officers of the nation, fhall remain there, without being delivered to the privateers-men, until the return of the deputy. Exhibit B. [Received with the Envoys' Letter No. II. dated 8th November 1797.] THE envoys extraordinary and minifters plenipotentiary of the United States cannot avoid obferving the very unusual fituation in which they are placed, by the manner in which they are alone permitted to make communications on the objects of their miffion: they are called upon to pledge their country to a very great amount; to answer demands, which appear to them as extraordinary as they were unexpected, without being permitted to difcufs the reafon, the juftice, or the policy on which thofe demands are founded, and not only without affurances, that the rights of the United States will in future be refpected, but without a document to prove, that thofe to whom they are required to open themselves without referve, and at whofe 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 diftant, of coming to thofe explanations which they fo much wish to make with this, republic, that they país over the uncommon and informal modes which have been adopted, and will only confider the propofitions themselves. I. The minifters of the United States will permit no perfonal confiderations to influence their negotiations with the French republic. Although they expected the extraordinary means adopted by their government to reconcile itself to that of France would have been received with fome degree of attention, yet they are too folicitous to enter upon the important and interesting duty of their miffion, to permit themfelves to be reftrained by forms and etiquette. IL. 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, inftead of benefiting 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 thefe 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 negotiations 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 other 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 minifters of the United States. VI. It cannot escape notice, that the question of the role d'equipage may involve in it every veffel taken from the United States: the minifters, however, confider it, and wish to take it up as a fubject of negotiation. 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 propose, that the difcuffions on the relative fituation of the two countries may commence in the usual forms; that the relation to each other may be fo regulated, as to obviate future misunderstandings; 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. No. III. Dear Sir, Paris, November 27, 1797. ON the 11th inftant we tranfmitted the following official letter to the minifter of foreign affairs; "Citizen Minifter, "The undersigned envoys extraordinary and minifters pleni potentiary of the United States of America to the French republic, had the honour of announcing to you officially, on the 6th of October, their arrival at Paris, and of prefenting to you on the 8th 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 im. pofed 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 refpect which is due to the govern ment of France. They have not yet received it; and fo much VOL. VII. E e time 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 themfelves and the government they reprefent, that they can no longer difpenfe with the duty of foliciting your attention to their million. "The United States, Citizen Minifter, at an epoch which evinced their fincerity, have given incontestable proofs of their ardent friendship, of their affection for the French republic: these were the refult, not of their unparalleled prowess and power, but of their 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 fubject 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 moft 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 most upright intentions, fuch caufe may probably exift: and although the ftrictest fearch has produced no felf-reproach, although the government is conscious that it has uniformly fought to preferve, with fidelity, its engagements to France; yet, far from withing to exercife the privilege of judging for itself on its own course 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, muft have been mifrepresented and misunderstood; it is convinced, 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 thefe 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 with 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 intereft 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 restore that friendship, that mutual interchange of good offices, which it is alike their with and their duty to effect between the citizens of the two republics. "The "The underfigned pray you, Citizen Minifter, to prefent this communication to the Executive Directory, and to receive the affurances of their most perfect confideration. (Signed) "CHARLES COTESWORTH PINCKNEY. "J. MARSHALL. "ELBRIDGE GERRY, "Paris, Nov. 11, in the 22d year of the American independence. "To the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the French Republic." No answer having been given to it on the 21ft inftant, we requefted Major Rutledge to wait on the minifter, and inquire of him whether he had communicated the letter to the Directory, and whether we might expect an answer: 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 bufinefs: we are not yet received; and the condemnation of our vessels for want of a role d'equipage is unremittingly continued: Frequent and urgent attempts have been made to inveigle us again into negotiation with perfons not officially authorized, of which the obtaining money is the basis; but we have perfifted in declining to have any further communication relative to diplomatic business with perfons of that description; 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 ours as ever, and that we have very little profpect of fucceeding in our miffion. We have the honour to be Colonel Pickering. Your most obedient humble fervants, CHARLES COTESWORTH PINCKNEY. E. GERRY. No. IV. Paris, Dec. 24, 1797. Dear Sir, WE have not yet received any answer to our official letter to the minifter of foreign affairs, dated the 11th of last month, and mentioned in No. III.; but reiterated attempts have been made to engage us in negotiation 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 refpect 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 E e 2 a great a great deal of it, in fome fhape or other, we fhould 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 10th of next month, fhould they remain as they are, to tranfmit another letter to the minifter, representing, as far as may be expedient, the views of our go. vernment. We have the honour to be Your most obedient humble fervants, E. GERRY. Exhibit A. [Enclosed in the Envoys' Letter, No. IV.] ON the 14th of December, M. X. called on me, in order, as he faid, to gain fome information relative to fome lands in purchased by for whom Soon afterwards General Marfhall came in, and then Mr. Gerry's carriage drove into the yard. "Here's Mr. Gerry," said General Marshall. "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 farther communication on the fubject of our miffion, with perfons not officially authorized. 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 vifit. General Marfhall, 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, în 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 20th 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 you not lend us money? If you would but make us a loan, all matters would be adjusted:" and the added, "When you were contending |