department to extricate the commiffioners from their embarraffed fituation, and that in the fame number of your journal you criminate me for having co-operated with his defires?

As a condition previous to acknowledging the commiffioners, I called upon them, you fay, for certain explanations of fome paffages evidently infulting to the French republic, which were dif tinguishable in the fpeech of the Prefident of the United States. But foon he was defirous to fpare them the embarraffment" of thefe difavowals, and gave them to understand that an offer made by them to purchase a certain quantity of Dutch refcriptions, would be regarded as a friendly act on their part: finally, he complained of not feeing them, and feemed anxious to hold conferences with Mr. Gerry."

Here, then, is a precife analyfis of all that I have faid, written, or done in the three conferences which I held with the commiffioners. Be therefore confiftent with yourfelf, Citizen; either retract the well-merited praifes which you beftow on the pacific intentions of the minifter, and on the steps which he ordered to be taken, or confefs that this man, who was the faithful organ of his intentions, and who followed, with the moft fcrupulous exactnefs, the inftructions he had received, by no means deferves the cruel reproach with which you load him.

And here I would conclude my answer, had I not to notice and reprobate the levity or the inconfiftency with which the commiffioners, in their report, turn against me the overtures which I was charged by Citizen Beaumarchais to make to them in his name. I had feen him at Hamburgh, and I had kept up a commercial intercourfe with him. Having been informed by the commiffioners themfelves of my intercourfe with him, he wrote to me, and his letter is in my poffeffion, praying me to propofe to Mr. Marshall, who had been his counfel in Virginia, in a lawfuit for nearly fifty thoufand pounds fterling, gained in the first instance by his abilities, to buy up his claims at fifty thousand pounds fterling lofs.

I made that propofition in perfon to Mr. Marshall; he com. municated it to Mr. Gerry, who was prefent, and then myself converfed upon it with the latter; both of them, who had been ftudying French for two months, thought they understood it fufficiently not to require the affiftance of an interpreter; unfortu nately for me, it proved otherwife, fince neither of them underftood in the fame manner the propofition which I had made to them, as clearly appears from the note of Mr. Marthall of the 18th December: General Pinckney and Mr. Gerry met together at my houfe; Mr. Gerry gave us a detailed account of the converfation, of which mention is made in our public letter. The propofition relative to the reclamation of M. Beaumarchais

is

is altogether different from what I had conceived of it, in confequence of what M. Y. had told me."

Ami des Loix, which has conftantly kept up the unconciliating character of the commiffioners, their different views, their prejudices againft France, the dislike of two of them to peace, instead of endeavouring to degrade my character, might have done me justice by obferving on this paragraph, which evidently charges the commiffioners with a mistake, or with the political falfification of the facts.

Eight or ten days after the audience I procured for Mr. Gerry with Citizen Talleyrand, I went to dine with the commiffioners, in company with this minifter. The following decade I again dined with Mr. Gerry at the minifter's house, fifteen days having elapfed without any reciprocal communication. Mr. Gerry prayed me to call upon him at his houfe, but I refused it, as contrary to the inclination of Citizen Talleyrand.

A few days after, he thought proper that I fhould return to Mr. Gerry's. Mr. Gerry then again entreated me to give him a written copy of what I conceived to be the laft intentions of the minifter. I did fo in four articles, without the least mention of the pretended fum for purposes of corruption. Mr. Gerry is in poffeffion of that note in my hand-writing.

A few days after Mr. Gerry called upon me. He expreffed a defire to have a new private interview with Citizen Talleyrand; this favour I requested and obtained, and I intimated it in writing. to Mr. Gerry, who wrote me a letter of thanks on the occafion. That letter is in my hands. Mr. Gerry paid me another vifit, praying me to folicit a new interview, which was granted, and I have his answer expreffive of his thanks.

Thus, from the day on which I first conducted Mr. Gerry to Citizen Talleyrand's houfe, I had been with him five times. I gave a note into his hands. We have written feveral letters to each other, and I call upon him to publish mine.

Again, let me repeat it, the man who would have dreaded the communication of an improper demand, would he have been the perfon to propofe interviews with the minifter? Would he have anxiously stept forward to folicit them at the inftigation of others, or, rather, would he not have exerted himself to prevent their publicity?

On the 7th of February I quitted Paris. Two months after I returned thither. Immediately on my arrival I was again entreated to commune with the minifter on the embarraffing fituation of the commiffioners. This I declined, being furnished with proofs that, excepting Mr. Gerry, they entertained no fincere intention of a conciliation between the two governments; and here concluded my intercourfe with them, though I continued VOL. VII. fix

P p

fix weeks, during which time I vifited Citizen Talleyrand at least three times every week.

I have proved that I never made any demand of a specific sum of money from the American court, and that the very converfa. tion, and that the recital of my conferences with them in their own printed correspondence, did not lay that accufation to my charge.

I have proved that I have been authorized by the minifters to keep up this correfpondence with the commiffioners; that Mr. Gerry was certain of it; and that my inftructions, uniformly exact, had only for their object an honourable peace between the two republics.

In a word, I have explained the mistake into which Mr. Marfhall had fallen, relative to the particular propofition which I was charged to make him; and I have shown that this mistake alone might have been the pretext for the accufation brought against me.

