APPENDIX

TO THE HISTORY OF THE FIFTH CONGRESS.

COMPRISING THE MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS ORIGINATING DURING THAT CONGRESS, AND THE PUBLIC ACTS PASSED BY IT.

Relations with France and Spain.

Relations with France and Spain.

PARIS, December 13.

This letter I sent by Major Rutledge, who delivered it to M. De la Croix, and made the following report of what passed between them, which he immediately reduced to writing:

PARIS, 23d Frimaire, (13th December.)

CITIZEN MINISTER: Colonel Monroe has been so good as to communicate to me your letter to him of the 21st Frimaire, wherein you inform him that you had submitted to the Executive Directory his letters of recall, and my letters of credence as Minister Plenipotentiary from the United I this day waited upon M. De la Croix, the States of America, and that the Directory had in- Minister for Foreign Affairs, at two o'clock, as structed you to notify him "qu'il ne reconnoitra bearer of a letter from General Pinckney. I was et ne recevra plus de Ministre Plenipotentiarie admitted immediately on sending in my name, des Etats Unis jusqu'après le redressement des and delivered the letter. Having informed him griefs demandé au Gouvernement Americain, et from whom it came, and that there was a French que la République Françoise est en droit d'en' at- translation annexed, he opened it and proceeded to tendre" [That it will not acknowledge nor re-read the letter in my presence, which, when he ceive any Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States, until after the redress of the grievances demanded of the American Government, and which the French Republic has a right to expect from it.] This communication has filled me with real sorrow, as I am thoroughly convinced that the sentiments of America and its Government for they are one-are misunderstood, and that I am not permitted even to attempt to explain them, or, in the terms of my letters of credence, to endeavor "to efface unfavorable impressions, to banish suspicions, and to restore that cordiality which was at once the evidence and pledge of a friendly union." Devoted, as I am, to the liberty, prosperi ty, and independence of my own country, the free-well as communicating to General Pinckney. dom, happiness, and perfect establishment of the French Republic, have always been dear to me, and to have been instrumental in cementing the good understanding which, from the commencement of their alliance, has subsisted between the two nations, would have been the height of my ambition. I most fervently pray that there may be a speedy and candid investigation of those points in which you differ from us, that affection may banish distrust, and that the alliance of the two Republics may be perpetual.

In your letter to Colonel Monroe you do not desire him to make any communication to me, and I am indebted to his politeness for the knowledge I have of the intentions of the Directory. I submit to you, citizen Minister, that, as the let ters of recall had been received by Mr. Monroe, and official copies of his letters of recall, and my letters of credence, had been delivered to you, that the sentiments of the Directory should be communicated by you immediately to me, that I may, without delay, transmit them as from the Executive of this Republic to the Government of the United States; and that I may be informed, by you, whether it is the intention of the Directory that I should immediately quit the territories of the Republic, or whether I and my family may remain until I hear from my Government. As I have not received the cards which, in your interview, you said I ought to possess in order to enable me to reside here, and that they should be transmitted to me the next morning, I am the more doubtful on this subject than I should otherwise be. Accept my best wishes.

had finished, he desired me to return to General Pinckney as his answer: That the Executive Directory knew of no Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States of America, since the presentation of Mr. Monroe's letters of recall, and that the Executive Directory had charged him to notify to Mr. Monroe (here he read the quotation contained in the letter) qu'il ne reconnoitra et ne recevra plus de Ministre Plenipotentiaire des Etats Unis, jusqu'après le redressement des griefs demandé au Gouvernement Americain, et que la République Françoise est en droit d'en attendre. Monroe's imparting to his own Government, as Which notification the Directory relied upon Mr.

Upon my asking him if I understood him rightly, I have mentioned, with the alteration, when he he stopped me, by repeating the substance of what

came to the notification of the word American into

Federal. He then went on to say, that, with respect to the second subject of General Pinckney's letter, he could return no answer until it was laid before the Directory. I then suggested to him the inconveniences to which General Pinckney was exposed; he replied, that he would take an early opportunity of submitting his letter to the Directory, probably the next day. I asked if General Pinckney should expect an answer; he replied, that their intentions should be signified either to himself or to Mr. Monroe. I then took my leave, and withdrew.

HENRY M. RUTLEDGE.

On the 25th of Frimaire, (15th of December,) about three o'clock in the afternoon, a Mr. Giraudet called on me, and said he was chief secretary in the Department of Foreign Affairs; that he came on the part of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to signify to me that, with respect to my letter to him, (which he produced, together with the translation,) he could not directly communicate with me on it, as such direct communication would be acknowledging me as Minister, when the Directory had determined not to receive me; that, as to the other part of my letter, relative to remaining here, that he supposed I was acquainted with the laws of France, as they applied to strangers. I told him that I was not acquainted with the local laws of the Republic; he said that there was a decree which prevented all foreigners from remaining at Paris without particular permission, which, as the Directory did not mean to grant to Minister of Foreign Affairs of the French Republic. me, of course the general law would operate.

