CHAPTER XXIX.

R. Troup-Military Appointments-Reception of Gerry at Boston-Dr. Logan-Marshall-St. Croix Commission has settled the Line-Commissioners under sixth Article make Decision in Favor of Persons attainted during the Revolution-Cabot-Elections-Knox declines-Gerry approves the national Measures-Course of the President relative to himR. King to Secy. of State-French Plans-Extravagant Arrété to treat as Pirates all Natives of Countries, Allies of France, found on Enemy's Vessels -Lord Grenville on this-England threatens Retaliation-R. King presses Claims for Maryland Stock-Treaty between England and Toussaint— To and from J. Jay relative to Supply of Arms-R. King to Secy. of State -Conversation with British Ministers on the Convention with Toussaint; its great Importance to the United States—R. King to T. Pickering-May call ourselves united-France looks to our Divisions-Count Rumford proposes to settle in America-R. King to W. Bingham-France encouraged by our Divisions, etc.—Dangers ahead great-W. Hindman to R. King- Federalism increasing-General Politics-W. Bingham - Irish Prisoners not desirable-General Politics-St. Domingo-Indian MedalsR. King to H. Dundas-Correspondence relative to Convention with St. Domingo-To Genl. Pinckney-United States should take the Lead in what affects the New World.

R. TROUP TO R. KING.

NEW YORK, 16th Nov., 1798.

MY DEAR SIR:

Quitting the subject of farms, I proceed to give you a general sketch of our political state. Genl. Pinckney & Mr. Gerry are both arrived, the former at this port and the latter at Boston. No man can stand higher in public opinion than he (Genl. Pinckney) does. Saving General Washington, I believe the President, Pinckney and Marshall are the most popular characters now in our country. There is a certain something in the correspondence of Pinckney and Marshall (for Gerry seems 465

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to be considered a blank) with Talleyrand that has united all heads and hearts in their eulogy. Pinckney is well pleased with his late appointment of Major General and has expressed great pleasure at the idea of serving under Hamilton. Knox, it is said, has resigned his appointment, and I have seen a surmise that his land operations have so embarrassed him as to make his entrance upon public life inconvenient. The President was doubtless favorable to Knox's pretensions against Hamilton. There is no cordiality on the part of the President to Hamilton. During the last election for President, Hamilton publickly gave out his wishes that Pinckney should be elected President. These wishes were communicated both privately and publickly to the President, and have occasioned, I suspect, more than a coolness on the part of the President. I blamed Hamilton at the time for making the declarations he did, and I foresaw that evil would arise from them..

There is now a council of war at Philadelphia. General Washington is there attending it with all the Major Generals. The precise object is not known; but the public expectation is that vigorous measures will speedily be adopted and pursued to bring our army into the field.

Gerry upon his landing in Boston was said to have been received with three cheers: since which I have heard nothing of him except that the Boston papers announce that he detests the French-has a budget, which, when opened, will give additional and very strong proofs of French perfidy and corruption, and that he warmly approves of the measures lately adopted by our government.

The famous Dr. Logan, who is generally called Jefferson's Envoy Extraordinary, has lately arrived from France with despatches, as report announces, from the Directory to the Secretary of State. The same report also announces that he hastened to Trenton to deliver his despatches to the Secretary, who dismissed him with a flea in his ear. . . . It is asserted in the papers with the appearance of authority from the Secretary

as to any overtures or propositions towards a negotiation there are none. . . . I do not think that a more rooted detestation

of France exists in England, than prevails with a great mass of All the old prejudices instilled into our

our fellow citizens.

minds by our ancestors, seem to be revived and to have acquired infinitely more force than they ever possessed. So let them remain till time shall cease to run his course.

Speaking of the elections to Congress Mr. T. says among other things, Marshall is certainly a candidate for the district in which he lives, and has published an answer to some questions addressed to him. He thinks the Alien and Sedition bills lately passed by Congress were unneccessary and that he should, if he had been in Congress at the time, have opposed them. On the subject of a Treaty with Great Britain he is, if we form one during the controversy with France, for confining it to objects connected wholly with the controversy and to end with it. He means, if elected, to vote for the repeal of the Alien and Sedition Bills.

