r me, I replied, that M. de ainarchais' cause was of great agnitude, very uncertain issue, d, consequently, that a portion the interest he felt in it would, ry naturally, be transferred to his vocate. He immediately said, ow and apart) that M. de Beauarchai had consented, provided s claim could be established, to crifice fifty thousand pounds sterg of it, as the private gratificaon which had been required of us, that the gratification might be ade without any actual loss to the merican government. I answer, that a gratification on any terms, in any form, was a subject which › approached with much fear and ficulty, as we were not authoed by our government to make e; nor had it been expected that e would be necessary; that I uld not undertake to say whether colleagues would consent to it any state of things; but I could dertake to say, no one of us ould consent to it, unless it was zceded or accompanied by a full d entire recognition of the claims . de Beaumarchais is entirely difour citizens, and a satisfactory angement on the object of our ssion. He said it was in the exctation of that event only that he entioned it. We parted: and I ted the conversation to general ackney, who was disinclined to y stipulation of the sort, and conered it as a renewal of the old probated systein of indirect, un thorized negociation. the claim of any French citizen, if not accompanied with the admission of the claims of the American citizens of property captured and condemned for want of a role d'equipage. My reason for conceiving that this ought to be stipulated expressly was a conviction that, if it was referred to commissioners, it would be committing absolutely to chance as complete a right, as any individuals ever possessed. General Pinckney was against admitting the claim at any rate. After my return, Mr. Gerry camo into my room, and told me that M. Y. had called on him, to accompany him on a visit to M. Talley. rand; that he proposed seeing M. Talleyrand, and returning the civility of the dinner; and endeavouring to bring about some intercourse between him and us. Having been originally the counof M. de Beaumarchais, I had termined, and so I informed geral Pinckney, that I would not, my voice, establish any agreeent in his favour; butthat I would sitively oppose any admission of VOL. XL. Dec. 18. General Pinckney and Mr. Gerry met in my room; and Mr. Gerry detailed to us the conversation mentioned in our public letter. The proposition relative to the claim of ferent from my understanding of it in the very brief statement made to me by M. Y. We resolved that we would rigidly adhere to the rule we had adopted, to enter into no negociation with persons not formally authorized to treat with us. We came also to the determination to prepare a letter to the minister of foreign relations, stating the object of our mission, and discussing the subjects of difference between the two nations, in like manner as if we had been actually received; and to close the letter with requesting the government to open the negociation with us, or to grant us our passports. X Exhibit Exhibit C. at peace with France, he had, with [Enclosed in the Envoys' Letter, his colleagues, submitted to this in No. IV.] Dec. 13. MR. Gerry accidentally calling on general Pinckney, found M. X. and was soon informed that his object was to obtain another interview between the ministers and M. Y. on the affairs of their mission. General Marshal happening also to be there, we retired into another room; and immediately agreed to adhere to our former determination, not to have any more informal communication. M. X. having been called in, general Pinckney briefly communicated our determination: and Mr. Gerry observed, that he was much hurt by this proposition; that the ministers had already proceeded farther in this mode of communication than perhaps they could justify; that they had refused, six weeks ago, to renew it; and that some regard ought to be paid to their feelings, which had been sufficiently mortified; that the proposition was disrespectful to the envoys, as it betrayed a belief that they had lost a sense of their dignity, and were indeed incompetent to their office; that, had there been but one envoy extraordinary, he ought to have had an audience in a few days; and that for three to remain between two and three months in this situation, was too humiliating, too debasing, for any nation to submit to it; that for his own part, had he been sent to any other nation in Europe, with two other envoys, he would not have consented to have remained in such a state ten days; that knowing the great desire of the government and nation of the United States to be dignity, at the risk of the severe censure of the former. Having also inquired of M. X. at what time M. Talleyrand could be seen, the former said, he would inquire of M. Y. who, on the 16th, in the evening, sent, in Mr. Gerry's absence from his lodgings, a billet as follows: "M. Y. has the honour to present his respects to Mr. Gerry, to inform him that he will