existing treaties between the two nations, were therefore violations of neutral rights, and that the government ought to prevent the repetition of them. They also agreed that restitution ought to be made of the prize taken within the waters of the Delaware.

Respecting prizes taken upon the high seas, in virtue of commissions issued by Genet, and brought into the American ports, the Cabinet were divided. Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Randolph held that the government was under no obligation to restore them to their original owners. Colonel Hamilton and General Knox contended that, to maintain an honest neutrality, the United States were bound to restore the prizes.

The President took time to deliberate on those points on which his council were not agreed.

Principles in which they were united, he established; and directed the Secretary of State to give the necessary information to the Ministers of France and Britain.

Mr. Genet complained heavily of these rules of the American government, as a violation of neutral right, and as a breach of existing treaties between the two nations.

In his comments upon these treaties, he claimed for France every thing which the two nations had bound themselves not to grant to other countries, converting negative stipulations which respected other nations, into grants of positive privileges to the contracting parties.

He was informed, that out of respect to him, the subject had been reviewed in the Cabinet;

but that the President saw no reason to change his opinion. Mr. Genet still refused acquiescence, and seemed to have entertained the expectation, that he should be able so far to avail himself of the partiality of the Americans for France, as to bend the administration to his own purposes, or to overthrow it.

Prosecutions having been commenced against two of the American citizens, whom Genet engaged at Charleston, to cruise in the service of France, he demanded these men of the civil magistrate who had arrested them, in the following very extraordinary language.

"I have this moment been informed that two officers in the service of the republic of France, citizens Gideon Henfield and John Singletary, have been arrested on board the privateer of the French republic, the Citizen Genet, and conducted to prison. The crime laid to their charge, the crime which my mind cannot conceive, and which my pen almost refuses to state, is the serving of France, and defending with her children the common glorious cause of liberty.

Being ignorant of any positive law, or treaty which deprives Americans of this privilege, and authorizes officers of police arbitrarily to take mariners in the service of France from on board their vessels, I call upon your intervention, Sir, and that of the President of the United States, in order to obtain the immediate releasement of the abovementioned officers, who have acquired by the sentiments animating them, and by the act of their engagement, anterior to every act to the

contrary, the right of French citizens, if they have lost that of American citizens."

The President considered this insolent demand as an attack upon the honour and independence of the United States; but without noticing the intemperate language of the French Minister, he steadly pursued the public interest.

The influential individuals of that portion of the American people who had been opposed to the adoption of the national constitution, and were opposed to the measures of the administration under it, in the partialities and prejudices manifested throughout the union towards France and Great Britain, saw the probable means to weaken the confidence, and alienate the affection which the citizens of the United States manifested towards the President; and in this way to bring about a revolution in the national government. In pursuance of this plan, the resentment and the enthusiastic sympathies of the people were fostered ; and democratic societies, in imitation of the Jacobin Club in Paris, were formed. The victories of France were celebrated by feasts, bonfires, and other public rejoicings.

The measures adopted by the Executive to preserve the peace of the nation, were vilified in the newspapers devoted to the opposition; the procla mation of neutrality was declared to be an exercise of power with which the constitution did not invest the President; and the measures of the administration generally were pronounced to be unfriendly to France, and to carry evidence of their intention to break with that republic and to

join in the royal crusade against liberty. Mr. Genet was justified in the construction of the existing treaties between the two nations, and he was urged to persist in his opposition to the measures of the American government.

The President deeply felt the insult offered to the nation, by the attempt of the French Minister to continue the exercise of an usurped authority within the United States; but he knew the importance of yielding to the feelings of his countrymen, as far as consisted with the dignity of his station, and with the independence, the peace, and welfare of his country. He contented himself with confuting in a cool and dispassionate manner, the extravagant positions of Mr. Genet, and inflexibly adhered to his system.

Private business called him to Mount Vernon, and he was absent from the seat of government from the 24th of June to the 11th of July. During his absence, the heads of departments superintended the execution of the measures that had been agreed upon in the Cabinet. At this time an event took place, which fully exhibits the rashness of the French Minister, and shews the difficulty to which he subjected the administration.

A French privateer brought an English merchantman, the Little Sarah, into Philadelphia. This vessel Genet equipped as a privateer. Having mounted fourteen iron cannon, and six swivels, and taken on board one hundred and twenty men, a number of whom were Americans, she was about to sail under the name of La Petite Democrat. In this situation the Secretary of the Treasury re

ported her case to the Secretaries of State and of War. Governor Mifflin was in consequence requested to make examination, and on the 14th of July he reported that she was to sail, next day. By desire of the heads of departments, the governor sent Mr. Dallas, Secretary of State for Pennsylvania, to request Mr. Genet to relieve them from the disagreeable necessity of preventing by force the sailing of a privateer equipped in their ports. This request excited in that minister the most violent passion, which he vented in very intemperate and abusive language, declared that La Petite Democrat would repel force by force, and threatened to appeal from the Executive to the people. Mr. Jefferson in person waited upon him to renew the request, that he would order the privateer not to sail until the pleasure of the President could be known; Mr. Jefferson reported, that after an ebullition of passion, and some equivocation, he understood Mr. Genet to promise, that the privateer should fall down below Chester, and there wait the will of the President. Colonel Hamilton and General Knox were for taking measures to prevent her sailing, but Mr. Jefferson, professing his confidence in the promise of Mr. Genet, opposed them, and they were not put in execution.

These proceedings were immediately reported to the President, on his return to the seat of government. Mr. Jefferson had then retired, indisposed, to his country house, and the President wrote him as follows:

"What is to be done in the case of the Little