reasonable grounds, we wrote to him on the 27th of February, foliciting a perfonal interview on the fubject of our miffion; he appointed the 2d of March following. You will find in the exhibit A, herewith enclofed, what paffed on that occafion.

4th inftant we requested another interview: we have detailed in the latter part of the fame exhibit, for your information, the fubftance of that converfation.

From thefe accounts you may obferve, that the views of France, with regard to us, are not effentially changed fince our communications with its unofficial agents in October laft.

We have the honour to be, with great respect,
Your moft obedient humble fervants,

CHARLES COTESWORTH PINCKNEY:
J. MARSHALL.

E. GERRY.

Colonel Pickering, Secretary of the United States.

(A.)

March the 2d.

AT three o'clock we waited on M: Talleyrand, and were almoft immediately introduced to him. General Pinckney commenced the converfation, by faying, that our government and ourselves were extremely anxious to remove the fubfifting difference between the two republics; that we had received many propofitions through M. Y. to which we had found it impracticable to accede; and that we had now waited on him for the purpose of inquiring whether other means might not be devised which would effect fo defirable an object: the minifter replied, that without doubt the Directory wifhed very fincerely, on our arrival, to fee a folid friendship established between France and the United States, and had manifefted this difpofition, by the readiness with which orders for our paffports were given that the Directory had been extremely wounded by the last speech of General Washington made to Congrefs, when about to quit the office of Prefident of the United States; and by the firft and laft fpeech of Mr. Adams: that explanations of thefe fpeeches were expected and required of us. General Pinckney expreffed his furprise that the fpecch of General Washington was complained of, and faid this was a new complaint. M. Talleyrand merely observed, that the Directory was wounded at it, and proceeded. He faid that the original favourable difpofition of the Directory had been a good deal altered by the coldness and distance which we had obferved: that inftead of feeing him often, and endeavouring to remove the obftacles to a mutual approach, we had not once waited on him: General Pinckney obferved, that when we delivered him our letters of credence, he informed us that the Directory in a few days would decide concerning us, and that when the decifion was made,

he

he would communicate it to us: that this had for fome time fufpended any procedure on our part. He answered, that this related only to our public character, and not to private vifits. General Pinckney faid, that on an application made by his fecretary for a paffport for an American under his care, he was told that he must apply to the office of police, for that America had no minister in France fince the recall of Mr. Monroe. The minifter faid, that was very true; and then proceeded to fay, that the Directory felt itfelf wounded by the different fpeeches of Mr. Washington and Mr. Adams, which he had stated, and would require fome proof, on the part of the United States, of a friendly difpofition, previous to a treaty with us. He then faid that the ought to fearch for and propofe fome means which might furnish this proof; that if we were difpofed to furnish it, there could be no difficulty in finding it; and he alluded very intelligibly to a loan. He faid he had feveral conferences with Mr. Gerry on this fubject, who had always anfwered that we had no power. Mr. Gerry faid he had ftated other objections; that he had particularly urged that it would involve us in a war with Great Britain. He made no reply: and General Pinckney obferved, that a loan had been fuggefted to us; but that we had uniformly anfwered, that it exceeded our powers. M. Talleyrand replied, that perfons at fuch a distance as we were from our government, and poffeffed as we were of the public confidence, muft often ufe their difcretion, and exceed their powers for the public good: that there was a material difference between acting where inftructions were filent, and doing what was particularly forbidden: that if indeed a loan was pofitively forbidden, we might confider ourselves as incapable of making one; but if, as he fuppofed was the cafe (he looked the question), our inftructions were only filent, that it must be referred to us to act in a cafe not provided for, according to the best of our judgment, for the public good; that in almoft all the treaties made during the revolution, the negotiators had exceeded their powers, although the government appointing them was at no confiderable. distance. He particularized the treaty with Pruffia, and feveral others. General Pinckney told him that our powers did not extend to a loan, and perhaps might forbid it. The minister still urged the difference between an exprefs prohibition and mere filence. He then proceeded to ftate, that the principal objection on the part of our government to a loan must be, that it would draw us out of the neutral fituation in which we wished to continue that there were various means, thus; first, the fecrecy of France, which might be relied on; and fecondly, means of difguifing the loan might be devifed, which would effectually prevent its being confidered as an aid during the prefent war: that if we were truly and fincerely defirous of effecting the thing, we should experience no difficulty in finding the means.

He

again stated a propofition of this fort on our part, as being abfo lutely neceffary to prove that the government was not about entering into a treaty with perfons of a temper hoftile to it. Mr. Gerry not well hearing M. Talleyrand, who fpoke low, afked him to explain himself with refpect to the provifion which he had alluded to, fuppofing it to be a new one; and he answered, that one of them was fecrecy; but that there were befides various ways which might eafily be fuggefted to cover the loan as an immediate one, by limiting the time of advancing it to diftant inftalments. Mr. Gerry obferved, that Dutrimond had fuggefted that a loan was propofed to be made payable after the war, and in fupplies to St. Domingo. M. Talleyrand fignified, that that might be one of the means used, and faid that if we were only fincere in our wish, it would be eafy to bring about the end.

