1793.

414

CITIZEN GENET'S DESPATCHES.

VIII.

Abstract of Genet's Correspondence with the French
Directory.

WE

E here give a summary of the extracts from the correspondence of Citizen Genet, the plenipotentiary from the French Directory, to the United States in 1793. In their instructions to M. Genet, the Directory, after censuring the Machiavelian policy adopted by former French governments with regard to the United States, and their contempt for the interest of the Americans, instructs M. Genet to declare that it is animated with very different views, that it is disposed to accept, as the commercial basis of the relations between the two countries, the proposals made by General Washington and Mr. Jefferson to Citizen Ternant, and not only to found a treaty upon them, but to make them the grounds of a vast compact between the two countries. That, in virtue of this compact, the French people would proceed with their accustomed energy to emancipate Spanish America, to throw open the navigation of the Mississippi to the inhabitants of Kentucky, to deliver their former brethren in Louisiana from the Spanish yoke, and perhaps restore the bright star of Canada to the American constellation. But, anticipating that the American government might be disposed to pursue an undecided policy on this matter, it instructs Citizen Genet, meanwhile, to take whatever measures he can, consistent with his position, to instil into Louisiana and other American provinces bordering on the United States, a desire for liberty and independence. As the inhabitants of Kentucky would naturally be favourable to such a policy, Citizen

HIS INSTRUCTIONS.

6

415

Genet is further instructed to send emissaries both into Kentucky and Louisiana, and to spend whatever sum he may think requisite for the object in view. It is with the Minister of Foreign Affairs,' proceeds the Directory, that Citizen Genet will correspond on these different subjects, and it is from him he will receive all the orders of the nation. His relation with the other ministers will be confined to administrative details connected with their respective departments,* and he will take care to make a brief report of these to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in order that the latter may always have under his eyes the whole of the operations which the French agents are conducting in reference to foreigners.

1793.

On January 17, 1793, the Directory, on the report of the Jan. 17. Minister of Foreign Affairs, issues fresh sets of instructions to Citizen Genet. The first has reference to the basis of the new treaty of commerce and alliance, which Citizen Genet is empowered to negotiate, one of the provisions of which will be the throwing open the ports in the French West India Islands to American commerce, provided the United States will guarantee their possession to the French people.† A second clause provides that a certain amount of blank letters of marque should be sent to Citizen Genet, who is authorised to deliver them to French and American shipowners in the case of a maritime war; and a third for the transmission also of a certain number of blank military commissions up to the rank of captain inclusively, to be given to Indian chiefs, to induce them, should the opportunity arise, to take arms against the enemies of the republic. The second of these instructions empowers Genet to make any assignment he may

* [This virtual warning to their agent, not to take any of the other members of the Cabinet into his confidence, is noteworthy. They evidently speculated on Jefferson's Gallomania so much as to believe he would abet their scandalous purposes; and, we have seen, to a certain extent they were right.]

† [Again the miserable demand for protection. The 'generous Republic' was as fond of the weighty quid pro quo as the 'Machiavelian monarchy.']

1793.

Feb. 24.

March 10.

416

CITIZEN GENET'S DESPATCHES.

think proper of the amount due from the United States to the Republic, in case the former should not have funds in hand for that purpose, and to notify to the French government in dollars or livres the amount of the bills he should draw upon it in carrying out his instructions.

On February 24, 1793, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the French Republic informs Citizen Genet of a new decree of the National Convention, which offers the Americans 'all the advantages they can desire to obtain,' and instructs him to make the most of this concession, by means of anonymous articles, especially in the Boston and Baltimore newspapers, as the best way of avoiding the suspicion of being their author, and of bringing out the full value of it; but the more he acts in this way on public opinion, the more secret must be his negotiations with the President and Senate, in order not to excite the suspicion of the enemies of France, and to prevent their caballing against her. He was further enjoined to rely with confidence on the good feeling of the President and Messrs. Jefferson, Butler, and Madison, who are represented as all being equally well disposed. He is directed to have a good correspondent in Boston, through whom to influence the people of New England. As to the Southern States, France, it said, is pretty sure of their support. The war with Spain, he says, appearing inevitable, no time must be lost in preparing for the emancipation of Louisiana, for which Citizen Genet had already received all the powers he required.

