Countrymen, whose pursuits are regulated by a faithful attachment to his Country, and who has been invited to participate in the purchase of these Bonds, consulted me upon the propriety of the measure. I had no hesitation to dissuade him from engaging in it because in the present situation of Holland, it appears to me desirable to preserve the influence, be it great or small, arising from the property which Individuals of that country hold in our funds; and because, moreover, in the present Disposition of France towards us, we cannot with prudence desire to Contribute to the supply of the means which may enable France to multiply their unjust aggressions against us and others. Our Debt to the Money Lenders of Amsterdam and Antwerp, exclusive of what they hold in our Domestic Stock, amounts to Eleven Millions of Dollars, not more than two hundred and fifty thousand of which is liable to re-imbursement during the present Century. The preservation of this Debt, in its present shape, may operate to restrain measures of hostility that otherwise may be adopted. It was doubted by some persons, whether the payment by anticipation of our Debt to France was a prudent Policy: as an independent measure of finance, it was beneficial; but the political mischiefs of the arrangement deserved to have been taken into the question, since they might be found to outweigh the Argument of œconomy. Notwithstanding the increased probability that we shall be drawn into the Vortex, our Stocks have risen in their price and are now sought for by some people, who have heretofore thought nothing out of England secure.

Annexed you have Copies of three notes which I have received from Lord Grenville. The first is an answer to my note respecting the Proceedings of the Vice-admiralty Court of St. Domingo. As this Court was not legally constituted, its proceedings are void; and those who have suffered from its acts are referred, as in the Martinique cases, to the High Court of Admiralty for redress.

On the 31st of January our Ministers at Paris, who were still unreceived and therefore unauthorized to hold a regular communication with the French Government, sent to the Minister of Foreign Relations the letter which they have informed you they were preparing for that purpose. On the 19th of February they had received no answer, nor had any notice been taken of them or their

letter by Mr. Talleyrand. There is really no hope that France will return to reason in our affairs; and we should take care not to be deceived by any false appearances that perhaps she may think it politic to pursue. Her conduct can only be explained by supposing that she thinks that we have neither Union, nor courage, nor character to resist any outrage that she may choose to practise towards us; and is it strange that she and others should entertain this opinion, if they believe the late publication by Mr. Monroe, who proves his Patriotism by an attempt to revile and degrade his Country in the eyes of the whole World?

With perfect Respect and Esteem,

RUFUS KING.

A. HAMILTON TO R. KING.

Probably March, 12, 1798.

It is a great while, my Dr. friend, since I have written you a line. You will not I am sure impute my silence to any cause impeaching my friendship, for that must be always cordial and entire. The truth is that my professional avocations occupm ye to the extent of the exertions my health permits, and I have been unwilling to sit down to write you without leisure to say something interesting. But I now depart from this rule that my persevering silence may not make me sin beyond Redemption. I have, however, only time to tell you that your friends are generally well & as much attached to you as ever; & that I hear of no cabals against you.

Being just returned from Albany, I would say nothing about the political juncture as it is affected by the unpleasant advices from our Commissioners in France. I will only say that the public mind is much sounder than that of our Representatives in the national Council & that there is no danger of our actively disgracing ourselves, that is, by any unworthy compliances with the exorbitant pretensions of " The Great MONSTER."* Yours Affecty.

*Soi disant, "The Great Nation."

A. HAMILTON,

CHAPTER XXI.

Claims of English Commissioners under 7th Article of the Treaty deniedMr. Cabot on growing Discontent against French Aggressions-Confidence in the English Action-Congress should protect our Commerce-General Pinckney on French Demands-Mr. King regrets the Stay of the Envoys in Paris-Recall of the Envoys-Indisposition in Congress to protect Commerce-Fear of causing War-Convoys to be accepted, and Merchantmen may be armed-Dispatches to Envoys called for-Mr. Bingham on the commercial Regulations with England-Mr. King's Letters to the Envoys in Paris-To Secretary of State on Relations of Denmark and FranceRebellion in Ireland-General Pinckney announces that Mr. Gerry will stay in Paris.

C. C. PINCKNEY TO R. KING.

In Cipher.

PARIS, March 14, 1798.

