The gazette., 1799-02-11

lhe mi-ia-r, haYiag The. day before left
Paris, pubhlhed his letter, No. =, rendered
neceHary the publication Of my anfwer, No. a.,
@ad the note No. 20. as preliminary there.
20.
On The Sh Of Augnf, received at Havre,
the Miniter's letter, No. p, TO which Nc. a8,
is an anIwers the former contained the arrete
No. 20; and his deGre 10 fend it by the Sophia,
probably produced the cficial impediments
mEich for leveral days prevented her failing
The miniiter IS unwilling TO admit that the ar
r=te WAS the efe1 Of my approximations |
believe there is no doubt Of the fa9 but it is
4 matter of little conlequence.
No. go and 81, will thew that MIR. Hautval
ia his letter to the MiniRer, relative TO our frR
interview, committed fome errors, and candidly
corrected them.
No 81 aud SO, require no explanation.
No. 81, will thew the Object of the Dutch
Nnil}er in his conference with me, & requires
no comment, | was before informed that this
genileman,if requeHed, would interpofe his good
Offices bur did not think it proper to make the
application.
No. IS, has already been the fubjea Of lome
general remarks.
To No. 9, a verbal anlwer was lent by the
Miniher, that the letters and diipatches therein
mentioned, chad never reached the govern
msnt,"
On the 10th Of July, left Paris and from
the beA information which could obtain re-
lative 70 the difpoiitioh Of the Executive Direc-
tory flor l never had direct communication
with them) they were very defrous of recon-
citation between the two republics. Every
impedimentt to my departure had been adopted
by the French MiniRer and he would have
prevented il, had he fucseeded in his plan of an
epiRolary difcuHion: his obiea was, as I con.
ceived, to gain time FOR alcertaining, whether
the United States were shen difpoled TO treaty
cf this he manifeRed doubts being periuaded
that their refentment was TOO great to admit OF
it. He feemed allo to aPprehend, that in con
feuuence Of the incredible exertions OF Great
Britain, and the unequivocal evidence :he had
given cf her ability 10 defend herielf, they were
inclined to avenge their injuries, by an alliance
with her and that lhould France come for
ward with overrures, or the plan OF treaty
fhe would fail therein, and compromlt her hon
cr. | was nevertheless of opinion, that ihoulo
France be juf and liberal in her meaiures, the
government Of the United would till meet hel
on til. ground of accommodation. My JudG
rnent was the reluit of their inltruetlons tor
had never received any other official intelli
gence fiuce my departure from America
have Therefore uniformly iuculcated that ienti-
nent.
Having been thus in a ftuation, wherein, a
midi ferries Of events, each has been product
i've of frefh embarraGments have purined
what to me appeared the honor, interet and
welfare of my country, and been guided by thc
fen(e of the government, as far as could aicer
tain it.
IF the door is filI open to peace, the efab
lifhment of it NUT be an happy event TO tht
United States, as il will exempt them from ca
lami6es, which notwithstanding delulive aP
2eara1ces, " i'll with fhort intervals probably con
tnue for half a century, to exhauit and dePoP
nlaie Europe.
But If the national pulGe beats high for war
and the wife and conatutional CO. cils of th'
United States ihall conlider it as the only iafe
and honorable alternative, may that OmniPo-
tent Being, who controuls events, Proted them
and may they commence the war with ardour,
continue it with vigour, and terminate it with
glory. That this viii be the ilue there can be
no do2bt, Whit the American Republic ihall
choofe UNION for her MOTTO and proiung
by the misfortunes Of other nations, fhall be
convinced that Gjeord gviH igfHre dependence, eHa
concord independence IN eVar andPeae
lhall probably when at lcifnre, give you
forne other details Of lefs confequence, and in
the nterim remain Sir, with much elteem and
refped, your veyy humble feIvanr,
L. GERRY.
TnicrHY PlcKraiNG, Efq:
Secretary Of STATE OF the United States
~. 4 IN