have the honour to wait on him to-morrow morning at ten o'clock, to go toge ther to the minister of foreign relations. "He is, with respect," &c. On the morning of the 17th, M. Y. came in while Mr. Gerry was at breakfast, not having received an answer to his note; and Mr. Marshall coming in, M.Y. took him aside, and conferred with him a considerable time; after which, the former and the rest of the fa mily left the room, and M. Y. and Mr. Gerry being together, Mr. G. told him that his object in sering M. Talleyrand was to return a civi lity, by requesting him to fix a day for dining with Mr. G. who intended to invite his colleagues; by this interview to promote, if possible, a better understanding between the minister and the American envoys: and Mr. G. also proposed to confer with the minister on the disagreeable situation the envoys were in, and to state to him some reports which appeared to be founded, respecting a proposition before the directory for sending off all Americans in a short period; but Mr. Gerry added, that he could not hear a word on the subject of the mission, or the preliminaries to i negociation; as the envoys had deermined, unanimously, against any nformal communications on the ubject. M.Y. in answer, said, that Mr. Marshall had just heard him ›n a subject of this kind; aud that ve might consider it as he did, nerely as a conversation between urselves. He then stated, that two neasures which M. Talleyrand proosed being adopted, a restoration of friendship between the republics vould follow immediately: the one vas a gratuity of 50,000l. sterling, he other a purchase of thirty-two nillions of Dutch rescriptions; that is to the first, M. de Beaumarchais ad received, in a cause dependng in Virginia, between that state and himself, 145,000/. sterling; that here was an appeal from the judgenent; that he would sign an act o relinquish 45,000l. if the whole should be finally recovered, leaving only 100,000/. for himself; that the 15,000/. might accrue to the United States, who would, in that case, osebut a small part of the 50,000l.; hat the purchase of sixteen millions of rescriptions would amount to but ,333,000l. 68. 8d. sterling; which, with au interest of five per cent. would be certainly paid by the goernment of Holland to the United States, and leave them without any oss; that more than half the sum may now be hired in Holland, on he credit of the rescriptions, and in easy arrangement be made for payment by short instalments, which might be obtained also by a loan; hat it was worthy the attention of the envoys to consider whether, by so small a sacrince, they would stablish a peace with France, or bether they would risk the con sequences; that if nothing could be done by the envoys, arrangements would be made forthwith to ravage the coasts of the United States by frigates from St. Domingo; that small states which had offended France were suffering by it; that Hamburgh, and other cities in that quarter, would, within a month or two, have their governments changed; that Switzerland would undergo the same operation; and that Portugal would probably be in a worse predicament: that the expedition against England would be certainly pursued; and that the present period was the most favourable, if we wished to adopt any measure for a pacification. Mr. Gerry, in answer, said, that if the French were disposed to pursue, with vengeance, the United States, they might, perhaps, ravage their coasts, and injure them in this way, but they never could subdue them: the measure he thoughr utterly impracticable, even if attempted by France and her allies. To which M. Y. assented. Mr. Gerry observed farther, that the ravages alluded to would undoubtedly closely connect the United States and Great Britain, and prevent the former from returning to the friendship which they had ever had for France; that as to the propositions, he should express no opinion on them; that his situation, and that of his colleagues, was extremely difficult; that the directory was exclusively prejudiced against the government of the United States, and considered them as the friends of Great Britain; that if the envoys could have an opportunity of being heard, they could remove such impressions, and shew that the government were the friends of France as X 2 much much as of Great Britain; but that the envoys were now in the most painful situation; that they were treated, in the eyes of all Europe, and of the American government and nation, with the utmost contempt, and were submitting to indignities which they could not reconcile to their feelings, or justify to their constituents. M. Y. said, that the observations were just; but that the American envoys had not experienced worse treatment than other ministers, nor, indeed, as bad; that the envoy of Portugal was again ordered to depart; and that but little ceremony was observed to the envoys in general. M. Y. and Mr. Gerry then took a ride to M. Talleyrand's bureau, who received them politely and, after being seated, Mr. Gerry observed