tween her and the United States; by a perfidious condefcenfion it permitted the English to violate a right which it ought, for its own bonour and intereft, to defend; if, under the cloak of neutrality, it prefented to England a poniard to cut the throat of its faithful ally: if, in fine, partaking in the tyrannical and bomicidai rage of Great Britain, it concurred to plunge the people of France into the horrors of famine !" For the fake of preferving harmony, filence was preferred to a comment upon these infinuations. You are alfo pleated to refer to your letters of March and April last, relative to impreffes of American feamen by British thips, and complain that the government of the United States had not made known to you the fteps they had taken to obtain fatisfaction. This, fir, was a matter which concerned only that government. As an independent nation, we are not bound to render an account to any other of the meafures we deemed proper for the protection of our own citizens; fo long as there was not the flighteft ground to fufpect that the government ever acquiefced in any aggreffion. But permit me to recur to the fubject of the decree of the executive directory. As before obferved, we are officially informed that the British government have infued no new orders for capturing the veffels of the United States. We are also officially informed, that on the appearance of the notification of that decree, the minifter of the United States at Paris applied for information, "Whether orders were iffued for the feizure of neutral veffels, and was informed, that no fuch 1 order was iffued, and further, that no fuch order would be iffued, in cafe the British did not feize feize our veffels." This communication from the minifter of the United States, at Paris, to their minifter at London, was dated the 28th of Auguft; but the decree of the directory bears date the 14th Meffidor, anfwering to the 2d of July. Thefe circumftances, together with fome obfervations in your note, leave the American government in a state of uncertainty of the real intentions of the government in France. Allow me then to afk, whether,. in the actual ftate of things, our commerce is confidered as liable to fuffer any new reftrictions on the part of the French republic? Whether the restraints now exercised by the British government are confidered as of a nature to justify a denial of thofe rights, which are pledged to us by our treaty with your nation? Whether orders have been actually given to the hips of war of the French republic to capture the veffels of the United States? And what, if they exist, are the precife terms of those orders? The queftions, fir, you will fee, are highly interefting to the United States. It is with extreme concern that the government finds itself reduced to the neceflity of afking an explanation of this nature; and if it fhall be informed that a new line of conduct is to be adopted towards this country, on the ground of the decree referred to, its furprise will equal its regret, that principles fhould now be queftioned, which, after repeated difcuffions, both here and in France, have been demonftrated to be founded as we X 3 conceive, conceive, in the obligations of impartial neutrality, of ftipulations by treaty, and of the law of nations. I hope, fir, you will find it convenient by an early answer, to reremove the fufpenfe in which the government of the United States is now held on the queftion above ftated. I fhall clofe this letter by one remark on the fingularity of your causing the publication of your note. As it concerned the United States, it was properly addreffed to its government, to which alone pertained the right of commumunicating it in fuch time and manner as it should think fit to the citizens of the United States. I am, fir, with great respect, your most obedient fervant, TIMOTHY PICKERING. United States, Philadelphia, Nov. 3. Jo M. Adet, Minifter Plenipotentiary of the French Republic. Subfance of the men.orial prefented by Citizen Ader to the American Secretary for Foreign Affairs, previous this announcing that he was no longer to be confidered as the MiniBer of the French republic. THE minifter of the French republic, through the whole of his hote, fpeaks as acting under the exprefs orders from the executive directory. After expreffing the attachment of his government for the American people, he complains, in the name of the directory, of a violation on the part of our executive of the 17th article of the treaty of 1778. The first part of that article ftipulates, that the French fhall be at liberty to bring their prizes into our ports without its being lawful for any of our officers to take cognizance of their validity. In contempt of this ftipulation, be ftates that feveral French prizes brought into our ports have been feized, tried, and restored to their original owners, with various degrees of delay, vexation, injuftice and injury. He complains, that the English were fuffered to arm in our ports in various inftances, and that the complaints of