CHARLES C. PINCKNEY.

Citizen DE LA CROIX,

Relations with France and Spain.

I answered, that I could not conceive the hav-my arrival at Paris might be soon expected, if it ing a direct communication with me would in- had not already taken place, that the custom was volve the consequences he stated; that if Mr. for the recalled Minister and his successor to send. Monroe had died before my arrival, the in-respectively, copies of their letters of credence and formation that they would not acknowledge me, recall to the Minister of Foreign Affairs; that, in must, of course, have been made to myself. Mr. consequence of this notification, M. De la Croix Monroe having received his letter of recall from was informed in writing, on the 16th Frimaire, our Government, could not now act officially any the morning after my arrival, by Mr. Monroe, that more than if he had ceased to exist; that I was I was arrived as his successor, and was desirous indebted to Mr. Monroe's politeness for the infor- of waiting on him, for the purpose of presenting mation I had received of the intention of the Di-a copy of my letter of credence for the Executive rectory not to acknowledge me, but that he had Directory of the French Republic; that, on the not intended it as an official communication. 19th of Frimaire, M. De la Croix informed Mr. That, with regard to the laws of France relative Monroe, by letter, that he would receive us, with to strangers, the law which he had cited did not our letters of credence and recall, between the apply to the requisition of my letter, which was hours of one and four, if it suited us: agreeably to to know whether it was the intention of the Di- which notification, we waited on him, and I was rectory that I should quit the territories of the introduced to him by Mr. Monroe as his successor; Republic, or whether I might remain here until that we presented official copies of our letters of I should hear from my Government. He said, he recall and credence; that he promised to lay them rather believed that it was the intention that I before the Directory, and also promised that cards should quit the territories of the Republic; but, of hospitality should be sent to me and Major as it admitted of a doubt, he would mention it to Rutledge the next morning; that M. De la Croix, the Minister, with whom he was to dine, and on the 21st Frimaire, wrote to Mr. Monroe, and acquaint me with the result in the evening. I informed him "that he had laid before the Directold him I should be obliged to him, should it be tory the copy of his letters of recall, and of the the intention of the Directory that I should quit letters of credence of Mr. Pinckney, whom the the Republic, to inform me in what time I was to President of the United States had named to sucset out, as my baggage was not arrived from Bor- ceed him in quality of Minister Plenipotentiary deaux; that I meant not to ask any personal favor, of the said States near the French Republic." but to have the intention of the Directory clearly From all which circumstances, the character with expressed, as it related to me, in the situation in which I was invested must be apparent both to which I came to France. He said he would, and the Directory and to the Minister of Foreign expressed a regret at being the bearer of disagreea- Affairs; and that, in that character, I was entitled ble information, and then departed. His beha- to the protection of the laws of nations, whether viour and manners were very polite. the Directory received me or not. If they perIn the evening, about eight o'clock, he returned, mitted me to remain until I heard from my Govand informed me that, in answer to the doubt ernment, I was under the protection of those which had been entertained in the morning, (a laws: if they ordered me to quit the territories of doubt, he observed, which had proceeded from his the Republic, I was still entitled to letters of safe own inattention to the words of M. De la Croix,) conduct, and passports on my journey out; that the Minister could only reply that he understood this was the case even with Ministers of belligethe Directory to mean the territory of the Repub-rent Powers, much more ought it to apply between lic, and not Paris alone, which was to be quitted; us, who were at peace. He said, supposing M. that as to the time in which it was necessary to De la Croix had been mistaken in having desired depart, the Minister could not designate it, but my letters of credence, in seeing me, and in his that he would have another communication with laying those letters of credence before the Directhe Directory, and that their intentions should tory, such mistake of the Minister could not be be made known to me in a more explicit manner binding on the Directory. I replied that it was upon both points; that, at the same time, he must impossible for me to admit that the Minister of inform me that, in all probability, M. De la Croix Foreign Affairs had commiited a mistake in his would not be the organ through which they would official duty: he was held forth to the world as be addressed, as the Minister of the Police Gènè- Minister; all his acts must be accredited as perrale would be the officer under whose department formed within the line of his duty, and under a my case would come. I replied that I apprehend- competent authority; and that his letter to Mr. ed M. De la Croix was the proper organ through Monroe showed he was desirous that the estab which information should come to me, as he lished usage should be complied with. He said knew the capacity in which I had come to France: he did not allege that there was a mistake: he whereas, the Minister of Police might regard me had only, for argument's sake, urged a supposition. as a mere stranger, and throw me into confine- which might be unfounded; that he would comment; that it was in the power of the Directory municate what I mentioned to M. De la Croix. to receive me, or not: but they could not divest I desired him, at the same time, to inform M. De themselves of the knowledge which they had of la Croix that I requested whatever further passed the public character in which I came to France; might be in writing, that no mistakes might hapthat, before I arrived, M. De la Croix had, on the pen by verbal communication, and that I might 12th of Frimaire, written to Mr. Monroe, that, as I know explicitly what were the intentions of the