Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1799-02-19

:. tns Propo'isioa toy negotiating with roe
epSrasciy, your next *ould be 10 aecrec.t
he three Lryoys il. fich an event, The re-
;recy menaonei Would have been proper.
Tbs expectation was freng, hcied by HE
two iubicquent interviews which they had
sRh you, aud YOU may ;udge Of my fu-priCe
,n the receipt OF yuur letter Of the 2Sth
Vsnicie, 1.-THE 18th march, containing
Irtusai 10 ireat with Two OK the Enyoys, and !
reeewiag the propol,ion re srcat with me.
finding thar was the ps,f 81 alluded 70, AID !
,ha, all hopes OF our bring jointly accrcdit- |
ed were at an end, again rsfuled in the |
mott poiitive terms, to negotiate feparst,ly
anoSher proPoIition was then made, that, TO
prevent rupture, ] ihoold reiuaiu here TIL
information could be tent 70 my government
OF The events. Embarralling as fuch Rate
was, iubmitted 10 il, rather than to bring on
Wa. You afterwards fcSt your note of tie
18th Gsrminai C3d April propoGng that
'hould relume our reciproca. communica-
lions upon the intereGs Of the French Re
public and the United States. To this /
replied on the 4th Of April, " That I could
only confer informally aud unaccredited, on
any iubjea respecting our milton, and com.
uunicate to tn. government of the United
States the reiult of fuch conferences being
IN my individual capacity unapthoyized TO
give them an official aamp." The day az
Ter the departure from Paris os the laa OF
my coiea' 8, again addrened you, and
quoting above paragraph, Informed YOU
| that TN oulidered as the line of conduct
well unde 'itood to bsobierved OH my part
to tins YOU made no objection, verbally or
by writing, and thus acquiefced in il. Had
lyou not fhould immediately have demand
ed my paiTpo't.
AT one of our firt interviews, after ,ha,
letter. YOU Rated difficulty in adopting
plan propofcd by my letter of the 10th of
April, from your no, being informed of the
wilhes OF the government of the United
States IN regard to a treaty thefe were 10
Reasonable that I thought ii beG 10 compuni-
cate them 20 you; and according to your
own opiaion, iince sxprehcd. they would re-
| qnire little or nc time for dilcuhion nothiag
can exceed them for moderation or iuhice.
Believing that you was lcriouly 1fpoied to
bring forward the plan of treaty, for the
confederation of the United States, and be-
ing alto convinced, that the Gubiet4 thereof
had been 10 fully difcuncd, and was 70 gen
underttood, as not 10 require much time 10
accomplish it, informed YOU, that (bould
! embark for Amcrics in June; and although
you objected to 1t in the firh inaance, You
afterwards appeared to be fully convinced Of
Ire neceihty OF 1t, promifed to iigeit the plan
propoied without delay, and to fend II TO
me for examination. conferred with YOU
at different times, On the expediency of lend. |
ING Miniaer to Philadelphia to comulete
he negotiation and you proniie,, TO conf
der OF IL. At length the Sophia arrived, |
and few days afterwards, you informed me. |
that might make myielf quite eafy, that |
France did not with war with The limited
States that ihs had no thoughts of il, that
the Americas affairs were before the Execu. |
i've Directory, and that every thing would
be arranged to my wiihes. I again ftated |
the neceility of Tending Miniaer to A &c.
rlca TO complete the negotiation. Youfaid
you would proPoie one TO the Executive Di.
rettorY. This could no. fuppoie was for
the PurPoic sou have fncc itated of rei;diog
'here after the ratification Of the treaty.
thus were matters circumhanced until The
arrival o. the gazettes, containing tie d;f.
patches Of the ENJOYS to their government,
which gave more than rnonentary turn ~
your cofreipoadence viii. me. When I in.
iorned you that l mould embark in the So.
ph'a as loon asfhe could be fitted for Tea.
there was Oil time to finil, the plan of the
treaty, and TO icnd it By me, If exosdient i
on dehFed me to remain here I told YOU
my return was indifpenibls, and gave Won
.. no other reaion. Thought that fnmc;eni.
7 on conceive It depended on me to be oub.
,'eiy received by the Executive Direeforv 4
put our opinions are different on this po;rt
q: goysrnmen; tends three Enyoys 70 treat |,
WIZ anoihes government CHS reiees two
1i them, end propoies TO trea; with the tbi,d.
~audor nat admit, think, that the Ia,ter
:annot accept the propofal, without tranC.
'e.r'iog n this initahce the executive autho.
Ity OF this government, who sonla ONLY
ave nomia.s!ed three Enyoys, to the fs,eior
government, who would have ae5oipfsd one
You Fay, that if my powers were altered
y the departure Of my colleagues. vet On
ny own hypothesis, ought TO have ,efer.
ga the 4ueition 70 my government, and in
ne interim to have fixed with vo3. b.
.1lm and ar,,,.tt. AZ. n - -