practicable, the great Expense which commonly attends this kind of publication. The Newspapers containing the notification shall be transmitted to you agreeable to your directions.

It is extremely difficult to form a satisfactory opinion respecting the probability of peace. I meet with few persons who appear to have much confidence in the success of Lord Malmesbury. The declaration of war by Spain at a moment when England appeared to be making serious efforts to conclude a general peace, strengthens the belief of many that France prefers still to continue the war. All the internal movements of this Government, that are visible, indicate a Determination to prosecute the war with vigour. The funding of the floating debt earlier than usual and at the commencement of the negotiations with France, when its influence upon the Stocks is such as a measure so direct for the restoration of peace is calculated to produce, the augmentation of the militia by the addition of 60,000 men, and the means employed to recruit the regular army, if peace is near, would seem to be improvident and unwise. But if the war continues, 12 millions will have been funded on advantageous terms, the Government will have removed an important obstacle to the further use of their credit, and, by an increase of the internal strength of the nation, placed at their disposal, the regular Forces to be employed abroad.

France will bend all her energies against that Commerce in which England finds such immense Resources to prosecute the war, not by attacking her navy, not by attempting the threatened invasion, but by compelling the neighbouring nations to exclude the commerce of England from the great and profitable markets of Europe. England in turn will endeavour to balance the account, by conquering or emancipating the colonies of Spain and France, thereby opening new and extensive markets in another quarter of the Globe. Should the war unfortunately still grow, the meditated expedition against Canada by the Mississippi may possibly be undertaken. I think it much less probable since the evacuation of our frontier posts by the British forces. Though I cannot seriously believe that such an expedition will be attempted, still it may be the part of prudence to consider it as possible, in order to guard against its mischiefs.

Spain enumerates among the injuries received from Great Britain, the Treaty concluded with us. And France was satisfied neither with that Treaty, nor with the subsequent one, that was concluded at a fortunate moment between us and Spain. Both may have been dissatisfied from motives connected with the Project of an Expedition through the Mississippi.

With perfect respect &c.

RUFUS KING,

CHAPTER IX.

Correspondence with the Secretary of State-Sailing of the British Commissioners Under the Sixth Article of the Treaty with Great Britain-Mr. Adet's Publication Relative to the French Decree on the Commerce of Neutrals Mr. Pickering's Answer-R. Troup on the coming Election of President-Baron Jacobi about General Steuben's Property and Mr. King's Answer-Mr. Bingham sends Stuart's Painting of Washington to Lord Landsdown-R. King's letter to Lord Grenville about Mr. John Maxwell, an impressed American Citizen-Protest against Captain Pigot's Conduct-Letter to Hamilton on Condition of England.

DEAR SIR:

R. KING TO SECRETARY OF STATE.

LONDON, Nov. 12, 1796.

The ordinary conferences at Lord Grenville's office have been interrupted for some days past on account of the death of his sister; in consequence of this interruption I have not been able since the receipt of your letter of the 31st of August to fulfil in the manner I prefer your instructions respecting Mr. Liston's conciliatory and friendly interference to assist Col. Talbot's agency for the relief of our seamen in the West Indies. I have no reason to believe that this interference will be disapproved on the contrary I am persuaded that it is a pleasing circumstance to this Government that Mr. Liston's conduct has been satisfactory to us. Mr. Liston had transmitted an account of the base and humiliating treatment of Captain Jessup by Capt. Pigot before I received your letter of the 10th of September and the Lords of the Admiralty have ordered, as I am informed, a rigorous enquiry to be made into the conduct of that officer. This case is so extraordinary that I hope proper means will be em

ployed to authenticate it in the most solemn manner. If this is done and the evidence transmitted to me I think this Government cannot avoid punishing Capt. Pigot in a manner that will deter others from imitating his infamous conduct.

Mr. McDonald and Mr. Rich will sail in a day or two for Philadelphia. These gentlemen are the Commissioners on the part of this country in the Debt Questions. The former is a Barrister of some eminence, the latter is a merchant who has resided for more than twenty years in Holland and was the British Consul there at the commencement of the war between this and that country. They are both esteemed to be liberal & upright men, wholly unconnected with the business of the Commission and well disposed to cultivate a good understanding and friendly intercourse between the two countries. I have no doubt that they will be received in a manner that will be proper and of course satisfactory. With perfect respect, &c.,

RUFUS KING.

DEAR SIR:

T. PICKERING TO R. KING.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Nov. 14, 1796.

A very unpleasant transaction has lately taken place between the French Minister Mr. Adet and our Government. On the 28th ulto. I received his Letter of the 27th, which he published in the Aurora of the 31st, together with the Decree of the Executive Directory relative to the commerce of the Neutral Nations. His representations were of a nature to render it extremely desirable that the conduct of the American Government should be as publicly vindicated. The public sentiment appeared to demand it. Yet it was with great reluctance that my answer to Mr. Adet was sent to the press. The printed copies of these letters you will find inclosed. In his note of the 3d, of which also a copy is inclosed, he promises information in answer to the questions I had proposed relative to our Commerce; but his reply has not yet been received. It is remarkable that in this short note, he says that the Decree of the Directory, which he notified

to me, bears no likeness to the supposed order which was the subject of Mr. Monroe's Letter of the 28th of August to you; when the result of both is precisely the same, to wit, that the French cruizers would act towards the vessels of other Nations in the same manner as these suffer the English to act towards them. The declaratory words in the note to Mr. Barthelemi, to which you and Mr. Monroe referred, as printed in the Paris newspapers (for the matter was not officially communicated to Mr. Monroe) were these "Le directoire executif charge, en consequence, tous les agens politiques de la republique française d'annoncer aux gouvernemens près desquels ils sont envoyés, que les escadres et les corsaires de la republique agiront contre les navires de chaque pays de la même maniere que ces gouvernemens souffriront qu'en agissent envers eux les anglais." The words of the decree, sent to me by Mr. Adet, are as follows:

"Il sera notifié sans delai à toutes les puissances neutres ou alliés que le pavillon de la republique française en usera envers les batimens neutres soit pour la confiscation, soit pour la visite, ou prehension de la même maniére qu'elles souffront que les Anglais en usent a leur égard."

As Mr. Adet's letter was published on Monday, and the election of Electors of President and Vice President was to take place the Friday following in Pennsylvania, and the choice of President was so near at hand, conjectures appeared in the newspapers of one motive for its publication.

T. PICKERING TO R. KING.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Nov. 26, 1796.

Mr. Pickering writing about the difficulty of communicating directly with Mr. Pinckney at Paris, says "It will be in your power to communicate earlier advices of what is passing in France than we can expect from Mr. Pinckney. I must entreat you to advert to this circumstance, and that to a recital of facts you would add such reflections as a nearer view of them shall suggest."