General Marshall told M. Talleyrand, that if the minifters of the United States had manifefted any unwillingness to take all proper means to reconcile the two republics. or any indifference on the fubject, they had very badly reprefented the feelings and withes of their government; that the government of the United States was moft fincerely defirous of preferving the friendship of France, and had, in his opinion, unequivocally manifested that defire, by having deputed us under the extraordinary circumftance attending our miffion, and by having fo long patiently borne the immenfe lofs of property which had been fuftained; that we had endeavoured, according to the best of our judgment, to represent truly the difpofition of our government; but that we understood that France would confider nothing as an evidence of friendship, but an act that would tranfcend and violate our powers, and at the fame time operate the most serious injury to our country; that neutrality, in the prefent war, was of the laft importance to the United States, and they had refolved faithfully to maintain it; that they had committed no act, voluntarily, which was a breach of it, and could do nothing in fecret, which, if known, would juftly arrange them among the belligerent powers; that in the prefent ftate of things, if America was actually leagued with France in the war, fhe would only be required to furnish money; that we had neither fhips of war or men to be employed in it, and could confequently, as a belligerent power, only be asked for money; that therefore to furnish money was in fact to make war, which we could by no means confent to do, and which would abfolutely tranfcend our powers, being an act altogether without the view and contemplation of our government when our miffion was decided on that with refpect to fupplies to St. Domingo, no doubt could be entertained that our merchants would furnish them very abundantly, if France would permit the commerce; and a loan, really payable after the clofe of the war, might then be negotiated. M. Talleyrand again marked the diftinction between

lence of inftructions and an exprefs prohibition, and again infifted on the neceffity of our proving, by fome means which we muft offer, our friendship for the republic. He faid he must exact from us, on the part of his government, fome propofition of this fort; that to prove our friendship there must be fome immediate aid, or fomething which might avail them; that the principles of reciprocity would require it. General Pinckney and General Marthall understood him, by this expreffion, to allude to the loan formerly made by France to the United States. Mr. Gerry at the time thought he alluded to the treaty to be made, and faid all treaties fhould be founded in reciprocity, and then asked him whether a loan was the ultimatum of this government. M. Talleyrand did not give a direct anfwer to the queftion: he faid, as he was understood, that the government infifted on fome act which would demonftrate our friendly difpofition towards, and our good wishes for the republic: this once done, he faid, the adjustment of complaints would be eafy; that would be matter of inquiry; and if France had done us wrong, it would be repaired but that if this was refufed, it would increase the distance and coldnefs between the two republics. The converfation continued in this ftyle until four o'clock, when we took our leave, and agreed to meet in the evening. In the course of it, and in reply to some obfervations of M. Talleyrand, respecting the proofs of friendship required by France, General Pinckney obferved, that our being here was a mark of the friendly difpofition of our government; and that while we were here, the government had palled a decree for feizing neutral veffels having on board any article coming out of England, which in its operation would fubject to capture all our property on the ocean. M. Talleyrand replied, that this was not particular to us, but was common to all the neutral-powers. At another time, in answer to his demand of fome mark of our friendfhip, General Marshall obferved, that we confidered the mutual interests of the two nations as requiring peace and friendship, and we relied on finding fufficient motives in the interest of France to preferve that friendship, without forcing us to an act which tranfcended our powers, and would be fo injurious to our country. As we were taking our leave, M. Talleyrand again noticed our not vifiting him, and faid, that he conceived our not having had an audience from the Directory, ought not to have prevented it. General Marfhall told him, that our feeing the Directory, or not, was an object of no concern to us; that we were perfectly indifferent with regard to it, but that we conceived that until our public character was in fome degree recognifed, and we were treated as the minifters and reprefentatives of our government, we could not take upon ourselves to act as minifters, because by doing fo, we might fubject ourselves to fome injurious circumstances to which we could not fubmit. He faid that was very true, but we

might fee him as private individuals, and discuss the object of diff ference between us.

We requested of M. Talleyrand another interview, at fuch hour as might be convenient to him, on the fixth inftant. He anfwered, that he would receive us at half past eleven, at which hour we attended him.

Immediately after our arrival at his office, we were introduced to the minifter; and General Pinckney ftated, that we had considered, with the moft ferious attention, the converfation we had the honour of holding with him, a few days paft: that the propofitions he had fuggefted, appeared to us to be fubftantially the fame with thofe which had been made by M. X. by M. Y. and also to Mr. Gerry, with an intention that they fhould be communicated to his colleagues: that we confidered it as a propofition that the United States fhould furnish aid to France, to be used during the prefent war that though it was unufual to difclofe inftructions, yet we would declare to him, that in addition to its being a meafure amounting to a declaration of war against Great Britain, we were exprefsly forbidden by our instructions to take fuch a step.

The miniffer faid, in the tone of question, he fuppofed our inftructions were to do nothing which would amount to a departure from our neutrality. General Pinckney faid, that we were fo inftructed, and that they were ftill more particular. M. Talleyrand then proceeded to argue, that it would be no departure from neutrality, to ftipulate a loan payable after the war, and fpoke of it clearly as admitting of application to immediate ufe. He faid a good deal of the fecrecy with which the tranfaction might be clothed; and obferved further, that a loan payable after the war, would be a proof of our faithful obfervance of the duties of neu trality, fince it would be confidered as proving that we had rejected propofitions for an immediate loan. General Marthall replied, that we thought differently; that in our opinion, any act on the part of the American government, on which one of the belligerent, powers could raife money for immediate ufe, would be furnishing aid to that power, and would be taking part in the war. It would be, in fact, to take the only part which, in the exifting ftate of things, America could take. This was our deliberate opinion, and in addition to it, we confidered our inftructions as conclufive on this point.

He obferved, that we had claims on the French government for property taken from American citizens. Some of thefe claims were probably juft. He afked, if they were acknowledged by France, whether we could not give a credit as to the payment, fay for two years. We anfwered, that we could. He then infifted that it was precifely the fame thing; that by fuch an act we fhould confent to leave in the hands of France, 'funds to which our citizens were entitled, and which might be used in the profe