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1798]

A LAND PURCHASE

193

adjoining one of the tracts I hold on Rough Creek, in the State of Kentucky; and wch, it is said, would add much to the value of mine.

Should this purchase take place, and a good and sufficient conveyance thereof be made, and duly executed to your satisfaction, I hereby authorise you to draw upon me in payment thereof, for any sum, not exceeding Three hundred pounds or One thousand Dollars, at Sixty days sight, and the Bill shall be punctually paid.

I have had no further draughts upon me for the non-resident tax upon the 5000 Acres of Land which I hold on the Rough Ck. of Green River, but shall be ready to pay at all times such Bills as may be presented for this purpose. With very great

esteem etc.

*TO ALEXANDER SPOTSWOOD

Mount Vernon, March 30, 1798. Dear Sir: Your letter of the 23d. instant only got to hand last night, and whether this reply to it may reach you in time, is questionable.

Your suggestion I have adopted; and you will perceive by the enclosed letter to Colo. Marshall, left open for your perusal, sealing, and forwarding, that I have authorised that Gentleman in case Mr. Short should make the purchase from Mr. Hite, to draw upon me at Sixty days sight for any sum not exceeding Three hundred pounds, upon due execution of conveyance of

the same to me.

Mrs. Washington will have an opportunity this day of informing Mr. Lewis of the recovery of his daughters health, as she proposes to call there. This family are all well, and unite with best regards to you and yours, with Dear Sir etc.

*REMARKS ON MONROE'S "VIEW OF THE CONDUCT OF THE EXECUTIVE OF THE

UNITED STATES" 20

[March, 1798.]

In the month of May, 1794, I was invited by the President of the United States, through the Secretary of State, to accept the office of minister plenipotentiary to the French Republic.-Page iii.21

After several attempts had failed to obtain a more eligable character.

It had been too my fortune, in the course of my service, to differ from the administration upon many of our most important public measures.—P. iii.

Is this adduced as conclusive evidence that the Administration was in an error?

I was persuaded from Mr. Morris's known political character and principles, that his appointment, and especially at a period when the French nation was in a course of revolution from an arbitrary to a free government, would tend to discountenance the republican cause there and at home, and otherwise weaken, and greatly to our prejudice, the connexion subsisting between the two countries.-p. iv.

Mr. Morris was known to be a man of first rate abilities; and his integrity and honor had never been impeached. Besides, Mr. Morris was sent whilst the Kingly Governmt. was in existence the end of 91 or begg of 92.

Mr. Jay was nominated to Great Britain; which nomination too I opposed, because, under all the well-known circumstances of the moment, I was of opinion we could not adopt such a measure, consistently either with propriety, or any reasonable prospect of adequate success. I also

20

The View was printed by Benjamin Franklin Bache, and this copy of Monroe's pamphlet contains the marginal manuscript notes of Washington upon the various printed paragraphs opposite them. The original was given by Bushrod Washington to Justice Joseph Story in 1828, and is now in the Harvard College Library. It is undated, but Ford places it between March 8 and March 25 in his edition of the Writings. The pamphlet was issued in December, 1797; but copies do not appear to have reached Virginia before January, 1798. Monroe's printed text is here given in 10-point type; Washington's manuscript comment is in 12-point.

"Of Monroe's pamphlet.

1798]

RELATIONS WITH FRANCE

195

thought, from a variety of considerations, it would be difficult to find, within the limits of the United States, a person who was more likely to improve, to the greatest possible extent, the mischief to which the measure naturally exposed us. This last example took place only a few weeks before my own appointment, which was on the 28th of May, 1794.— p. iv.

Did the then situation of our affairs admit of any other alternative than Negotiation or War? Was there an abler man, to be found to conduct the former or one more esteemed?

When I considered these circumstances, I was surprised that this proposal should be made to me by the administration, and intimated the same to the Secretary of State; who replied that my political principles, which were known to favor the French revolution and to cherish a friendly connexion with France, were a strong motive with the President for offering me the mission, since he wished to satisfy the French government what his own sentiments were upon those points.—p. iv.

