of money (as my informant says) procured the decree of the twenty eighth. Certain it is that the former was not sent on to be enregis tered until after the latter had passed, and then both were immediately forwarded together. It did not become me to give ear to calumuiou suggestions, nor yet would I be totally deaf to a matter of such gene ral importance to the United States. You will perceive in the close of my letter to Mr. Le Brun some general observations, which may ren der the corrupted members (if such there be) a little more cautious." "I will apply to the minister for the orders you wish respecting payments to our citizens, and make no doubt that they will be trans mitted, and indeed I should suppose, that if, without such orders, th payments were made by the Treasury of the United States, the Gov ernment of this country, (let whatever Government may be establish ed,) would allow the justice of a deduction to the amount from wha we owe. It is possible that we may hereafter have occasion to insis on that principle, among other reasons, because of the plundering our ships, of which complaints are daily made to me, and which th present Government of the country is too feeble to prevent. Doubt less there are many things of the sort which do not come to my know ledge: for in some cases the masters and crews being taken out of th American ships and put on board of the privateers, and carried ver far from where their vessels arrive, and put on shore where chanc directs or circumstances permit; and as many of the privateers an taken by British cruisers, some of our citizens may find their way England, and some to the British colonies and foreign possessions. t The assurances you give in your letter of the twentieth April, that our fellow citizens are disposed to preserve and exact neu trality, gives me sincere pleasure, as you will find from what I took th liberty to say on that subject in former letters. I fear that the fro quent violations of our neutrality by the privateers fitted out in th French ports, may provoke a change of sentiment. I labor incessant ly to keep things quiet in that regard, and I think it likely that som of my countrymen inay think me too much attached to France, be cause I do not enter into the violence of their resentments, for whic there is (as you will see) more ground than I choose to acknowledg to them." No. 26. Mr. Morris to the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, dated SIR The United States of America, faithful to their attachme for the French nation, in consequence of the demand to that effe made by M. Ternant, went to the succour of St. Domingo upon th basis of the decree passed by the National Assembly; and the pay ment of four millions, which make the object of that decree, has bee completed. In consequence of the same attachment, and another demand of Mr. Ternant, arrangements have been made to place to the disposition of that Minister, a sum of three millions, which was to be employed in purchasing provisions for France. The Government of the United States, in communicating to me the measures which I have the honor of communicating to you, inform me that the administration of the colony of St. Domingo had purchased several cargoes sent to that island by American merchants; that they had seized others, and that, for the payment of the value, they had furnished bills on the representative of the French nation, at Philadelphia, which, from the want of funds, he has not been able to honor. No one doubts that France will finally acquit herself of a debt so sacred; but, in such a case as the present, delays are very prejudicial to those who experience them. In consequence, sir, I have received orders to solicit of the French Republic, an instruction to their Minister at Philadelphia, for the purpose of paying off those bills with a part of the funds which are to be paid to him by the Treasury of the United States. Mr. DEFORGUE, Minister for Foreign Affairs. No. 27. Mr. Morris to the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, dated EXTRACT. SAINPORT, June 28, 1793, “Permit me, sir, to renew to you on this occasion, my entreaties with respect to the decree of the convention of the 28th May. I learn, with satisfaction, of the daily arrival of wheat and flour, sent to you from America, but I am not without uneasiness for those which ought to follow. Indeed, how can we hinder the enemies of France from adopting, with regard to us, the example that she has given them, and especially the English, who, not being held by the faith of treaties, (since we have none with them) from following any other impulse than that of their own interest? and how can we complain, after the marked preference which we have given to France, on the decree of the 9th of May? I do not speak to you, Sir, of the impression which that decree will naturally produce in America; I had rather that sach considerations should present themselves to your own reflections than be the effect of mine. But it is of consequence that the convention decide definitively; because delay, by allowing the decrce to exist, expose us without any profit, to all the inconveniences which must result from it. I ought, also, to observe to you, sir, that it will be very difficult, and perhaps impossible, to prevent your privateers from Committing illegal and outrageous acts as long as they are permitted to bring into your ports all the American vessels laden with articles of food for countries at war with France. I receive numerous com plaints of them, and they frequently conduct to one French port, that which was destined to another; hence, result great inconveniences to both parties." No. 28. French Minister of Foreign Affairs to Mr. Morris, dated Paris, 3d July, 1793. EXTRACT. I am “I also enclose a copy of a decree exempting vessels of the United States from the dispositions of the decree of the 9th of May. very happy in being able to give you this new proof of the fraternal sentiments