the rights of the United States will in future be respected; but without a document to prove that those to whom they are required to open themfelves without reserve, and at whose inftance they are called on to facrifice fo much, are empowered, even by the minifter, to hold any communication with them: Yet fuch is the anxious and real folicitude of the Envoys to feize any occafion which may afford a hope, however distant, of coming to thofe explanations which they fo much wish to make with this Republic, that they pass over the uncommon and informal modes which have been adopted, and will only confider the propofitions themfelves. I. The Minifters of the United States will permit no perfonal confiderations to influence their negociations with the French Republic. Although they expected that the extraordinary means adopted by their government to reconcile itfelf to that of France would have been received with fome degree of attention, yet they are too folicitous to enter upon the important and interefting duty of their miffion to permit themselves to be reftrained by forms or etiquette. II. On this article it is believed there can be no difagreement. III. This article, as explained, would oblige the United States to advance, not to their own citizens, but to the government of France, fums equivalent to the depredations made by the corfairs of the Republic on the American commerce, and to the contracts made with their citizens by France; and this advance, instead of benefitting the citizens of the United States, would leave them precifely what they now are, the creditors of the French Republic: the more extenfive the depredations and the more confiderable the contracts uncomplied with, the more would the government of France receive from the United States. Independent of these objections, the Minifters of the United States cannot engage to affume, in any form, the debts due from France to their fellow-citizens: they have no fuch power. IV. If the negociations be opened, and the propofitions for a loan, or any other propofitions, exceeding the powers of the Minifters, be made, the government of the United States will be confulted thereon with expedition. V. This, or any propofition having for its object the claims of the two nations on each other, or an accommodation of differences, will be embraced with ardour by the Ministers of the United States. VI. It cannot escape notice, that the queftion of the rôle d'équipage may involve in it every veffel taken from the United States: the Minifters however confider it, and wish to take it up, as a subject of negociation. VII. On this article it is only to be obferved, that the season of the year is fuch, as probably to render a return, within fix months, of the Envoy, who might fail to the United States, impracticable: provifion fhould be made for fuch an event. If the difficulties attending the propofitions for a loan and a compenfation for paft injuries be fuch as to require time for their removal, the Minifters of the United States propofe that the difcuffions on the relative fituation of the two countries, may commence in the ufual forms; that the relation to each other may be fo regulated, as to obviate future mifunderstandings; and that the adjustment of the claims of the citizens of the United States, whofe veffels have been captured, may be made after a decifion on the point first mentioned. No diplomatic gratification can precede the ratification of the treaty. DEAR SIR, (No. 3.) Paris, November 27th, 1797. ON the 11th inftant we transmitted the following official letter to the Minifter of Foreign Affairs. "CITIZEN MINISTER, "The undersigned Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the French Republic, had the honour of announcing to you officially on the fixth of October, their arrival at Paris, and of prefenting to you on the eighth, a copy of their letters of credence. Your declaration at that time, that a report on American affairs was then preparing, and would in a few days be laid before the Directory, whofe decifion thereon fhould, without delay, be made known, has hitherto impofed filence on them. For this communication they have waited with that anxious folicitude which fo interesting an event could not fail to excite, and with that respect which is due to the government of France. They have not yet received it; and fo much time has been permitted to elapfe, fo critical is the fituation of many of their countrymen, and fo embarraffing is that of the underfigned, both as it refpects themselves and the government they reprefent, that they can no longer dispense with the duty of foliciting your attention to their miffion. fub "The United States, Citizen Minifter, at an epoch which evinced their fincerity, have given inconteftible proofs of their ardent friendship, of their affection for the French Republic: these were the refult, not of her unparalleled prowefs and power, but of her confidence in her juftice and magnanimity; and in fuch high eftimation was the reciprocity of her friendship held by them, as to have been a primary object of national concern. The prefervation of it was dear to them, the lofs of it a ject of unfeigned regret, and the recovery of it, by every measure which fhall confift with the rights of an independent nation, engages their conftant