28 ANNUAL REGISTER, 
fervices, had placed him in the rank 
of the moft efteemed and refpeéted 
in the nétion. The direc objeé 
of his miffion was exprefled in his 
letter of credence to the French 
Republic, being “ to maintain that 
‘good underftanding which, from 
the commencement of the alliance, 
had fubfifted between the two na- 
tions; and to efface unfavourable 
impreflions, banifh fufpicions, and 
-reftore that cordiality which was at 
once the ey idence and pledge of a 
friendly union.” And his inftruc- 
tions were to the fame effea, 
“ faithfully to reprefent the difpo- 
fition of. the government and peo- 
ple of the United 8 tates, their dif- 
po ofition being one, to remove jea- 
ufies and obviate complaints, by 
fhowing that they were groundlefs ; 
to reftore that mutual confidence 
which had been fo unfortunately 
and injurioufly impaired; and to 
explain the relative interefts of bath 
countries, and the real fentiments 
of his own.” 
Aminitter thus {pecially commif- 
fioned, it was expected would have 
proved.the inftrument of reftoring 
mutual confidence between the two 
republics: the firit ftep of the French 
government correfponded with that 
expectation ; a few days before his 
arrival at Paris, the French minifter 
ef foreign relations informed the 
American minifter, then refident at 
Paris, of the formalities to be ob- 
ferved by himfelf in taking leave, 
and by his fucceffor, preparatory to 
his reception. Thefe formalities 
they obferved; and on the ninth of 
December prefented officially to 
the minifter of foreign relations, 
the one a copy of his letter of re- 
call; the cther a-copy of his letters 
-of credence. Thefe were laid be- 
fore the Executive Diredét tory. Two 
dyn “i 
1797. 
days afterwards, the minifter of fo; 
reign relations‘informec -ihe recal- 
led American miniffer, that ‘the 
Executive DireGory had determin- 
ed not to receive another Minifter 
Plenipotentiary from the United 
States, until after the redrefs of 
grievances demanded of the Ame- 
rican government, and which ‘the 
French Republic had a right toex- 
pect from it. The American mi- 
nifter bmme diately endeavoured na 
afcertain whether, by refufing 
receive him, it was intended th nat o 
fhould retire from the territories of 
the French Republic; and verbal 
anfwers were given, that fuch was 
the intention. of the Directory. For 
his own juftification he defired' a 
written anfwer; but obtained none 
until towards the laft of January ; 
when, receiving notice in writing 
to quit the territories of the Repub- 
lic, he proceeded to Amfterdam, 
where he propofed' to wait for in- 
{tructions from ‘this government. 
During his refidence at Paris cards 
of hofpitality were refufed him; and . 
he was threatened with being fub- 
jected to the jurifdiction of the 
minifter of polite : but with be--- 
coming firmnefs he’ infifted on the 
proteétion of the law of nations, 
due to him as the known minifter 
ofa foreign power. You will de- 
rive further information from his 
difpatches, which will be laid be- 
fore you. / 
As it is often neceffary that na- 
tions fhould treat for the mutual’ 
advantage of their affairs, and efpe- 
cially toaccommodate and terminate 
differences, and as they can treat 
only by minifters, the right of em- 
bafly is well known, and eftablifhed 
by the law and ufage of nations. 
The refufal on the part of France 
to receive. and hear our minifter, 1 is 
then 
tt ety 
