HAL Us
I L M I N G T 0 N GAZE T T E.
Xb. 74.I
T H U K S D A Y, M A Y $it 1798.
'f Vol. II.
IV
M
K S
O F
T
A G
H
'Ptejidcni o the United Stales,.
TO
Both Houres ot Cbngrefs.
May 4tn. 1708.
par tial to a aids us enemies.
I i hat government, allnnifiied at a re
proach lo umtUnded in Kct, iocomra-
Gentlemen of the Senate, and
Qtntkmtn of the Hiu'e of Ripr cjentatives,
I NOW trani mil to Congrefs copies of
at! the communication,, from our En
voys Extraordinary, received fince 'their'
arrival in Paris, excepting thole before
prefented by me tis both Routes.
J O H N A D A M S
United States,
May 4th, 1798.
(No. 6.)
P.ris, February 7 th, 1798
Dear Sv,
WE tranlnm to you in this inclofure
our Lit letter to the mini iter ot foreign
relations j ineogh dated the 17th ult. it
was not, on account of the nine taken to
tranllate lb long a letter del tered till the
. 3111. lirour coinmumcriti. 119 tier. , at?
though we have, agreeable to your ih
itructions, wrtieu to our own language,
we at the fame time have "tak.-n the pn
caurion, left our meaning Ihouid he m'n-
reprefented or mifimderltaod, to a coin
pany them with an accurate iraiiilaribn"
We have not yetreieived any auivvc-i
to this communication, and ihould 110U0
tice be taken of it in a few days, we (hill
apply in a more explicit manner fur but
pall ports.
The councils have pafied the decree
ineniinntii m No. 5, a having been re
commended 0) the Directory to capture
and condemn ah neutral vefl'els laden in
part or in a hole with the inaiiutactur.'S
r prodigious ot Lrfglarid or us pofl'tf
lion- V e Indole you the othcul copv
ot the re)ort on that (object, and (ball
reprciei.t to this government the inii.i''
ce and injjry whuiu It -mult inevitably
ottaiion u,,.
We 'have the honor to be, with great
reipect, yjur mott obedient numb . lei -vants,
CiIAKLkS C. PINCKNEY,
J. M'vHallALL,
t. OhiltiY.
Col. Pickering,
Secrtiaty ot the U liteJ State.
T O T H E
Mioiiter ot Foreign Affairs
OF T II F.
FRENCH REPUBLIC.
Citizen Mir iftcr,
Tilt under ligned Envoys Extraoidi
naiy and Mmitlcrs litnixteiniary Irom
the Liu. ttl States of America to t-ie
French republic, riave Ikcii hitherto re
ilrai.ied by the cxpeciairon of entering
on the object ot their muliou in the
forms ufud anions nation, from addrcl
ling to the Executive Directory, thru'
ou, thole explanations and reclamation,
with which tney are charged by the go.
vernrnent ihry reprefenr. It tin. ex
peclatioii is to b: rel.nq nilied, yet the
UnleigncJ w.ih ot the UiuteJ Su es to
rvltoie that harinouv between the to
Kc,m''ic, which thtM have o u.ireunt j vaurotily violated.
i ii'i, lojgnt 10 prcierw, renders it me
daiy of t:ie in 1 1 1 ) ! to lay lie fore
the government or France, however 111
formal the CO urn tnication may b; deem.
edf lome conil Jeratiom, in inidnion to
tncfe already lubuii.iCil, relative to uic
luthn dbffrcAcei be; ween the two
aatio tu
t)p?.il aid repea'ed'.f have France
en 1 A n -rica i:?terc taisgcd unetpi vocal
tlt m httiU ot rec.pr,cal regard. Tnefe
tc.ti n liali were g'ven by th United
S ate, with all Vie ardor a. id ttrlccrity
if you h. It it HtU believed ai on tne
ptrt ut Kf4,ice Uiey were fftswite thr
)iftri 1 J real rfteeui. l'ltf were
conilereJoi ih'ouerhJ? o! . Atfan
r, Mjl if ia.e as'lie Ivcp j'jii sill mile ve.'