attention. The government of the United States, we are authorized to declare, has examined, with the most fcrupulous juftice, its conduct towards its former friend. It has been led to this by a fincere defire to remove, of itself, every juft caufe of complaint; conceiving that, with the moft upright intentions, fuch caufe may poffibly exift; and although the ftricteft fearch has produced no felf-reproach, although the government is conscious that it has uniformly fought to preferve, with fide. lity, its engagements to France, yet far from withing to exercise the privilege of judging for itself, on its own courfe of reafoning and the lights in its own poffeffion, it invites fair and candid difcuffion; it folicits a reconfideration of the paft; it is perfuaded its intentions, its views, and its actions must have been mifreprefented and mifunderftood; it is convinced that the effential interefts of both nations will be promoted by reconciliation and peace; and it cherishes the hope of meeting with fimilar difpofitions on the part of the Directory. "Guided by these fentiments, the Prefident of the United States has given it in charge to the underfigned to state to the Executive Directory the deep regret which he feels at the lofs or fufpenfion of the harmony and friendly intercourfe which fubfifted between the two Republics, and his fincere wish to restore them; to difcufs candidly the complaints of France, and to offer frankly thofe of the United States: and he has authorized a review of exifting treaties, and fuch alterations thereof as fhall confift with the mutual interest and fatisfaction of the contracting parties. "This task the underfigned are anxious to commence; and truly happy will they be, if their exertions can in any degree contribute to reftore that friendship, that mutual interchange of good offices which it is alike their wish and their duty to effect between the citizens of the two republics. "The underfigned pray you, Citizen Minifter, to present this com munication to the Executive Directory, and to receive the affurances of their most perfect confideration. (Signed) CHARLES COTESWORTH PINCKNEY, ELBRIDGE GERRY. Paris, November 11th, in the 22d year of American Independence. To the Minifter of Foreign affairs of the French Republic." No anfwer having been given to it on the 21ft inftant, we requested Major Rutledge to wait on the minister, and enquire of him whether he had communicated the letter to the Directory, and whether we might expect an anfwer: He replied that he had fubmitted our letter to them, and that they would direct him what fteps to purfue, of which we fhould be informed. We have not, however, hitherto received any official intimation relative to this business: we are not yet received; and the condemnation of our veffels for want of a rôle d'équipage is unremittingly continued. Frequent and urgent attempts have been made to inveigle us again into negociation with perfons not officially authorized, of which the obtaining of money is the basis: but we have perfifted in declining to have any further communication relative to diplomatic bufinefs with perfons of that defcription; and we mean to adhere to this determination. We are forry to inform you, that the prefent difpofition of the government of this country appears to be as unfriendly towards us as ever, and that we have very little profpect of fucceeding in our mission. We have the honour to be Your most obedient humble fervants, CHARLES COTESWORTH PINCKNEY, E. GERRY. Col. PICKERING. (No. 4.) Paris, December 24th, 1797. DEAR SIR, WE have not yet received any answer to our official letter to the minister of foreign affairs, dated the eleventh of last month, and mentioned in number three but reiterated attempts have been made to engage us in negociation with perfons not officially authorized; and you will find by the exhibits marked A, B, and C, herewith fent, fome important information relative to the views and intentions of the French government with respect to ours. We are all of opinion, that if we were to remain here for fix months longer, without we were to ftipulate the payment of money, and a great deal of it, in fome fhape or other, we should not be able to effectuate the objects of our miffion, fhould we be even officially received: unless the projected attempt on England was to fail, or a total change take place in the perfons who at prefent direct the affairs of this government. In this fituation of matters, we are determined, by the tenth of next month, fhould they remain as they are, to tranfmit another letter to the minister, representing, as far as may be expedient, the views of our government. We have the honour to be, With great refpect and regard, Your moft obedient humble fervants, Col. PICKERING, CHARLES COTESWORTH PINCKNEY, E. GERRY. EXHIBIT (A.) [Inclofed in the Envoys' Letter, No. 4.] for whom purchased On the 14th of December, M. X. called on me, in order, as he said, to gain fome information relative to fome lands in. by Soon afterwards General Marshall came in, and then Mr. Gerry's carriage drove into the yard. Here is Mr. Gerry, faid General Marfhall. I am glad of it, faid M. X. for I wished to meet all of you gentlemen, to inform you that M. Y. had another meffage to you from M. Talleyrand. I immediately expreffed my