The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-06-13

Mr.. ADAMS's
CORRESPONDENTS CONTINUED.

At first intended to cucumber YOUR paper
with no documents but such as were absolutely
necessary for my own vindication. But as the
peace with France, in eighteen hundred, was not
only am event ct great Importance in ITSELF but
produced demonstrations of she prejuGices, pas
sions, views, designs and systems of parties.
more perhaps than any other; i hope you will
allow me room for such other papers as may
serve to throw light upon this subject. AT pre-.
sent, it may not be very interesting, but the cause
OF truth and justice may hereafter be promoted
by having the facts and evidences laid together
in a series. The future policy of the nation will,
not be injured by it.
y Resides the communications already published
from the sovereign of the French nation, through
their Minister of Foreign relations, their dipio-
matte organ at the Hague, & our Minister there,
another. was communicated thro' the same chan
nels in these words
COPY Of "a letter dated Paris, 11th Fysctigor rear
august %, 1898, from, Mr.. Taiteyrand, as
Minister IF Eae,eyior Relations, to Mr.. Pichon
Secretary OF Legation, Hague.
TRANSLATION
see with pleasure, citizen, t,at the inter.
course of society has procured you some political
conversations with Mr.. Murray. entertain am
esteem for that Minister.-Eike oil the men at
the head of the affairs of the United States, he
has received the impressions which the British
Cabinet has known how to give aga INST us. He
thinks the measures Of his government Just and
supports them: but he possesses reason, UNI
Outstanding, and true attachment to mis- cuun-
try he is neither French nor Engi,h he is in
genuously an American. 1 am not at all surrri.
sed that he has appeared to you to wish sine ere
ly for the reconciliation of the two Republics -
will, therefore, cheerfully answer the ques,i-
ons you pat to me, on different points, which ap-
peared to you, not to be well estabshe in his
mind. a don see, between France ami the u.
niteI SfafaS w rlacbpr Of infer
of jealousy. The Americans wish to be fisher
men, sailors, manufacturers, and especially nus.
bandnen. In all these points ofvicw, their sue
cess is more at the expence of England than u.s.
Why should we be uneasy about them? They
aspire to the consolidation of their national exis.
tence, and it is to our purpose that they should
succeed. In fact, we should have decided upon
very superficial views, to sustain their iulepen-
dence, IT the matter was to separate them from
England, merely to leave them finally insulated a.
mong themselves, on an extensive sea-coast,
weak rivaling, and impoverished by each other,
and torn by foreign intrigues. We know that
Creat-Brtain would soon have put together.
piece by piece, those scattered shreds, and we
should have done nothing useful for ourselves,
II so miserable chance oft, were not daily rem
dered more remote.
What, therefore, is the cause ofthe misunter-
standing, which, if France did not manifest her
self more wise, would henceforth induce n yio
Their incompatible interests, nor projects of ac-
grandizement divide them. After ali, distrust a.
lone has done the whole. The government of
the United States has thought, that France wan
ted to reyolutionize it. France has thought that
the government of the United States wants to
throw itself into the arms of England. 1t does
not require much skill to divine, which is the ca
bnet Interested in the two events producing eac;,
other, and which invisibly puts in motion all the
expedients calculated to make them take effect
Let as open our eyes on both sides am dis
posed TO admit that the conduct of the govern
ment of the United States may be explained by
other causes than those heretofore presumed
But let it, on its part, understand that the French
government, wounded as it may be, is too wise
to entertain the vie US of disturbance, which the
other supPoses 1t concerns a republic, found
ed on the system of Representation, to support
and not to weaken similar establishments The
stability OF this system abroad, is a necessary ex
ample at home France in fine, has double mo-
tive as nation and as Republic, not to expose
to any hazard, the present existence of the Uni
ted States. Therefore it never thought of ma
KING war against them, nor exciting civil commo-
tons among them and every contrary SUPPOSE
ton is an insult to common sense
These fundamental principles being establish
ed, 1t is natural to ask by what fatality, a good
was not long since restored. 1t
was because irritation being mingled with dis
trust, neither party yielded real conciiiatory in
clinations In the United States it was supposed
that the French government was temporizing, in
order to strike the blow with greater Certainty
whence resulted crowd OF measures, more and
more aggravating. In France, it was supposed
that the government of the United States, wish.
ed only the appearances of negotiation, whence
resulted certain demand for pledges good faith
Let us substitute calmness for passion, conf
dcnce Tor suspicious, and we shall soon agree. /
used my endeavors to enter upon negotiation
IN this spirit, with Mr.. Gerry. My corespon-
dens< with him, until the day of his departure,
is Curious monument of advances on my part.
and ofevasions on his. 1t is wrong to think thai
1 confined myself to vague protestations. A
mong that series of official Letters, which will
doubtless be published at Philadelphia, select
one OF the 3Oth Prairial, wherein you will see
that make very positive propositions, without
any mixture OF preliminary conditions. This let I
ter was followed by three notes upon the Arti-
cles to be discussed, and int. .ded to complete
The others in this manner, If Mr. Gerry had not |
refused TO answer thereto |
Wien 1T became necessary to abandon the i |
dea OF treating with that envoy, who thought il |
important only to know how negotiation might |
thereafter be resumed, gave him the most So
Tenn assurances concerning the reception that |
new pienipotentlary would receive 1t was far |
from my thoughts to- lnsnuate tbstshe President |
should send one from the United States, instead |
Oh investing with his powers some one who was
IN Europe; tar less that the envoy should land
directly in France, instead of announcing it in
z peighboring country. wished merely to say.
That the Executive Directory was SO decided for
a reconciliation, that all tampering would be SUI
perhuou5, end an act of confidence in IL, would
excite It's own. should be very badly under
stood, VI there should be found in my ynressions