the agents of the French republic ever proved ineffectual in ftopping them. Perfons fufpected of having affified in arming French privateers were immediately thrown into priton, while thofe concerned in arming British veffels were never molefied: the executive in these inftances exhibiting an evident partiality for the English and no regard for the maintenance of their neutrality. The fecond ftipulation in article 17th, prohibits all English fhips that fhall have made French prizes from entering our ports. Our executive have, in their conftruction of this ftipulation, confined its prohibitory effect to British veffels at tempting to come in with their prizes The minifter protefts, in the name of the directory, against the propriety of this conftruction. He confiders it as an attempt to add to, not to explain, the article. Even on the fuppofition that the article is doubtful, he infifts on the impropriety of an ex parte confiruction. He cites fundry examples of English thips of war having entered our ports, contrary to this ftipulation, having made them convenient ftations the better to annoy the French, and having, even contrary to the forced interpretation given to the 17th article by our executive, brought their prizes into our ports, and there refitted them to cruize against the French. The The minifter next adverts to Jay's million He ftates, that France was deceived by the declarations of car executive when that bafin was fet on foot; and that the directory confiders the British treaty as depriving France of all the advantageous ftipulations intended to be secured to her by the treaty of 1778, as tending to render the neutrality of America advantageous to England to the detriment of France. This treaty abandons the modern law of nations, which even England had fan&tioned in eleven treaties, and we in every prior commercial treaty with European nations. It gives the Englith the facility of obtaining the transportation of naval ftores and warlike implements whitherfoever they pleafe under the fhelter of the American flag, while this facility is denied to France; and thus it changes, during the war, the refpective footing of the belligerent powers with refpect to us. The treaty he further tates, cuts off the fupplies of provisions, which France looked for from this country, by tipulating that the British way in every fituation feize our provifion ve:fels bound to the ports of their enemies. In short, he confiders it as a breach of our neutrality, nuleis the French be allowed to partake in the advantages it holds out to Great Britain. He alfo claims this participation in purfuance of the fecond article of the treaty of 1778, which grants the French all the advantages of commerce and na igation enjoyed by the most favoured nations And in this point of view the orders to the French vettels of war to treat the American flag in every refpect as we thall fuffer it to be treated by the English have been sued. The minifter proceeds to proteft. in the name and by the orders of the executive directory, against the violation of the 17th article. He claims replevy of all feizures, and the annulling of all judicial acts with respect to the French prizes, and protetts again all oppofition to the fale of prizes. He proteíts against the violation of the fame articles by our admitting into our ports British armed vefels, and against the interpretation put by our executive upon that article. He declares, that the directory confiders our treaty with Britain as a violation of their treaty with us, and as equivalent to a treaty of alliance with that nation; and, in confequence, orders him to fufpend his minifterial functions Lere. The directory declare, that they do not with this measure to be considered in the light of a rapture, but as a mark of their fenfe of injury, which is to laft until they can obtain fatisfaction. They reiterate their expreflions of friendship for the people, notwithstanding the wrongs of the executive. The minifter concludes by ftating, that the French republic always had it at heart to cultivate harm ny by a mutual interchange of good offices; but that our adminitration have as confiantly endeavoured to break afunder the ties which connect the two nations. Enly under the republic, the French colonies were opened to us; the ports of France alfo on the fame footing as to their own veffel. When England violated the neutral flag, France, obliged to make ute of Teprifils, exempted from the meature the Americans; and though forced, for a while, much again their inclination, to withdraw the exemption. exemption, they early renewed it. While France was thus, even during the tempeft of a revolution, treating the Americans with marked attention; what, afks the note, where the executive of the United States employed in? They were queftioning whether they would acknowledge the republic and receive their ambaffador; whether they fhould confider the treaty, the price of American liberty, as binding; whether the envoys from exiled and rebellious princes fhould be received; an