furprise at it, as M. Talleyrand, M. Y. and he, all knew our determination to have no further communication on the fubject of our miffion, with perfons not officially authorised. He replied, that determination was made fix weeks ago; and it was prefumed that we had changed our opinion. I faid that I had not; and I did not believe my colleagues had. At that moment Mr. Gerry entered the room, and I privately acquainted him with the object of M. X.'s visit. General Marshall, Mr. Gerry, and myfelf then_withdrew into another room; and immediately agreed to adhere to our former refolution. M. X. was then called in; when I acquainted him, in a few words, with our determination: and Mr. Gerry expatiated more at large on the propriety of our acting in this manner, and on the very unprecedented way in which we had been treated, fince our arrival.. On the twentieth of December, a lady, who is well acquainted with M. Talleyrand, expreffed to me her concern, that we were ftill in fo unfettled a fituation: but, adds fhe, why will not you lend us money? If you would but make us a loan, all matters would be adjusted : and she added, when you were contending for your revolution, we lent you money. I mentioned the very great difference there was between the fituation of the two countries at that period and the prefent; and the very different circumstances under which the loan was made us, and the loan was now demanded from us. She replied, we do not make a demand; we think it more delicate that the offer fhould come from you: but M. Talleyrand has mentioned to me (who am furely not in his confidence) the neceffity of your making us a loan: and I know that he has mentioned it to two or three others; and that you have been informed of it and I will affure you, that if you remain here fix months longer, you would not advance a fingle step further in your nego ciations, without a loan. If that is the cafe, I replied, we may as well go away now. Why that poffibly, faid she, might lead to a rupture; which you had better avoid: for we know we have a very confiderable party in America, who are strongly in our intereft.-There is no occafion to enter into a further detail of the converfation. I have only noted this part of it as expreffive of what I believe (as far as relates to the loan and a party in America in their favour) to be the fentiments of the French government with regard to us. December 21ft, 1797. [Inclofed in the Envoys' Letter, No. 4.] Extract from General Marshall's Journal. December 17th, 1797. I stepped into Mr. Gerry's apartment, where I faw M. Y. He expreffed his regret at having been difabled to dine with us at M. de Beaumarchais, by an inveterate tooth-ache. He then asked me whether I had seen M. de Beaumarchais lately? I told him, not fince he dined with us; and that he had left us much indifpofed. He then obferved, that he had not known until lately, that I was the advocate for that gentleman in his cause against the state of Virginia; and that M. de Beaumarchais, in confequence of that circumftance, had expreffed fentiments of high regard for me. I replied, that M. de Beaumarchais' caufe was of great magnitude, very uncertain iffue,-and confequently, that a portion of the interest he felt in it, would very naturally be transferred to his advocate. He immediately faid, (low and apart) that M. de Beaumarchais had confented, provided his claim could be established, to facrifice fifty thousand pounds fterling of it, as the private gratification which had been required of us; fo that the gratification might be made without any actual lofs to the American vernment. I answered, that a gratification on any terms, or in any form, was a fubject which we approached with much fear and difficulty, as we were not authorized by our government to make one; nor had it been expected that one would be neceffary: that I could not undertake to fay whether my colleagues would confent to it, in any state of things; but I could undertake to say, no one of us would confent to it, unless it was preceded or accompanied by a full and entire recognition of the claims of our citizens, and a satisfactory arrangement on the objects of our miffion. He faid, it was in the expectation of that event only that he mentioned it. We parted: and I ftated the conversation to General Pinckney, who was difinclined to any ftipulation of the fort, and confidered it as a renewal of the old reprobated system of indirect, unauthorized negociation. go Having been originally the counfel of M. de Beaumarchais, I had determined, and fo I had informed General Pinckney, that I would not, by my voice, establish any agreement in his favour; but that I would pofitively oppose any admiffion of the claim of any French citizen, if not accompanied with the admiffion of the claims of the American citi. zens for property captured and condemned for want of a rôle d'equipage. My reafon for conceiving that this ought to be ftipulated exprefsly, was a conviction, that if it was referred to commiffioners, it would be committing abfolutely to chance, as complete a right as any individuals ever poffeffed. General Pinckney was against admitting the claim at any rate. After my return, Mr. Gerry came into my room, and told me that M. Y. had called on him, to accompany him on a visit to M. Talleyrand; F |