DEAR SIR:

I hope you have received safe our No. 6. to the Secretary of State with its inclosures. We had prepared the letter therein mentioned. It was agreed to by all of us, after it had been altered so as to meet the apparent sentiments of all. General Marshall and myself signed it, yet Mr. Gerry delayed adding his Signature, and at last declined it, on a conversation he had with Mr. Talleyrand's Secretary, wherein the terms of a loan to be stipulated by us now, but not to be paid until after the war, were suggested. This, when communicated to us, General Marshall and myself altogether disapproved. Mr. Gerry thought it admissible if stipulations were made that it should not be transferred until after the war. On a conversation with Mr. Talleyrand himself, it clearly appears that the intention was to make this loan a present aid; but to conceal the intention by deferring the time of payment. Mr. Gerry declared he was convinced of it and was

against it; but I think he will not sign the letter he agreed to, nor consent to ask for Passports until he hears from our Government. The intention here is, with regard to the Envoys, to get General Marshall and myself away and to keep Mr. Gerry; with regard to our Country, it is to get money if they can; but, if not, then to keep American affairs in suspense till the Expedition against England is determined.

I remain with great truth your Sincere & affectionate
CHARLES COTESWORTH PINCKNEY.

R. KING TO SECRETARY OF STATE. No. 69.

DEAR SIR:

LONDON, March 17, 1798.

Lord Grenville informed me at the last Conference, that he was concerned to learn from their Commissioners that an opinion was entertained by their Colleagues, that they had power to receive and, immediately after the expiration of Eighteen months from the opening of the Commission, to decide all questions within the Purview of the Treaty, whether the same were depending before, or had been decided by, the Courts of Admiralty.

He said that he was at a loss how the Commissioners could upon their Oaths say, in cases depending in the Courts of Admiralty, that Compensation could not be had and received in the ordinary Courts of Justice; and unless upon their Oaths they could say so, they had no authority to proceed to decide such cases; they might receive the Claims, but unless the delays of the Admiralty were such as amounted to a denial of Justice, they must defer their decisions until the Admiralty had given theirs. His Lordship added that, if the opinion alluded to should be persisted in, he did not see how they could authorize their Commissioners to assist in giving the awards.

I said that I was not prepared to discuss the question; that I had hoped, after the apparent Disagreement, which on a former occasion had occurred, that we should not again be obliged to search for the interpretation of this Article of the Treaty, but that the same would have been left to the Commissioners; that I must however observe to his Lordship, that as far as I had formed

any opinion upon the subject, it differed from his; that I had more than once intimated this opinion to him, as a motive to greater Dispatch in the Admiralty Courts; that many of our people had been long attending here for a Decision of their Causes ; that according to the progress hitherto made in the Admiralty Courts, the cases within the provision of the Treaty, would not all be tried at the end of seven years from this time; that the Claimants had waited with the more patience, because they have been led to believe that the Treaty ascertained a Period when the Commissioners would have authority to take up and decide their claims. That I did not recollect that the Commissioners had a Right to receive any Claim, the merits of which they could not immediately decide; and that all Claims must be preferred within Eighteen months from the opening of the Commission.

Besides the assignment which the Commissioners may award will enable the British Government to pursue the Captors, and to recover from them the money that may, under the award of the Commissioners, be advanced to the Claimants in their Behalf; that after waiting four years, which was the situation of most of the Claimants, the inconvenience of longer delay should be born. by those who could prevent it, and not by those who had no means of expediting the Proceedings of the Admiralty. I concluded the conversation by saying that, after conversing with our Commissioners, I would examine the Subject, preparatory to a future interview with his Lordship.

You see how this Question bears upon that of the like character respecting the Debts; and tho' I have not time to present it to you in the extent I wish, I think you will perceive that it is of such magnitude, that I must particularly desire to receive as early as possible the President's opinion respecting the Construction to which we shall adhere.

Is it not probable that this Government, should they persist in the opinion intimated by Lord Grenville (which for plain reasons will be zealously and loudly supported by the whole body of Civilians), may be willing to agree that after a certain period, within which they will oblige their Courts to proceed with expedition, the Commissioners shall proceed and decide all the Claims that shall have been brought before them, whether they shall have been decided by the Admiralty Courts or not?

VOL. II.-19