private individual, and would receive it as coming from him, he would fuggest to us the means which in his opinion would fucceed. On being afked to suggest the means, he anfwered, money; that the directory were jealous of its own honour and of the honour of the nation; that it infifted on receiving from us the fame refpect with which we had treated the king; that this honour must be maintained in the manner before required, unless we fubftituted in the place of thofe reparations fomething perhaps more valuable, that was money. He faid further, that if we defired him to point out the fum which he believed would be fatisfactory, he would do fo. We requested him to proceed; and he faid, that there were thirty-two millions of florins of Dutch infcriptions, worth ten fhillings in the pound, which might be affigned to us at twenty fhillings in the pound and he proceeded to state to us the certainty; that after a peace, the Dutch government would repay us the money; fo that we fhould ultimately lofe nothing; and the only operation of the measure would be, an advance from us to France of thirty-two millions, on the credit of the government of Holland. We asked him whether the fifty thousand pounds fterling, as a douceur to the directory, must be in addition to this fum. He answered in the affirmative. We told him, that, on the fubject of the treaty, we had no hesitation in saying, that our powers were ample: that, on the other points propofed to us, we would retire into another room, and return in a few minutes with our answer.

:

ters will, for the purpose, forthwith embark for America; provided the directory will fufpend all further captures on American veffels, and will fufpend proceedings on thofe already captured, as well where they have been already condemned, as where the decisions have not yet been rendered; and that, where fales have been made, but the money not yet received by the captors, it fhall not be paid until the preliminary queftions, propofed to the minifters of the United States, be difcuffed and decided;" which was read as a verbal anfwer; and we told them they might copy it, if they pleafed. M. Y. refufed to do fo. His difappointment was apparent : he faid we treated the money part of the propofition as if it had proceeded from the directory; whereas in fact it did not proceed even from the minifter, but was only a fuggestion from himself, as a fubftitute to be propofed by us, in order to avoid the painful acknowledgment that the directory had determined to demand of us. It was told him, that we understood that matter perfectly: that we knew the propofition was in form to be ours; but that it came fubftantially from the minister. We asked what had led to our prefent conversation. And general Pinckney then repeated the first communication from M. X. (to the whole of which that gentleman affented) and we obferved that thofe gentlemen had brought no teftimonials of their fpeaking any thing from authority: but that, relying on the fair characters they bore, we had believed them when they faid they were from the minifter, and had converfed with them in like manner, as if we were converfing with M. Talleyrand himfelf; and that we could not confider any fuggeftion M. Y. had made, as not having been previously approved of; but yet, if he did not choose to take a memorandum in writing of our anfwer, we had no wish that he should do fo: and further, if he chofe to

give the answer to his propofition the form of a propofition from our. felves, we could only tell him, that we had no other propofition to make, relative to any advance of money on our part; that America had fuftained deep and heavy loffes by French depredations on our commerce, and that France had alledged fo [many] complaints against the United States, that on thofe fubjects we came fully prepared, and were not a little furprifed to find France unwilling to hear us; and making demands upon us which could never have been fufpected by our government, and which had the appearance of our being the aggreffing party. M. Y. expreffed himself vehemently on the refentment of France; and complained, that, instead of our propofing fome fubftitute for the reparations demanded of us, we were ftipulating certain conditions to be performed by the directory itfelf; that he could not take charge of fuch propofitions; and that the directory would perfift in its demand of thofe reparations which he at firft ftated. We anfwered, that we could not help it. It was for the directory to determine what courfe its own honour and the interefts of France required it to purfue it was for us to guard the interefts and honour of our country. M. Y. obferved, that we had taken no notice of the firft propofition, which was, to know whether we were ready to make the difavowal, reparations, and explanations concerning the prefident's fpeech. We told him that we fuppofed it to be impoffible, that either he or the minifter could imagine, that fuch a propofition could require an anfwer: that we did not understand it as being seriously expected; but merely as introductory to the fubjects of real confideration. He spoke of the refpect which the directory required, and repeated, that it would exact as much as was paid to the ancient kings. We anfwered, that America had demonftrated to the world, and especially to France,

a much greater refpect for her prefent government than for her former monarchy; and that there was no evidence of this difpofition, which ought to be required, that we were not ready to give. He faid, that we should certainly not be received; and feemed to fhudder at the confequences. We told him, that America had made every poffible effort to remain on friendly terms with France; that fhe was ftill making them: that, if France would not hear us, but would make war on the United States; nothing remained for us, but to regret the unavoidable neceffity of defending ourselves.

The fubject of our powers was again mentioned; and we told him, that America was folicitous to have no more misunderstandings with any republic, but efpecially with France that she wifhed a permanent treaty, and was fenfible, that no treaty could be permanent, which did not comport with the interests of the parties; and therefore that he might be affured, that our powers were fuch as authorized us to place France on equal ground with England, in any respects in which an inequality might be fuppofed to exift at prefent, between them, to the difadvantage of France. The fubject of the rôle d'équipage was alfo mentioned; and we afked what affurance we could have, if France infifted on the right of adding to the ftipulations of our treaty, or of altering them by municipal regulations, that any future treaty we could make fhould be obferved. M. Y. faid, that he did not affert the principle of changing treaties by municipal regulations; but that the directory confidered its regulation, concerning the rôle d'équipage, as comporting with the treaty. We obferved to him, that none of our veffels had what the French termed a rôle d'équipage; and that, if we were to furrender all the property which had been taken from our citizens, in cafes where their veffels were not furnifhed with fuch a rôle, the govern