V V.ar1,)if- fhiiteorn tttinj d ; id
A uifca o ks uroQnd in vain ItfTUM -'
1 ir ih: friend. Trii cotTtralt !u: t of
n :jtuia ani uf canJ jel wlitc;i the ,rr-
vot lo avowed y tXlibi.j a p irno 1 n
CH-pjty, ha U.i r icneJ a tf .wJ J
'.y France, to a dilpcfitidn alledged to Mccn?iulated wealth of ages and a 4uW
x.it u. the govei-nmei t of the United J population, enable the nauims oi Europe
Vtates, enlritudly to this Hrpubhc, .-ancrr jlo tupportthtfe wars in which they nit
nductd to eritffltfe hv motives wh.ct
tl ey deem acequate, and tiy mterctts
incluiiydy their own. In all 1 elpj
fFeiin!t is the iituation- of the 0-nred
States ; p flciled of an extenfive unlet
led territory, on which bountiiul naiOrt
fa heftavCed w.th if lav ilh hand all "the
d !,ctfid by its deiiarauons.aiid its conduit,
could icarcely collider this charge .is le
i ious, and has ever cherdhed tiie hope,
that a candid review of its lot duel foun
ded on the documents, and aided bv the j capacities for future legitimate treaineb
Vrguments with which tbt Executive Di j heyindHlge 1.0 thiilt for coixjutlt, no
rectory has been fnrnilhed, would havt J ainnuon tor the cxtctViion ot their limits
relcuid it from the injurous lalp cion. I Enrircled by rio dangerous powers the
lhisiupe leems hot to have been reah- " neither tear, nor are jealous of iheir
zed. ri he ttnderlig' ed, therefore, dctuT 1 neighbours, and are not on that atcooiu
t proper to precede their application for
that jultice which they claifn 1 rout France,
by an tfloi t to remdve the caufe, which
is alledged to have prt dutrd mjui tesof
wh'ch they complain. With tins view,
they pray the aiteni.on ot ihe Executive
Diiectory ioa ferious and candid re-con
Uderation of the leading mtalurcs a!op
ted by the government .of the United
States, nod pefldac theml tlVes, ; thai
hiwever various 2nd imrUivlt d -the chan
nels may be thro which m tinfonnauon,
concerning the dilpeii'ions of that ijin
vernmenr, may hae iieen received, ye
1 his recoufnieration 'mult remove unfouu
ned prcjudicej. and entirely exttiiSLe the
American liauon trcm an acculation k
knovs to be untounded, and believes to
ne fupported by no iingle fatt.
When that w ar winch has been watfCci
with Inch unparral'eled tury, v iiiclvui it
vail vile iffitudesof fortune, ha, alternately
ihroateneU the very exiltence o' ihe eon
dieting parties, hut which, in its progiels
has funounded France with fuch Ij-Jen-dnr,
and added ilill mere to her l'Ioiy
than tier tur tory, When 1 nat war fir 11
involved thole nations ' wirh whom t hi
United States were in habits ot fru ndl,
in erconifc, it became incumbent offl tHi b
governuient 10 examine their litUitiuji,
ihyr connexions and their duties. Aou
rici found herlelt at peace with all of
the belligeunt powers. She was con
nected with iomc o! theiu by treaties oi
amity a d commerce, and with Franc
by a treaty of alliance alto. 'J hefe le
veral treaties were coniidtred with thi
molt f. rious attentit n and with a fii ctrt
wiih to determine by fair conitruclioi
the oblation which they really inipo
ted. 1 he lefult of this enquiry, was a
Mill cotr idtinn, that her engagements by
uomeans bound her to take part in the war,
bui Utt her io far the nnttiefs oi her
ow'i,conducas 10 be at perfect hberty to
obliTve a f)ltem of real neutrality, li
is deemed utn -ciliary to ar.alai thole
treaties in Older to iupport the propriety
ol t is decdior, became it is not recol
iccted ever to have been ciueltioned and
is btlieved no: to adnnt ot dumb.
Being bound by no duty to enter into
the war, the government of ihe United
Mate conceived ulelt bound by duties ihe
moit lacrd 10 abflalu from m. Contcm
plating man, even in a different (ucieiy.
as the fr.end ot mm, a ltate of peace,
though unlttptilared try treaty, waa con-
lidercd aa i npodng obllatious not to be
Fhele oblManont created by the law
a. t t 1 . I 1 1 1
of n oure, were in tome itiilante llreugth.
cued by lulenin cxiitiug engage nenis, 01
vintli gooJ laith required a religious
obler'ance.
Toa teufe of moral ilgbi, o li.r con
tiderations ol the greatelt mamtudt
ycre added, wh'cn forbade the goVern
ueot of ihe U. States 10 plunge th ni un
uereirarily into the inilenesof tneblojd,
cotilut then caninitucin. Fhe j;ieai
thiioiiiut Ei-rape eithtr unveiled by am
h tio,, or b. exiitiiiii or upo ltd p-
tnicd inicreftt, pec d ar 10 ihein.clves,
lave co ii 1 it. .1 ,n r.'t ia.1 a t r.rd ol Uu
oufrnt ceni iiv in win. Whnev'er
.aalei mav luv prod icid fj offl .Img an
. vil, turf c n it he iiippolt J 10 IllXr
ro cn-T-ty rxtin-piilhed, and hunni
:y can f url 1 uul e t'i h ip 1 ihat 1 1
tcnip.T . r c mi 'it. jo oi mill lo altereU
i ta r?t;i it : le 11 i ccoinry (rnn tn
It ! tie pit. 5.rnia f i ti a 1 ,
pjaciu; i.n.'uf: arm.c, ilisjiiuu; a principle which tcmaini no a to
bhged to arm for their cwu iatety.