Again on March 10, 1793, the Minister of Foreign Affairs writes to Genet, with considerable anxiety, respecting a formal audience given by the Spanish King, on February 18, to the United States' Commissioners, which he considers as the indication of a desire to come to a better standing with the American people. He therefore urges Citizen Genet to neutralise it, by pressing on the American government several considerations why they should not treat with Spain, and especially this-that by suitable measures, taken in conjunction with the French Republic, they might easily become masters of the navigation of the Mississippi; that a very simple way of effecting this would be to assist the people of

POMPOUS ACCOUNT OF HIS RECEPTION.

417

Louisiana to free themselves of Spain. Masters of New Orleans, they would be in no danger either from the English fleet or from their Governor, and could thus make a valuable diversion in favour of the arms of France, by giving the King of Spain reason to tremble for Mexico, wherein revolutionary principles, creeping in by degrees, must finally secure the independence of all Spanish America. He was further desired to inform the American Government, that the negotiations it had just opened with Spain, at such a moment, would be regarded as offensive by the French Republic, especially after the favours granted to American commerce.

1793.

On April 16, 1793, Citizen Genet writes his first despatch April 16. from Charleston, into which he had been driven by stress of weather. The frigate had been fifteen days doubling Cape Finisterre, whence it had been obliged to run down to catch the trade winds to the south of the Azores, and, after fortyeight days' voyage, had reached the coast of Carolina. An immense crowd had assembled to see him embark. He describes his reception as very flattering, and Governor Moultrie as entering at once into his views, allowing him to arm privateers so as not to compromise the neutrality of the United States, ordering the fortifications of the harbour to be put in a state of repair, and zealously seconding him in carrying out his instructions for provisioning the navy, armies, and colonies of the Republic. He announces his intention of proceeding to Philadelphia by land, in spite of the difficulties of doing so, and hopes to reach Philadelphia in fifteen days.

On May 18, in another despatch, he says, that during his May 18. journey he had produced a powerful and favourable effect wherever he passed; that he received numerous addresses of felicitation; and that, with all the advantages of this reception, he had, the day before, presented the letter of the National Convention and his credentials to the President of the United States, who had left Mount Vernon, his country seat, just before his arrival in Virginia, and whom, therefore, he could not visit on his way. He speaks of his triumphal entry into the city of Pennsylvania, and of the delight inspired by his arrival in the hearts of all true Americans. a postscript, he mentions that he will the next day have his

EE

In

418

CITIZEN GENET'S DESPATCHES.

1793. first confidential interview with Mr. Jefferson, Minister of Foreign Affairs, from whose principles, experience, talents, and devotedness to the common cause, the most gratifying results in favour of the great interests of humanity were to be expected.

May 31.

June 19.

July 30.

On the 31st he again alludes, in a despatch, to the extraordinary warmth which he has received, the addresses he gets from all parts of the States, and endless fêtes given in his honour. He adds, that the sans-culotte privateers he had equipped at Charlestown had taken eight large English vessels. On June 19 he acknowledges that, in spite of his marvellous popularity, all is not quite so smooth as he could desire, and rejoices that he did not at once come to Philadelphia, where, so he informs us, aristocracy had struck deep roots, and where it was probable he would not have been at once acknowledged, had he not been backed by the support he got in the south. Nevertheless, all was succeeding beyond his hopes; but the old man, Washington,' he says, 'so different from him whose name history has inscribed, does not pardon my success nor the ardour with which the whole city rushed out to visit me at the very moment when a handfull of English merchants were in the act of thanking him for his proclamation. He obstructs my progress in a thousand ways, and compels me to agitate in secret for the meeting of Congress, the majority of which, led by the best heads in the American Union, would be decidedly in our favour. Meanwhile I am provisioning the Antilles, exciting the Canadians to throw off the yoke of England, arming the Kentuckians, and preparing an expedition by sea which will support their attack upon New Orleans. Noailles and Talon are here; before my arrival they had presented letters from the pretended Regent to the President of the United States, which the old man had the weakness to open; but since the people have recognised me, they dare not show themselves more: were it worth while, I could have them expelled.'

On July 30, 1793, the minister writes, in reply, a very severe despatch to Genet, refusing to believe, after a comparison of the American newspapers with his accounts, that his reception had been of so very marvellous a character,