ment would be responsible to its citizens for the property fo furrendered; fince it would be impoffible to undertake to affert, that there was any plaufibility in the allegation, that our treaty required a rôle d'équipage. The fubject of difavowals, &c. concerning the prefident's fpeech, was again mentioned; and it was obferved, that the constitution of the United States authorized and required our prefident to communicate his ideas on the affairs of the nation; that, in obedience to the conftitution, he had done fo; that we had not power to confirm or invalidate any part of the prefident's fpeech; that fuch an attempt could produce no other effect than to make us ridiculous to the government, and to the citizens at large, of the United States; and to produce, on the part of the prefident, an immediate difavowal and recal of us as his agents: that, independent of this, all America was acquainted with the facts ftated by the prefident; and our difavowing them would not change the public fentiment concerning them.

We parted with mutual profeffions of perfonal refpect, and with full indications, on the part of M. Y. of his expectation, that we fhould immediately receive the threatened letter.

The nature of the above communication will evince the neceffity of fecrecy; and we have promised meffrs. X. and Y. that their names fhall, in no event, be made public.

We have the honour to be, with great refpect and esteem, your most obedient humble fervants,

The treaty itfelf is declared by the directory to be void. Since our arrival at Paris the tribunal of caffation has rejected captain Scott's petition, complaining of the condemnation of his veffel, by the civil tribunal, for the want of a rôle d'équipage. Mr. in behalf of the owners of the American veffels, who have appealed, in the laft refort, to the tribunal of caffation, informs, that, notwithstanding all the arguments made use of to put

off the hearing of the Rofanna, as a diplomatic cafe, till the iffue of our negotiations is known, that case is fet down for hearing, and will come on the 29th or 30th inft. The fame

also says, that it is obvious, that the tribunal have received inftructions, from the officers of the government, to hasten their decifions; and that it was hardly worth while to ; for all our petitions in caffation would be rejected. Our advocates decline giving their fentiments on this fubject under an apprehenfion of committing themselves.

Col. Pickering, Sec'y of

the United States.

Paragraphs of the President's Speech, referred to in Letter No. 1. under Title of exhibit A.

I. WITH this conduct of the French government, it will be proper to take into view the public audience, given to the late minister of the United States, on his taking leave of the executive directory. The fpeech of the prefident difclofes fentiments more alarming than the refufal of a minifter, because more dangerous to our independence and union; and at the fame time ftudiously marked with indignities towards the government of the United States. It evinces a difpofition to feparate the people of the United States from the government; to perfuade them, that they have different affections, principles, and interefts, from those of their fellow-citizens, whom they themselves

(No. 2.)
Paris, November 8, 1797.
Dear Sir,

WE now enclose you, in thirtyfix quarto pages of cypher, and in eight pages of cyphered exhibits, the fequel to the details commenced in No. 1, dated the 22d of last month; and have the honour to be,

Your moft obedient
humble fervants,
C. C. PINCKNEY,
J. MARSHALL,
E. GERRY.

Colonel Pickering.

October 27, 1797. About twelve, we received another vifit from M. X. He immediately mentioned the great event announced in the papers, and then faid, that fome propofals from us had been expected on the fubject on which we had before converfed; that the directory were becoming impatient, and would take a decided courfe with regard to America, if we could not foften them. We answered, that on that fubject we had already spoken explicitly, and had nothing farther to add. He mentioned the change in

lance du peuple Francaise avec les astucieuses caresses de quelques perfides qui méditent de le ramener à son antique esclavage. Assurez, M. le Ministre, le bon peuple Américain, que, comme lui, nous adorons la liberté; que toujours il aura notre estime, et qu'il trouvera, dans le peuple Francais, la générosite républicaine, qui sait accorder la paix comme elle sait faire respecter sa souveraineté.

Quant à vous, M. le Ministre plenipotentiaire, vous avez combattu pour les vrais intérêts de votre patrie partez avec nos regrets. Nous rendons en vous un réprésentant à l'Amêrique, et nous retenons le souvenir du citoyen dont les qualités personel

les bonoraient ce titre.

the ftate of things which had been produced by the peace with the emperor, as warranting an expectation of a change in our fyftem! to which been expected by us, and would not we only replied, that this event had in any degree affect our conduct. M. X. urged, that the directory had, fince this peace, taken a higher and more decided tone with refpect to us, and all other neutral nations, than had been before taken; that it had been determined, that all nations should aid them, or be confidered and treated as their enemies, We anfwered, that fuch an effect had already been contemplated by us as probable, and had not been overlooked when we gave to this propofition our decided anfwer; and further, that we had no powers to negotiate for a loan of money; that our government had not contemplated fuch a circumstance in any degree whatever; that, if we fhould ftipulate a loan, it would be a perfectly void thing, and would only deceive France, and expose ourselves. M. X. again expatiated on the power and violence of France; he urged the danger of our fituation, and preffed the policy of foftening them, and of thereby

nanimous benevolence of the French people with the crafty careffes of certain perfidious perfons, who meditate bringing them back to their former flavery. Affure the good American people, fir, that like them we adore liberty; that they will always have our esteem; and that they will find in the French people, republican generofity, which knows how to grant peace, as it does to caufe its fovereignty to be refpected.

As to you, mr. minifter plenipotentiary, you have combatted for principles; you have known the true interefts of your country. Depart with our regret. In you we give up a reprefentative to America, and retain the remembrance of the citi zen whofe perfonal qualities did ho nour to that title.