Separated from Europe by a vait and
riendiy ocean, they are but letn'ottly, it
it all, iiffecled by thofe, intc reits, wjiich
tgitaie and influence this ponion ot the
globe. 'I huscircmnltanced, they have
no motive for a xoluniary war. On the
contrary, the moil powerfucoifiideraiions
urge them to avoid it. An txtenftve and
undefended ccmn erte, peculiarly need
iary to a nation w,.hich do-es not nianutao
ore tor iiielf,- which is and tor a lonj;
time to temt j will be ahnoit cxcluiively
agricultural, would have been its ttnmt
dftte and certain, vicl, in. The Inrplus
produce of thrtr labour trraft have j)ci
ri Hied on their hands, and that increale ol
pi'pulation lo efltntial to a young coun-
try,- mull, with their piolpcrny, havi
U-bttauied-a lerioiis chrck- Their exer
(ions too would not have been coniidt
t utile, uiilels the war hsd ban trausUr
rtdu) thtir own bofoms.
fJrrat as are the means, and refburces
of 'die United Siatef, tor If-otfence,
t s only in lelfufittencti tiun'ihok- ti&gti&i
its tan be tomplruly d.'p'aed. Nei
ct vr the gei ius ot ihe naii.m, nor the
:1 'eoiiis laiai ces, Bdmjtsol cahuig its
kins from ii.t pinnohi I ut i dt:- i 1
lie r ow n liberty and their gwn tire
linds How criminal mult l;ave been
that government which could have phut
gid its cortftitoegts in a war, t o which
i hey were neither impelled by duty or
lohcittd by inteteitj in which they coin
ttWrrd it) much to hazard ; in which
tncy nmft lufK r.in order to acl i!cicn:!y,
and tottld t'nly (tlfpiay their energy too
m repelhi'g invdliun ! But niotives liill
tntire poyi 1 1 fol ihn ti e talamitu s ot tiie
moment, have ititluciicid the government
oi the Uiuieu S ates.
It was perhaps unpofTible lo hire en
gaged vohm tartly inaihe exilting ton
liict, without launching into the almoii
boundlefl ocean of European polities,
w iihout contractu g frabiti of national
condud, aiidtorming ilofe political con
nedions which tnuit have comprotnitied
the future peace of the nation, and h.i.
involved it in all the future quarrels of
Furop. A long train of armies, debts
& taxes, checking t tie growth, diminilhui V)
the happinels, and p rhjps endaiiget in
the liberty of the United States, mult
nave folio A-cd die adoption ol Inch a till
em. And for what purpoie ihould h
have been adopted For what purp 1.
mould Am-fica ihus hunhen htrreh
with the conil els ot Europe? Not to
comply with any 'engagements flic has
tormed, not to proinoae her own views,
hrrowu objrtHs, her own happmefs, 01
"er own falety, but to move as a Satel
lite a round ToTuc greiter Planet, uhol
laws the mult of necellity obey. In ad
dition to 1 hefe weighty lonliderations, v
was believed that France, would .derive
more benefit Irom the neutrality of Ame
rica, thin from ker tetotinng a pany in
the war.
The determinat e! ihen o? the pn
vernnuMt of the Uu red Sme to pre
leivcthit neutral Itatmn ii which the
war f oti id theiu, far from m inifellirg -paruauty
for the rn?mi;sof France, wai
ily a oiealure ot jutlice to itfclf and
othrrs, and ri.d u.n even derogate from
mat predehclion fir this repuhl c, which
r hat fo rrpeat.-dlj exp-1 fled and dlplny
ed. Having avjACd this dctri nutation,
ciicrrafed moiivrs ot honor &nd of duty
l oii inoded its faithfof ohfervance. I t
la fettled; tl at a f rauthdej'vr "neun ality U
no iieturality at al! ; ai-d H at lJie naiibii
m hit h .' oniii 1 ioiui llt-iMn itrra n Jtit 4.
mult alio ptifei in, ihe dot ts it enjon
' rhd 1 he goenirnS6t'"oi the Utiii e d in . u s,
declaiinj illelt nt ut?. I, iirttul iditti ai
iui uv i ari iiouiii iav ui o 1. j 1 a 1 1 1 1
hy treaty, to one ot il e hcdipeicni j;ow -trs,
vfiich it -rt feted to asu.tl.cr, it could
nc i.ohgef have tlaimed the mm amities
i- - II. .. . . . e ' r ' 1. -.A- ! p4 j , .
