Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-11-17
From the National Iuteligencer.
MEMOIR BY Mr.. MONROE,

MEMOIR BY NIX. MONROE,
ON THE SUBJECT OF HIS CLAIMS ON THE GOVERN
MENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
Believing that had been injured by the set
Element Of my accounts, for services IN former
stations, Ideemed it proper to bring my claims
before CONGRESS. on the s,h of January, 1925, at
the expiration Of which session, my term, IN
the high trust with which was then honored,
expired. | did not ask decision on those
claims. al that time, but sought only 10 bring
them under consideration, that they might be
decided on after my retirement.
AS objections were raised agaiustthose claims
during The las: session, to which the observa-
tions which bad presented to the committee
TO whom they were referred, at the preceding
session, did not extend, it become necessary
for me 10 give further explanations, applicable
to each objection, so far as was acquainted
with il; and having no direct correspondence
/. with he committee, requested Mr. Gouver-
neur to attend in Washington, to receive those
explanations, and to communicate them to
those who might be willing to peruse them,
which he accordingly did
Ii may readily be conceived, that 1t was lm--
= Dossiblc for me 20 advert 10 claims, founded on
presumed injuries, insthe settlement OF my ac-s
counts, without taking into view the causes
which producedqfhem. The great lapse OF time
which has interviewed, may have erased those
occurrences from the minds Of others, but,
with the Individual, all the incidents which al
fected profoundly his character, his welfare,
and his peace, remain connected through life,
and il is natural for him to review them with
deep interest, in his retirement, especially IL
recalled to his memory by others OF like kind
proceeding from them. My recall from my
first mission TO France of 1894, was the ground
on which the claims arising under that mission
were principally founded. Possessing docu-
men,s Illustrative Of my conduct, in the very
circumstance for which was recalled, that
were never used before, it seemed incumbent
on me to make them known on that very inter-
esting occasion. With that view, transmit
ted them TO Mr.. Gouyerneur, with the expla-
nations specified, to be used in like manner.
took that measure with no unfriendly feeling TO
any one; indeed such feeling, so far as II ever
existed, has long since ceased. My objectw was
to place my conduct, by such additional evil
dence as possessed, In an occurrence oil hlgh
importance to my country, as well as 10 myself,
in the light in which knew that 1t ought to be
viewed / was very anxious also, TO make
known the kind and favorable sentiments which
were expressed Of me, by the illustrious indi-
vidual by whom was recalled, on receiving
information Of my conduct, from very respect
able friend, in whom he conhded, who was
with me, and well acquainted with it, at the
period when my recall was decided The
favorable opinion of that individual was always
an object OF the highet interest 10 me. had
served under him as suhaltern, in our Reyolu-
tionary Army, and had witnessed his very ex-
empary conduc. at the most difficult and pc
rilous epochs of that great struggle. bad re-
sceiveG his appreciation of my conduct in that
struggle, and been promoted by him. Twas
member of the Revolutionary Congress in l7S5,
L.
as Commander in Chief of our Armies, and
retired to private life. i knew him at his resi-
dence in retirement, as afterwards did while
member Of the Senate, when at the head oil
the, Government TO which he was called by the
unanimous suffrage of his fellow citizens, and
have always cherished the highest respect for
his memory, and admired his great virtues and
talents.
There was another instance in which my cha
racter had been assailed in that mission, the Cir
cumstances attending which, l thought proper
to avail myself ofthat occasion 10 explain. Al
Ter my reception in August. 1894, by the Ma
,ional Convention Of France, the Committee Of
Public Safety offered me a house formy ac-
commodation, as the Minister of the Upiled
States, in any part of Paris which should pre-
fer. and sent me carriage and horses, without
waiting for my answer | declined the house
Immediately, on the principle, that the accep-
lance of twas forbidden by an article of our
Constitution, and, after retaining the carriage u
few weeks, until had obtained one of my own,
returned il with the horses, with request
thar might be permitted to pay for their use,
in the same manner as if had procured them OF
an individual, which was granted, and perform
ed. At the instance and earnest pressure OF
many of nv fellow citizens who were then in
Paris. who thought that the refusal of those ac-
.commodations might revive suspicious which
had before existed, and that the purchase of a
house on my own account would have a good
effect, and be useful to them and 10 our coun.
Try, in the then state OF our affairs, Dough, one
of an individual, declaring to those IN power in
France that did it to accommodate me as the
Minister of their ally, and with intention TO Of
= fer it to my Government, on my retirement, on
the terms on which j had purchased it. Hav-
sing documents to prove this fact, with the hea-
w loss which sustained in consequence there