represent the disposition of the Government and people of the United
States (their disposition being one), to remove jealousies and obviate
complaints by shewing that they were groundless, to restore that mutual
confidence which had been so unfortunately and injuriously impaired,
and to explain the relative interests of both countries and the real
sentiments of his own."

A minister thus specially commissioned it was expected would have proved
the instrument of restoring mutual confidence between the two Republics.
The first step of the French Government corresponded with that
expectation. A few days before his arrival at Paris the French minister
of foreign relations informed the American minister then resident at
Paris of the formalities to be observed by himself in taking leave, and
by his successor preparatory to his reception. These formalities they
observed, and on the 9th of December presented officially to the
minister of foreign relations, the one a copy of his letters of recall,
the other a copy of his letters of credence.

These were laid before the Executive Directory. Two days afterwards the
minister of foreign relations informed the recalled American minister
that the Executive Directory had determined not to receive another
minister plenipotentiary from the United States until after the redress
of grievances demanded of the American Government, and which the French
Republic had a right to expect from it. The American minister
immediately endeavored to ascertain whether by refusing to receive him
it was intended that he should retire from the territories of the French
Republic, and verbal answers were given that such was the intention of
the Directory. For his own justification he desired a written answer,
but obtained none until toward the last of January, when, receiving
notice in writing to quit the territories of the Republic, he proceeded