I imagine that I have enabled you alfo to conclude, that I did not deferve the teftimony which the commiffioners bear to my forwardness in courting interviews with them, fince it was they themselves who, after the three first conferences, came and waited upon me, and that I finally expreffed a firm refolution of bearing no part in the intercourfe with the minifter.

I deferved to have met with friends, and I am certain that the confidence they would repofe in me, would repel the injury thus done to my character. I feel called upon to juftify, in the eyes of the prejudiced and indifferent, the kindness they bestow upon me; and if I have fucceeded in repreffing the rifing fentiments of indignation-if I have fubmitted to the humiliating task of pleading against calumny, it is in order to fulfil this facred duty-it is in order to expiate, in fome meafure, by this painful effort, for the too eafy confidence with which I imprudently flattered myself that I was promoting the advantages of commerce and the cause of humanity.

Hamburgh, June 25, 1798.

Copy of a Letter from M. Claffen, Efq. Danish Conful at Paris, to Thomas Muldrup, Efq. Danish Conful at Leith.

IN conformity to the meffage fent by the Executive Directory, the 4th of January, to the Council of Five Hundred, the faid Council decreed, the 11th inftant, as you will pleafe to obferve by the following extract from the fitting of the 22d Nivose, That all veffels found on the feas, loaded in part, or in whole, with products or merchandise of Great Britain, or of her poffeffions, will be declared as legal prizes, without regard to the per

fons

fons to whom fuch products or merchandise may belong." This decree, however, has not the force of law, until approved of by the Council of Elders; but as I have no doubt that these violent and unjust measures against neutral veffels and cargoes will be fanctioned and put in execution, I haften to acquaint you of them, and to beg of you to put all our navigators on their guard from approaching the ports or coaft of France with the products or merchandife of Great Britain, until the French government change its principles, as I flatter myfelf it will do. It would be rendering an important fervice to the Eaft and Weft India traders, were you to inform them of the danger they run in approaching the coaft of France; and I have to requeft that you would fend out circulars by the firft fhips failing for thefe parts to that purpofc.

I have the honour to be, &c.

Note from Citizen Bernadotte, Ambaffador from the French Republic to the Court of Vienna, to M. Baron de Thugut.

THE ambaffador of the French republic informs M. de Thugut, that at the very moment he is writing this note, a fanatical populace dare to form an affemblage before the gate of his refidence. The motives that animate the affemblage cannot be the object of the flighteft doubt, becaufe feveral ftones have been thrown at the windows of the house which the ambassador occupies. Indignant at fuch infolence, he entreats M. de Thugut to order inftantly the neceffary refearches, in order that the authors may be difcovered, and punithed in fuch a manner as may ferve for an example. The ambalfador doubts not that his re clamations will be attended to with all the fpeed which they ought to infpire, and that in future the police may be vigilant enough to prevent every fimilar fcene, which cannot be renewed without involving in it the moft ferious confequences: fince it is the firm intention of the ambaffador to repel with energy the flightest infult, much more fuch fcandalous exceffes.

(Signed)

24 Germinal (13th April 1798).

BERNADOTTE.

P, S.-M. de Thugut is defired to remark, that there is much reafon to complain of the agents of the police. Several individuals, who faid that they were employed by the police, were required to difperfe the affemblage; but instead of fulfilling the intentions of the ambaffador, they remained cool spectators of thefe revolting diforders.

Second Note.

THE ambaffador of the French republic informs anew M. de Thugut, that the frenzy of the people is fuch, that all the panes of glafs of the house have been broken by the ftones thrown against them. He advifes him, that the affemblage is already increafed to upwards of three thoufand perfons, and that the guards in the environs of the houfe, far from protecting it, remain approving fpectators of the caprice and fury of the people-their inertnefs encourages them. The ambassador cannot but believe, that this fcandalous fcene is tolerated, or rather excited, by the authorities which adopt no measures to put an end to it. He fees with as much pain as regret, that the dignity of the French people is wounded by the infult offered to the ambaffador, who has vainly invited the crowd to feparate and retire peaceably to their habitations. At the very moment in which the ambassador is writing, the fury of the populace is fuch, that the gates have been broken by the ftones thrown against them, and that in presence of the guards: the tri-coloured ftandard has just been torn away by the mutinous populace. The ambaffador, not being able to remain longer in a country where the moft facred laws are violated, where the most facred treaties are trodden under feet, demands of M. de Thugut a paffport to return to France with all the legation; unlefs M. de Thugut, reproving this violation of the rights of nations, would prefer proclaiming in the streets of Vienna, that the Auftrian government, having taken no part in the infults and outrages exercifed against the French republic, formally difavows them; and directs that the authors and accomplices be fought after and punished in an exemplary manner. On this condition alone, and with an obligation on the part of the Austrian government to replace the tri-coloured ftandard, and to cause it to be hoifted by a civil or military officer in the houfe of the French ambaffador, the ambaffador can remain. M. de Thugut muft fee that the time preffes, that the moments are precious, and that therefore he owes to the ambasfador a prompt and categorical reply to all the points of his demand. The ambaffador befides obferves to M. de Thugut, that feveral perfons of the legation have been obliged to release themfelves from the fury of the populace fword in hand.

(Signed)

Third Note.

BERNADOTTE.

THE ambassador of the French republic informs M. de Thugut, that the tumult and exceffes of all kinds have lafted for five hours; that no police officer has yet been to him; that a fu

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