At a late circuit court of the U. States-Judge Paterson presiding, in Vermont, Lyons was indicted for printing-it seems he has set up a press there-a letter written by Joel Barlow to Baldwin of Georgia. The letter goes by the name of the Barlow letter. It is an infamous libel on our government and eulogy on that of France; it was written last spring. Lyons after a very fair trial, was found guilty and sentenced to pay a fine of 1000 dollars and suffer four months imprisonment. He is now in gaol. During the trial and afterwards he behaved like himself-like a fool and a blackguard. Mrs. Bache, the widow of the editor of the Aurora, considers him a martyr. This woman has renewed her husband's paper with as much virulence as was manifested by her husband. This also is the case with Greenleaf's widow.

17th Nov., 1798.

Benson has just returned from the Eastward, where he has been attending the St. Croix Commissioners. This line is at length settled. The Commissioners have unanimously decided against us and in favor of the pretensions of Great Britain.

The Commissioners for British Debts, it is said, have decided that debts due to persons attainted by our laws during the late Revolution, are to be paid on the ground that those debts have been prevented from being recovered by lawful impediments. A precedent of this kind has been set in the case of Dr. Inglis, now Bishop of Nova Scotia, and formerly an Episcopal Clergyman in this City. He is named in our Bill of attainder. I am not with

out a suspicion that this precedent is not warranted by the Treaty. It will cut deeply-and I think will create not a little uneasiness.

The Philadelphia papers announce that Dr. Logan has been to pay his respects to General Washington, and that he met with a very dry and contemptuous reception.

Very truly yours

ROB. TROUP.

GEORGE CABOT TO R. KING.

Nov. 16, 1798.

MY DEAR SIR:

I lament that while our Elections must be considered as the truest test of public opinion their evidence at the present juncture is so unfavorable. The result of ours is not wholly known but Varnum is rechosen & the declination of Isaac Packer will open the way for Dearborn. In the District where I reside a very great effort was made in favor of Heath & conducted with so much system and industry as gave me much uneasiness. It appeared evidently that a plan was formed to bring every jacobin to the poll without any previous alarm to the Federalists; these however were not wholly surprised & Otis was carried by 400 majority.

Genl. Knox declines serving in the army unless he can be placed above Hamilton where neither the Govt, the people, nor his own merits wou'd place him—a hope has been entertained that Gen] Pinckney wou'd adopt similar opinions but far from every such idea he readily declared his satisfaction with the arrangement & his great pleasure in seeing Hamilton employed where his Genius & Talents fairly ranked him-this business is now adjusted & Knox's refusal is perhaps no injury, for his private embarrass ments wou'd always have hung heavy about him & sunk him in the public estimation: I regret however that his feelings have stimulated him to speak of Hamilton privately as a man of insatiable ambition &c

Gerry since his return has declared pretty explicitly his approbation of our National Measures & his desire to see them persisted in & supported. The President appears to think him a good patriot still & considers his errors as no greater than his

colleagues especially Pinckney's; this disposition in the P. to cover the follies & improprieties of his friend, threatens us with new & mischievous schisms. Gerry's conduct will be reprobated by the wise & the good if there shou'd be a discussion of the respective merits of the Envoys in the Newspapers or elsewhere. Already the P. in answering an address from the people of Machias has spoken of the errors of the Envoys as if they were common: a little more of this wou'd bring forward Pinckney & Marshal who can hardly vindicate themselves without criminating Gerry. Col. Pickering in his excellent answer to P. Johnson has used expressions which wound Gerry & the latter has written an explanatory letter to the President in which he treats Pickering with some little disrespect. This letter the Prest. forwarded to Pickering with his own, a request that, as it wou'd be some satisfaction to Gerry & cou'd do harm to no one, it might be inserted in some public print-but Pickering will not publish it & if it shou'd be published he will comment upon it & upon Gerry's conduct in a manner that will show his business in a strong light. Prudence forbids me to write all you wou'd wish to know & I hope you will learn nothing more on the subject for we need all our strength against the common Enemy & therefore must suffer no division: some pains are taken to prevent this matter from proceeding which I trust will be successful. With the purest principles of Morality & patriotism & a profound knowledge of the theory of Govt, the Prest. needs some faithful monitor to guard him against the delusions of his own heart, which tho' a very good one, its impulses shou'd not be followed without critical examination. Yours faithfully & affectly

G. C.

R. KING TO SECRETARY OF STATE. No. 9.

LONDON, Nov. 16, 1798.

DEAR SIR: We have Paris papers to the 11th instant. Notwithstanding the slavery of the Press, their papers contain curious articles which shew not only that the interior of France is in a state of considerable agitation but that the Directory think themselves on the eve of the renewal of the war. I was yesterday informed from a respectable quarter that Naples would certainly begin. The march