01 a inoau.. or c w nan . ine oiogaiiuns
Acre forgi tien, it vvi old have become u
pany in thew.ir, 'as cenn'tily 'tis it u.tr
Ihid been open'y and foimafis declared,
..nd it would have added 10 the intdnets
nl w anionly engaging in lucn a hazard
ims eonllictj the difhonor ot n tincue tmd
fraudiiient cciidudt : it 'would have ai.
aitiid " circnitouily mi hit cl width it
could f.ot plainly 'avow, Or dirc61y pur
luc, ai d w diild have tt iiked tiie jit'ople of
the United JSiaies into a ; r, which it
tould not em tire optn y to oetbre.
- it was. maiter ol ttnl dehght to tl e
government and people of ' America, to
ne miorined that Fr'Snce tfrd rrnt wdj; to
interrupt the ptace they enjoyed
'1 he undei ligi;td lraveUtn induce d t
ell upon tins' hi it 11 ceil', ry al 0 iknfive
ttep taken by tl cir gi,vmintn', a :ho'
us prbprietj n ay not be tonit t vt ru d,
Irom ii ( onvictirn, that if the right ol thes
United States, ,0 oi ftrve a l.or andhoi
nt It Dcuirality be eifablill'tU, ihe 'tnt
ral charge: 0; an tutfi tnt'l, d'Jjx iition,
made agmit fit in by i r a lice mult be
rein qmiliiti, bvcuft ti.e 1 'tis, hj which
'hole charges are iuppojtto, wtll l)tr
found to have ot own luev.Ubiy out of
lui Iituation. .
r fj is meahire it ar. accompanied by an.
other, which in r?.J filing lo afloi rlhmg a
charge as parlialily lor the ctijt;i(te of
Frajiy, detervr s to be nt tired. Sui.n
alter the government of the U. StaKs
hd rMnhd to ns .;u.cns the u ic
o liih its neorralirv eiiiointd. Mr. Gen -
- j
ei, ihe ti.lt tninjiter Inm thn Rejiul! :c,
arutii at Philadelphia : aliho' lus tt n
duCt had hetll Intli as tjjive c.ilj!e fttf
ferious alarm, alt ho' betore he was evtu
acknowledged as a ini.:;iter, or had
u.i hed the author hj winch could infpt
llil credentiala, he liad ailunied ihe Junc
tions ot trie gCvTinncn,i to which lu- was
dtpuud. ei the uovcrnAjeri'i refofced
to lee in h'un only the i ejueit ntntiv c oi a
Keoublic. to which it wa, (incf vetv at .
, , r, , -
- . i 1 .... 1 . 1-
dial reception wiiich he had experienced
trom its cittzfr.-, witii.out a fingle eXtep
nou, ftom Charleiton to Fauladrlphia.
1 lie then fnuatlon of Ffanec dclervt
10 be retiumhtrtd.
Wliile the retolleftion adds, ci'ieti
uiin.ttrf, lo tie glory wnh U h th ur na
tion iseucrc!ed, it tftjbl.Htcs tin I inter
ny of the Unireo S-aii s.
1 he molt lorn idolle (Onibiiiation the
world had ever Iter, ti rta'encd the rx
eiiinn moil of this lupoid c, Aidtrit'
Utrmai y, Frullia, Liuaui, Spain, l!o.
and and Saidmia, were in pftlll Igainft
f ranee, anil Koil-a wasJeagued nine to.
I t 01. Not wai ttiiRal1. 1 be Rcpub-
ht diliracted by internal div.fiont, n.
taiucd uumcrtUt cnnnies v thin its own
ootom, and a confide table portion ot its
proper force was arrayed . : ;t nfelf.
In inch ftaie ot iluflgs, ti e moll (an.
u ne might feart and toe molt ardent
uG.atc- Coufiiint in their Itrengtb
o.d rrlying on lutccla, the (rulefcrd
powers (ought 10 aim in their cautc the
relidue oi (ne world, and deemed it cri
minal to acknowledge ihe ftwiitign iy
ol lire Mepubl c. The nations ol Eu
rope, even thofe who had not en-end
into the routed, v. ei c citlicr of ihcmh I ee
unwilling jo acknowledge this lofrrtign.
ty, or w-tre deterred by fear from donij;
O. Had the partiahlic i f An . t .beau
agair.fl France, this enamp1e would have
been followed According 10 the rules
of or hoary calculation, the mrfure
ould have been fate, and confro- cm ly
I gnvc rnment lehng ihe attachmn.t UOW
io nnpillly attribuud to that ot tl U.
Stales, would have n du ated thoie at-
tL t... i.. - -- Ca i I ii
in tlMi ur ,k .myi tun mw
puifuing Iusba (yftera, the W. attaei