of the French People for their allies, and of their firm determination to maintain, to the utmost of their subsisting between the two Republics." power, the treaties No. 29. [TRANSLATION.] Copy of the Decree of the National Convention, of the 1st July, 1793, 2d Year of the French Republic; which exempts from the dispositions of the Decree of the 9th May, 1793, the vessels of the United States. The Convention, after having heard the report of the Committee of Public Safety wishing to maintain the union established between the French Republic and the United States of America-Decrees: That the vessels of the United States are not comprised in the dispositions of the decree of the 9th May, conformably to the 16th article of the treaty concluded the 6th of February, 1778. Certified conformable to the original. DEFORGUE. [Note, attached to in the foregoing, in Wait's S. P. Vol. VII, p. 150.] It appears, that, on the 27th July, the Convention again put in force the decree of the 9th of May; but no copy of the act, by which this was done, is to be found in the Department of State. No. So. TRANSLATION. Extracts from the Registers of the Deliberations of the Provisory Executive Council, of the 14th July, 1793. The Minister of Marine having informed that the ship Juno, of Philadelphia, who had been perceived the 17th May last, and chased by the Capricious frigate, commanded by Citizen Savari. having refused to make herself known, had been brought into the Road of the Island of Aix, for the purpose of proving her papers; that, from the examination of the papers of Captain John Brice, commanding the said ship Juno, they have been found regular; and that the said Captain claims indemnification for some utensils and articles of provision, which, he pretends, have been taken from on board in the course of conducting his vessel to the Island of Aix: Upon this report, the Council considering that Captain John Brice ought to reproach himself for having rendered himself suspected, by his refusal to make known his colors, and not being able, under this report, to form any claim as indemnity ; Desiring, however, to treat amicably a citizen belonging to an ally nation of the Republic of France, Decree, that the Minister of Marine is authorized to have delivered to Captain John Brice, a sum equivalent to the value of the effects which he pretends are missing on board his vessel, according to the estimation and equitable verification which shall, mutually, be made thereof, by the Ordonnateur of Nantes, authorized for that purpose by the Minister. It is further decreed, that the Minister for Foreign Affairs inform the Minister of the United States of the present decision of the Council. Copy conformable to the Register of the 15th July, 1793. The President of the Provisory Executive Council, No. 31. Mr. Morris to the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, dated Sain Port, July 24th, 1793. SIR: I have just received a letter from Havre, dated the 20th, of which the following is an extract: The decree of the first of this "month. concerning the Anglo-American vessels, has been expedited "to our Tribunals, and regularly registered. In consequence, we pre"sented ourselves yesterday to the Tribunal of the District. in the "well-founded [hope] of therein obtaining the justice we have so long "claimed; that is to say, the restitution of the ship Laurens and her "cargo; but, to our very great astonishment, and contrary to all the "rules of justice, the Tribunal has not yet been pleased to decide, "and has postponed the judgment to the 31st of this month; and for "this reason-because, that the Attorney for the Privateer stated that "he expected a new decree, affecting that of the 1st of July. He read "in Court a letter from one of the interested in the Privateer, now at "Paris, mentioning that the Marine Committee was about presenting "a new report; that Laveau, Deputy from Honfleur," where the owners of the Privateer, which captured the ship Laurens, reside, "was "the reporter; that La Croix, a Deputy from L'Eure, had found the "claim of the Privateer to be just, and had promised to support; that "the Marine Committee was favorably disposed. The situation of "captain White is truly distressing. He has been detained 4 months; "almost all his crew have left him; his vessel in a deplorable condi❝tion, having constantly four feet water in the hold. He cannot have ❝her repaired, as the first judgment, authorizing it, is attacked, and "the Privateer leaves this vessel in confusion. For those four months "the Captain has sought justice, and he has not yet been able to ob"tain it." I think it my duty, Sir, to inform you of those facts. I have no idea that the interests of the Republic should be sacrificed to those of individuals; but, it appears to me that the declaration of the Attorney, and especially the letter which he read, are derogatory of the dignity of the national representation; and I fear, besides, lest the postponement of the decision in consequence thereof, may injure the reputation of justice, which France has always imposed on herself the duty of preserving unimpaired. I am persuaded, above all, Sir, that the interested in the Privateer, in supporting the indirect means they have used by the names of two Deputies, enjoying the just title of so much renown, have had no authority from them, as they certainly could not have that of the Convention, to promise a decree, which they have al ready twice declared to be contrary to the treaty, and, consequently, a violation of public faith. I have the honor to be, &c. GOUVR. MORRIS. No. 32. No. 35.—Mr. Morris to Mr. Jefferson, Secretary of State, dated Sain Port, 18th August, 1793. EXTRACTS. "You will perceive, Sir, in this correspondence, one of the many violations of our flag, in the case of the Little Cherub; which, being attended with circumtances of peculiar atrocity, called for more pointed animadversion. The conduct of the Government, on the oc |