great Britain, one migk 
 be led to believe, that the firft are a colony of the latterv 
 or fear left they iliould once again become fo. This i» 
 the opinion which the miniiler of foreign afiairs brought 
 with him from Philadelphia, and, for having expreflcd 
 diis opinion, he has dcfdrvedly drawn upon himfelf ;hc 
 
" 41s 
 
 i ■#' 
 
 pill 
 
 4ielSiAA^%it!i %hi<ih tt lips bcen(pubRfiilea, tf6ftk ib 
 
 AtfAfektt dttfc, Uy t^*te itttb calctilahon Ac cffca 'bf «te 
 iiitiihs/d^s hc'l&l 'fbiAScd in thcUrtJtkia Stilte^ Hc^r- 
 ^Vgr, Ke^biildl^c wtbtlg if Ixe 'tlHtticc crindirted <ha(t It 
 Is Mt'td'TeiVc the'iniJtiidStitesteiH^feSVcs,*and tre^t 
 Ih^iS 'SiviUi the tdhtWrtAt, this^rtidh, -ttrhiai is ndt 
 
 mUk AiS ttoMfe, Whiit the aiMfnHH3aripft|«)rider^de 
 kviis \ £ftpA«, ioid tjVtfeii tp tiVM, m #Mi(mt.fbri>6 
 
 ^it the tJMtci 'States and the RytitiMic^?'te, in trihA, 
 
 In a pomion mkh mtSft JnfpHr fears f^:?;;^^ 
 JTrah^erpecaily.^asS^rtr fttdrtg tilbtiVfesttridho^ 
 
 the tmUia'Saf^SliiVeftcwMi^^ ^"d |j*eca* 
 
 «6us preteib to^Guttd ^eir rettrJmmttcftiS <ii)on ; 'but 
 the iwo pebple ii^ W^fiftJljIy Hrii?wh towards 'each otHttt 
 
 eLgeacfotceof a ^^^^^n.^,^f^^'r^^^l 
 rnotives for reftHidn (Wdit to a^ wiA kreai ^*^ "f ^ 
 the tNvocabme^, atid Sheck, <in^oA Mcs, iiJ.e^fl^M 
 ind pride VKi<% tnlght tend to crNbartdfs ^e teo,^ 
 tibn. 'Whatever warmth the Bntannic pattvhas Ihevhi 
 in Its declamatibns in 'cdngrefsi IX'hcn reftored to tbc 
 calmbfrefeaion, ^ni! Ittterroj^ated when their pbhticaT 
 
 averfions n-^, they muft f-^^,/ ^^Y P-«^^^^ g^^^^r 
 nant of riatibiial feeling, that Erigfand tanrrot hi*e Vith 
 the United StatCTnnideitity of iHteri^ i that fooner or 
 later her dcffru'aiive afeeridatacy \<r(ftAi iKftitc laws to 
 them ; that Artieirica, far fi-om having any irrtcreft to 
 dimimfliTng tlie w^ght of the cbuntcrpbTfe which we op- 
 pbfcto flie marrtitfie<ibm'inion of England, rtiaft, on the 
 contrary, defire tt> fee us combat, whh fbine fuccefs, 
 that rival of dl that profper. ^ n. ■ e. ■ ^u^ 
 . We, on our fide, liave a great intereft m fivoting the 
 development of a.e maritime refources of America, ih 
 order to dTminilh the Eti^ifh power, by taking from it 
 ^ilthat does not reft upon th«ir own capital. ine 
 
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 XJnitcd $tatC8 hare nothing to wifti with rafpcifl: to tyL* 
 tcnfion of teiTitory. The deceitful lure which England 
 co.uW hold out to them, by promifing them our fpoIU, 
 or thofe of JSpain, would be ruinous to them in its re- 
 fult, whatever might be the {Uccefs of the combination 
 which this lure might produce. Every thing, therefore, 
 prompts them to negociate candidly, and to draw clofef 
 to us. Let Mr. Adams, efpecially, feel the importance 
 of the part he has to aft; let him forget little dUhket 
 which years ought to have cooled, and which his ftation 
 
 ' ddes not permit him to lillen to. The Prefident of the 
 United States ought not to avenge the imaginary injurie$ 
 which the American plenipotentiary may have received 
 in 1782. There is no longer need of' recalling little ri- 
 valries, riow without obje£l, fince the cotemporaries 
 fleepin the filent tomb. Whatever niay be faid of his 
 charafker, and o^ his enmity towards us, we have every 
 thing to hope from the reftitude ^ of his judgment j but . , 
 let him keep at a diftance thofe men who will continually 
 rekindle in his bofom the fi.e of pafllons, n\ hkh it is im- 
 portant for them to perpetuate; Icthiin take the pen him- 
 felf and draw up the inltrudions of hiicommiflioiiers. If 
 he gives up the talk to the hand which has traced the 
 
 . manifefto of the 1 6th January, he imprudently riflcs'the 
 ihoft important iritercfts of his country. The republic, 
 after having forced all open enmities to fall at her feet, 
 and all fraudulent neutralities to make reparation, cannot 
 facrifice its reputation nor its treafures, when (he is to 
 treat upon a ftate of tilings which bears every charader 
 of hoftility. 
 
 On our fide, let us forget the wrongs of an adminif- 
 tration, the chief of which had more wcaknefs than ma- 
 levolence : Our fucceffes have avenged us fufficiently 
 on our hidden enemies and coward friends. Let us make 
 the facrifice of our refentments, however juft they may 
 be, to our evident interefts. The prefent crifis, check- 
 ed in time, will have a falutary effeft : If prolonged, 
 with the circumftances which have accompanied it hi- 
 therto, it would perpetuate painful recolle Slions, and 
 would perhaps become the germ of a national hsftrcd, 
 which would not have any of thofe real or imaginary ad- 
 
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 vantages which make thofe hatreds fometimes to be confiw^ 
 dered as a political engine. , ^ ^ 
 
 The fentiments I profefs were always thofe of my 
 heart ; they were the bafis of my conduft while I re- 
 fidcd in the United States. I am perfedly convinced, 
 that they will find their true value when they (hall reach 
 there, and will contribute to diflipate prejudices which 
 unfortunate circumftances, or inimical arts may have 
 fcattered and fomented, with refped to me, with men 
 who teftified for me an etteem, which \ Ihall alway^ 
 confider it anhonor to deferv?. 
 
 FruSlidorf 4/A Tear, 
 
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 £ R R J T J, 
 
 f»ge 6tb, firft note, for Pichtring read Pinehney, 
 
 
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