174] 
this opportunity of declaring their 
sentiments on the situation of affairs 
between France and America. They 
assured him, that whatever differ- 
ences had arisen between the ruling 
powers of both countries, the French 
still retained their esteem for the 
people of the United Provinces, of 
whose warmth and good will to the 
republic of France they were tho- 
roughly convinced, as well as of 
their disinclination to coincide with 
the measures adopted by their go- 
vernment. They were not less 
careful in testifying their highest. re- 
gard for his personal merit, and 
their warmest gratitude for the at- 
tachment he had unvariably display- 
ed to the cause of liberty and the 
prosperityof France. 
Such, however, was their resent- 
ment of the connection between the 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1796. 
English and the American govern- 
ments, that they determined to gra- 
tify it, by treating the American 
minister with rudeness, if not with 
indignity. Not satisfied with hay- 
ing denied him the assumption of 
that charaéter, they would notsuffer 
him to remain at Paris as a private 
one. Herein they were, by many 
of their own people, severely cen- 
sured, as having, without necessity, 
affronted an individual, come to 
them on a respeétable mission, and 
widened thereby the breach between 
them and the state which he repre- 
sented. Prudence, it was . said, 
ought to have enjoined a contrary 
behaviour. Theyshould have sought 
to have kept the door of reconcilia- 
tion open, instead of striving to shut 
it in this arrogant and contemptuous 
manner. 
CHAP. 