ambiguous proclamation of neutrality was framed; French privateers were harraffed; England was fuffered to fport with our neutrality, and to cut up our commerce to the detriment of France; English fhips of war were admitted in our ports; the advances of France for a renewal of the treaty of commerce were eluded under the moft frivolous pretexts, while our executive courted the British, and folicited a treaty, by which, proftituting our neutrality, we facrificed France to her enemies; and this whilft a review of late events, whilft every object around fill reminds us of the tyranny of Britain, and the generous affiftance of France. The note concludes by calling on Americans to remember, that, if generous minds are alive to injuries, they can forgive; and that the French, when they are treated as friends, will fill be found faithful friends and generous allies. The Minister ilenipotentiary of the French Republic with the United States of America, to the French Citizens avho refid or travel in the United States. CITIZENS, FROM the dawn of our revolu tion, the tri-coloured cockade has been the rallying point of thofe energetic men, whofe generous efforts gave the first blow to arbitrary poer. At their call, the French nation, bent for centuries under the yoke, thook off that long drowfinefs; twenty-four millions of men adopted that auguft fymbol; they exclaimed, "We shall be free," and all oppofition was defeated, and the throne tumbled down in the duft, and all Europe armed against them, has been vanquished. The republic decorates all her citizens with those national colours, the facred fymbol of liberty which they have won. Frenchmen who are abfent from their native land ought not, amidft nations allied with theirs, lay afide the diftinctive mark which, by making them known, fecures to them the protection and reciprocal refpect guaranteed by our treaties with thofe nations. Those who, from a guilty indifference, thould flight the right, exempt themfelves from that duty thofe could lay no claim to that protection, they would renounce the fupport of the agents of the republic. But, citizens, I am perfuaded that at the call of the minister of the French republic, you will haften to put on the fymbol of a liberty, which is the fruit of eight years toils and privations and of five years victories. Thus you will draw a line of demarcation between you and thofe contemptible beings, whofe unfeeling hearts are callous to the facred name of native land, to the noble pride with which the freeman is animated nimated by the fenfe of his independence. Thus, you will fignalize thofe ftill more degraded beings, who, being fold to the enemies of the republic, drag from clime to clime a life overwhelmed with mifery and contempt-wretches, whont hiftory will not call to remembrance, except to perpetuate their difgrace. The ufe of the French chanceries, the national protection will not be granted to any Frenchman but those who perfectly fenfible of the dignity attached to the title of citizen, fhall take a pride in wearing conftantly the tri-coloured cockade. The executive directory of the French republic have pronounced thus. Being the organ of their defitions, I communicate them, with pleafure to my fellowcitizens. As for those who, although Frenchmen born, have ceafed to be Frenchmen, I do not fpeak to them; the public voice will inform them of their exclufion. Done at Philadelphia, the 12th Brumaire, the fifth Year of the French republic, one and indivifiible. (Signed) Philadelphia, Nov. 7. P. A. ADET Attefted copy of a tranflation from a Note published by the French minifter at Philadelphia on the 15th of November. TRANSLATION. Citizen P. A. Adet informs his fellow-citizens, that, by order of the executive directory, he has today notified to the fecretary of ftate, the fufpenfion of the functions of the minifter plenipotentiary of the republic, to the United States of America, and that, in confequence of fuch fufpenfion, they muft, from IN recurring to the internal fituation of our country, fince I had the pleasure to addrefs you, I find ample reafon for a renewed expreflion of that gratitude to the Ruler of the Univerfe, which a continued feries of profperity has fo often and fo juftly called forth. The acts of the laft feffion, which required fpecial arrangements, have been, as far as circumftances would admit, carried into operation. The meeting of the deputies from the Creek nation at Colerain, in the state of Georgia, which had for a principal object the purchase of a parcel of their land by that state, broke up without its being accomplifhed: the nation having, previous to their departure, inftructed them againft making any fale; the occafion, however, has been improved, to confirm, by a new treaty with the Creeks, their preexifting engagements with the. United States, and to obtain their confent to the establishment of trading houfes and military pofts. within their boundary, by means of which their friendship, and the general peace, may be more effectually fecured. |