St, ADE UPAA.B-E. BS. 
then the denial of a right; but the 
refufal to receive him until we have 
acceded to their demands without 
difcuffion, and without inveftiga- 
tion, is to treat us neither as allies, 
nor as. friends, nor as a fovereign 
ftate. 
With this conduct of the French 
government, it will be proper to 
take into view the public audience 
given to the late minifter of the 
United States, on his taking leave 
of the Executive Directory. The 
fpeech of the Prefident difclofes 
fentiments more alarming than the 
refufal of a minifter, becaufe more 
dangerous to our independence and 
union; and at the fame time ftudi- 
oufly marked with indignities to- 
wards the government of the Unit- 
ed States. It evinces a difpofition 
to-feparate the people of the Unit- 
ed States from the government; to 
" perfuade them that they have diffe- 
rent aftections, principles, and inte- 
refts, from thofe of their fellow-ci- 
tizens,; whom they themfelves have 
chofen to manage their common 
concerns, and thus to preduce divi- 
fions fatal to our peace. Such at- 
_ tempts ought to be repelled, with a 
decifion which fhall convince France 
and the world that we are not a 
degraded people, humiliated under 
a colonial fpirit of fear, and fenfe 
of inferiority, fitted to be the mife- 
rable inftruments of foreign in- 
fluence, and regardlefs of national 
honour, character, and interett. 
I fhould have been happy to have 
thrown aveil overthefe franfactions, 
if it had been poffible to conceal 
them; but they have paffed on the 
great theatre of the world in the 
face of all Europe -and America, 
and with fuch circumftances of pub- 
licity and folemnity, that they can- 
not be difguifed, and will not foon 
279 
be forgotten: they have inflicted a 
wound in the American breaft. It 
is my fincere defire, however, that 
it may be healed : it is my fincere 
defire, and in this I prefume I con- 
cur with you, and with our confti- 
tuents, to preferve peace and friend- 
fhip with all nations: and believ- 
ing that neither the honournor the 
intereft of the United States abfo- 
lutely forbid the repetition of ad- 
vances for fecuring thefe defirable 
objeéts with France, I fhall inftitute 
a frefh attempt at negotiation; and 
fhall not fail to promote and accele- 
rate an accommodation, on terms 
compatible with the rights, duties, 
interefts, and honour of the nation. 
If we have committed errors, and 
thefe can be demonftrated, we fhall 
be willing to correét them; if we 
have done injuries, we fhall be will- 
ing on conviction to redrefs them; 
and equal meafures of juftice we 
have a right to expect from France, 
and every other nation. The di- 
plomatic. intercourfe between the 
United States and France being at 
prefent fufpended, the government 
has no means of obtaining official 
information from that country ; 
neverthelefs there is reafon to be- 
lieve that the Executive Directory 
pafled a decree on the 2d of March 
laft, contravening in part the trea- 
ty of amity and commerce of 1778, 
injurious to our lawful commerce, 
and endangering the lives of our 
citizens. A copy of this decree 
will be laid before you. : 
While we are endeavouring to 
adjuft all our differences with France 
by amicable negotiation, the pro- 
erefs of the war in Europe, the de- 
predations on our commerce, the 
perfonal injuries to our citizens,. 
and the general complexion of af- 
fairs, render it my. indifpenfable 
S 4 . duty 