And who had better opportunities of knowing what these were, than the confidential officers about his person, for the time being?

Our affairs with France had fallen into great derangement, and required an immediate and decisive effort to retrieve them.-p. iv.

Did not this derangement proceed from the injurious conduct of the French, in their violations of the 23d and 24th Arts. of the Treaty with the US and the application of the latter for redress?

My instructions enjoined it on me to use my utmost endeavours to inspire the French government, with perfect confidence in the solicitude, which the president felt for the success of the French revolution; of his own preference for France to all other nations as the friend and ally of the United States; of the grateful sense which we still retained for the important services that were rendered us by France in the course of our revolution; and to declare in explicit terms, that although neutrality was the lot we preferred, yet in case we embarked in the war it would be on her side and against her enemies, be they who they might.— pp. iv.-v.

And is there to be found in any letter from the Governmt. to him, a single sentiment repugnant thereto? On the contrary, are not the same exhortations repeated over and over again? But could it be inferred from hence, that, in order to please Fr we were to relinquish our rights, and sacrifice our Come? 22

Upon this point 28 my instructions were as follows: "It is not improbable you will be obliged to encounter on this head suspicions of various kinds. But you may declare the motives of that mission to be, to obtain immediate compensation for our plundered property and restitution of the posts."-p. v.

And these were the immediate motives; but for which an extra Envoy would not have been sent. But did it follow, when this expence was about to be incurred, that the Government wd not embrace the opportunity to settle and place other concerns upon the best footing it cd?

Who 24 were now unhappily diverging from each other, and in danger of being thrown wholly apart; and, as I presumed, equally against the interest and inclination of both.-p. vii.

Why? Because one nation was seeking redress for violations and injuries committed by the other.

Upon my arrival in Paris, which was on the 2d of August, 1794, I found that the work of alienation and disunion had been carried further than I had before even suspected.-p. vii.

For the reasons above mentioned. If we had submitted to them without remonstrating, we shd. still have been their dear frds. and Allies.

I presented my credentials to the commissary of foreign affairs, soon after my arrival; but more than a week had elapsed, and I had obtained no answer, when or whether I should be received. A delay beyond a few days surprised me, because I could discern no adequate or rational motive for it.—p. vii.

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1798]

MONROE'S ACTION

197

How does this accord with his communications to the Secretary of State? See letters of the 11th and 25th Augt. ps. 7 and 35.25 Has he not assigned very satisfactory reasons for the delay? Does the answer of the President of the Convention indicate any coolness or discontent on the part of the French Government? What then was it he had to contend against at his outset ?

It was intimated to me that the committee, or several at least of its members, had imbibed an opinion, that Mr. Jay was sent to England with views unfriendly to France, and that my mission to France was adopted for the purpose of covering and supporting his to England; that the one was a measure of substantial import, contemplating on our part a close union with England; and that the other was an act of policy, intended to amuse and deceive.-p. vii.

Strange conception, and want of information this, when it was notorious, that a War with great Britain seemed to be almost unavoidable.

I thought I perceived distinctly, that not only the temper which had been shown by the committee, but the general derangement of our affairs with France, proceeded in a great measure, if not altogether, from the same cause, a suspicion that we were unfriendly to them.—p. ix.

Or more properly perceiving that we were not to be drawn into the vortex if it were possible to avoid it.

My first note to the committee of public safety on this subject, bears date on the 3d of September, 1794; in which I discussed and combated copiously, and as ably as I could, the conduct of France in thus harassing our commerce against the stipulations of certain articles in our treaty with her; and urged earnestly the immediate repeal of the decrees which authorized that proceeding.—p. ix.

But finally told it (contrary to express Instructions) that if it was not convenient to comply with those Artics, the Governmt.

In the section of "Instructions and Correspondence, &c.," of Monroe's View. which section is paged in Arabic numerals. The pages noted, however, are not here printed, as they have no marginal notes by Washington thereon.

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