to M. Talleyrand, in English, slowly, that M. Y. had stated to him, that morning, some propositions as coming from M. Talleyrand, respecting which Mr. G could give no opinion: that his object, at this interview, was, to request of him information whether he would fix a time for taking a dinner with Mr. Gerry, at which he proposed to invite his collegues; that he wished for more frequent interviews, of some kind or other, between himself and the envoys, conceiving that many imaginary difficulties, which obstructed the negociation, would vanish by this means; and that those which were real would be surmounted; that, conceiving the delicate part which the minister of France had to act, at this time, he did not wish M. Falleyrand to accept the invitation, if it would subject him to inconveniences: that he wished to speak on another subject, and it was pain ful to him to acknowledge that the precarious situation of the envoys was such as to render it impossible for them to take measures for cecent arrangements; that a short time since he had supposed mea sures were taking a favourable turn; but that lately he had received, from various quarters, information of a report made by the minister of the interior, and under the consideration of the directory, for sending all Americans from Paris in twentyfour hours; that he could not be responsible for the truth of the in formation; but it appeared to him, as well from the various quarters from which it came, as from the intelligence of the person who gave it, to be highly probable; that if this was the case, it was unnecessary for the directory, as he conceived, to pass any arrête, as it respected the envoys, for that they would depart from Paris whenever it was hinted as the wish of the directory; that, for his own part, he should feel more at ease until we were received, to reside in a city some other nation than that of France, and to return to Paris on Lotice that the directory were dis posed to open the negociation. M. Talleyrand appeared to be very uneasy at this declaration, but avoided saying a word on it. He said, that the information M. Y. bad given me was just, and might always be relied on; but that te would reduce to writing his prop sitions, which he accordingly and, after he had shewn them to Mr. Gerry, he burut the paper. The substance was as follows: (Sce No. 1. below). did: He then said, that he accepted of the invitation; that he would dine with him, the decade a the the present, in which he was engaged. Mr. Gerry did not repeat all that he had said to M. Y. having no doubt he would communicate the whole to M. Talleyrand. And, atter expressing a friendship for the French republic, and a warm desire to renew the former attachment of the two republics, which M. Talleyrand warmly réciprocated, Mr. Gerry bid M. Talleyrand adieu, leaving with him M. Y. No. 1. That the envoys should come forward generally, and say "France has been serviceable to the United States, and now they wish to be serviceable to France; understanding that the French republic has sixteen millions of Dutch rescriptions to sell, the United States will purchase them at par, and will give her farther assistance, when in their power. "The first arrangement being. made, the French government will take measures for reimbursing the equitable demands of America arising from prizes, and to give free navigation to their ships in future.” Paris, March 9th, 1798. Dear sir, Agreeably to what we represented to you, in our No IV. we prepared a letter to the minister of foreign affairs, on the subject of the late law, authorizing the capture of neutral vessels, on board of which any productions of Great Britain, or its possessions, should be laden, shewing how incompatible such law was with the rights of neutral nations, and the treaty between France and America; its direct tendency to destroy the remaining commerce of ourcountry; and the particular hardships to which it would subject the agricultural as well as commercial interests of our countrymen, from the peculiar situation of the United States. We added, that, under existing circumstances, we could no Jonger resist the conviction, that the demands of France rendered it intirely impracticable to effect the objects of our mission; and that, rot being permanent ministers, but envoys extraordinary, with full powers for particular purposes, we deemed it improper to remain longer in France, after the impossibility of effecting those purposes had been demonstrated. Before, however, we took this measure, and explicitly demanded our passports we deemed it expedient to desire major Rutledge to call on M. Talleyrand, on the 19th ult. to know if he had any communication to make to us, in consequence of our letter, dated the 17th, and delivered the 31st of January. To this M. Talleyrand replied, that he had no answer to make, as the directory bad not given any order on the subject, and when they did, he would inform us of it. Still being anxious to hear explicitly from M. Talleyraud himself, X 3 before |