before your Lordship, and to request your influence in order that the Court of King's Bench, before whom this suit is depending, may be seasonably informed of the Construction given to this Article of the American Treaty by his Majesty's Government. . . . Your obedient & very humble servant &c. RUFUS KING. R. KING TO MESSRS. PINCKNEY, MARSHALL, and GERRY. GENTLEMEN : LONDON, Nov. 24, 1797. No one detests more than I do the Conduct of France towards our* Country still I earnestly desire that we may remain in Peace. War would retard our progress; which with all the disadvantages to wh. we are exposed, brings daily additions of wealth and strength; and to the œconomical and moral motives which should influence Nations to cultivate Peace, we may add the Danger to be apprehended from the Division of our People. I make these observations in order that you may justly estimate such information as with a view to the Negotiation in your Hands, I may send you; for with all our impartiality, our Prejudices will sometimes colour not only what passes thro' our minds, but even the objects that fall beneath our senses. Portugal gave money as a Preliminary to the negotiation of the late Treaty with France, by a secret article of which she also stipulated a Loan, part of which was actually paid at the Signature of the Treaty. This money enabled the Directory to march the army who effected the Revolution of the 18th. Fructidor. Spain is alarmed and Portugal trembles. England cannot furnish troops, without which Portugal must fall. The Court of Vienna have at this moment little confidence in the solidity of their Peace. This is no Task, and the war may again burst out. The Directory are not at Ease on this Point. England sees all this, and, notwithstanding the disaffected State of Ireland, is resolved with Firmness to continue the war. I cannot give you my sources of information but I am not deceived. R. KING TO SECRETARY OF STATE. No. 55. DEAR SIR: LONDON, Dec. 6, 1797. I think that I am not mistaken in my Belief, that this insecurity of Peace, and probability that the Congress of Rastadt will rekindle the war, has been formally communicated to this Court by that of Vienna, in order that measures of Concert, grounded on this expectation, should be pursued by the two nations.* The Directory have given orders to divide the German Terri tory on the left of the Rhine into Departments on the model of those of France, while by an Imperial Aulic Decree, the Emperor calls upon the Deputies of the Empire to the Congress to exert themselves with German firmness, jointly with him, to obtain a solid Peace, " on the basis of the Integrity of the Empire." At this critical moment has happened the death of the King of Prussia; an event capable of producing the most important consequences. Some circumstances, tho' far from being conclusive, have already appeared, which induce those who wish it, to believe that the young King will pursue a course altogether the reverse of that of his Father. The new monarch is said to be attached to the Army, brave and emulous of the character of the Great Frederick; he is moreover both frugal and moral, and in these Points the opposite of his Father. Events of the first magnitude follow each other with such rapidity that we shall even in a few days be able to appreciate the character of the new Sovereign. The Directory will be active on this occasion, unless, as is rumoured, they are embarrassed by a new Party at Paris that is forming itself against them. We are not yet able to discern the shape of this Faction, nor to distinguish the peculiar means with which it will act. But it is as certain that things must change, and that soon, as they have recently become what they are. On the 26th ulto. our Envoys had not been received by the Directory, nor had they advanced a step since their dispatch by Col. Trumbull: except that on the 11th. they had by a Note to the Minister of Foreign Affairs requested that the Government would, without further delay, take the Subject of their Mission into consideration, and ten days after, not having received any answer, they sent Major Rutledge to inquire whether their request *Italics in cipher. had been communicated to the Directory, who was informed that it had, and that the result would shortly be made known to the Envoys. In the mean time the animosity of the French Government against our Country increases and the condemnation of our Ships and Cargoes is pursued with eagerness and rapacity. A Proclamation by the Directory of the 22d of November, which holds up the Government of England as a Conspiracy against French Liberty and charges it as influencing and corrupting every other nation, has this expression, "Parlez Americains, dites quels sont directement ou indirectement vos vrais dominateurs." Nothing material since my last has occurred in this country. The proposal of raising seven millions additional Revenue by tripling the direct assessments will be carried into execution. In the present State of England, we may find both admonition and Instruction. If we should be forced into the war in defence of our Property and Government, I hope that we may Profit by seasonable reflections upon the dangers to the State from too great an accumulation of public Debt. This country is now said to have arrived near to the Limits of the funding system, and with all its burden, bearing upon them, they are compelled to go back to the old Scheme of raising within the year their annual Expences. We shall not be able to borrow in Europe, and instead of borrowing at Home except for mere anticipations, why should we not, in a war of strict necessity, raise within the year the money to defray our Expenses? I still entertain a faint hope that we shall escape the war; the present State of things must soon change, and any change will mend our situation and Prospects. With perfect Respect & Esteem, &c. RUFUS KING. R. KING TO GENERAL PINCKNEY, GENERAL MARSHALL, AND MR. GERRY.* GENTLEMEN : Confidential. LONDON, Dec. 9, 1797. Lord Grenville last night sent Mr. Hammond to me with the following information that had just been received by this Gov ernment. * In cipher. "Coast of France November 26, 1797. The Minister of Marine Pleville Lepeley has recommended to the Marine officers at Granville, St. Maloes, to throw every secret impediment, without open force, to delay the Departure of American vessels, and the exportation of American property which they daily expected orders to sequester." Mr. Hammond said that he was ordered to declare that the information was authentic, and such as they should act upon in a case that concerned them. You will judge whether you can give notice to our People to withdraw their property. CHAPTER XIX. Mr. Hindman on Maryland Politics-Mr. King and Maryland Bank StockJudge Cambauld in St. Domingo-Genl. Washington relative to Lafayette's Son-Count Rumford-Chisholme, Agent of Governor Blount in London -Statement of Facts made-Correspondence with Commissioners in Paris -Directory propose Peace to England-Declined—Mr. King to the Commissioners-The United States must act with Decision-Fear of Mr. Gerry in Letter to General Pinckney-Letter to Mr. Gerry-From General Pinckney-No Hope of a Treaty with France. WM. HINDMAN TO WM. HENSLEY, JR., LONDON. DEAR SIR: PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 3, 1797. Inclosed is a Copy of a Letter I received from Mr. King I presume that you are happily fixed as Mr. King's Secretary, so that your accompanying Mrs. Tilghmam to England has proved a most lucky circumstance, as She was thereby fortunately relieved from a great Weight upon her mind. You will arrive in London most seasonably to take upon you the Duties of your Office. Mr. Henry is elected our Governor; it is not yet known here who will succeed Him in the Senate; from what I collect the Contest will probably terminate between Messrs. Joshua Seney and Wm. Winder, the first a decided Jacobin, the other a doubtful Character. It is truly lamentable that We should be driven to this Dilemma. It is said there is a Majority of Antis in our House of Delegates. Tom Martin was chosen by a great Majority. Mr. Josh. Seney has declared Himself a Candidate for the House of Representatives of Congress at the next Election. There was no opposition to the Answer to the President's Speech. What the Plan of the Antis is this Session, I have not |