VI. He also assumed, under a decree of the Convention, the CHAPTER extraordinary authority of authorizing the French consuls throughout the United States to erect themselves 1793. into courts of admiralty for trying and condemning such prizes as the French cruisers might bring into American ports. The frigate L'Ambuscade, in which he had arrived at Charleston, soon sailed for Philadelphia, making prizes of several British vessels by the way. One was captured within the Capes of the Delaware, the restitution of which was speedily demanded by the British minister, who presented, also, numerous other complaints against the doings of the privateers fitted out at Charleston. At a cabinet council held to consider these memorials, it was agreed that the privateering commissions issued by Genet, as well as the condemnation of prizes by the French consuls, were unauthorized by treaty, irregular, and void. It was also agreed that the Grange, the vessel captured by the French frigate L'Ambuscade within the Capes of the Delaware, must be restored to the British owners. As to the vessels captured by the privateers fitted out by Genet and sent into the United States, it was the opinion of Hamilton and Knox that, as these captures were manifestly illegal, adherence to the proclamation of neutrality required that the captured vessels should be restored to their owners, as otherwise the United States would, allow themselves to be made the instrument of injury to Great Britain. Jefferson and Randolph maintained, on the other hand, that if the captures were illegal, as to which they did not choose to commit themselves, the owners ought to be left to the courts of law to recover their property; that a disavowal of assent to the proceedings in which these captures originated, and the steps taken for future prevention,. ought to be satisfactory to the English; and that to atIV.-D D CHAPTER tempt to restore the captured vessels by force would VI. amount to reprisals against the French republic-a very 1793. serious matter indeed, and which the executive had no right to enter upon without special authority from Congress. Hamilton insisted, in reply, that here was not a question of mere ownership, proper for the courts, but a question of neutrality, demanding, as it was admitted the case of the Grange did, the direct interference of the government, which Great Britain, under the circumstances, would have a right to expect, and of which France would have no right to complain. On this disputed point as to which Washington subsequently conformed to the opinion of Hamilton-decision was suspended. Meanwhile, the resolutions on the points agreed May 15. to were communicated to Ternant. This communication Ternant handed over to Genet, who arrived just at this time at the seat of government. For reasons of policy as well as security, the French minister had proceeded from Charleston to Philadelphia by land. His journey had been almost a triumphal procession. Those same Republicans who had severely reprobated any excessive marks of respect toward Washington, thought it almost impossible to do too much to honor the French republic in the person of her minister. May 16. On his approach to Philadelphia, he was met at Gray's Ferry by an immense crowd, who escorted him into the city. The next day he received addresses from numerous societies, and from the citizens at large, who waited May 18. upon him in a body for that purpose. The day following he was presented to the president and officially accredited, But on this occasion he was by no means so well satisfied. Not only did the president's address seem very tame after all the fervid speeches he had heard between Charleston and Philadelphia, but he actually found VI. the president's parlor ornamented "with certain medal- CHAPTER lions of Capet and his family." Moreover, the Marquis de Noailles and other emigrant Frenchmen had been lately 1793. admitted to the honor of a presentation. Genet, however, was consoled in the evening by a republican feast, on which occasion was sung an ode in French, composed by Citizen Duponceau, who had come originally to America as an aid to Baron Steuben, and was now settled at Philadelphia, where he rose afterward to distinction as a lawyer and man of letters. Citizen Freneau, being one of the company, was requested to translate this ode into English verse. The Marseilles Hymn was sung, with two additional stanzas composed by Genet himself, with special reference to the navy, previous to which a deputation of sailors from the frigate L'Ambuscade entered the hall, embraced, and took their seats. After the last regular toast, the red cap of Liberty was placed on the head of Citizen Genet, and then traveled from head to head, each wearer, under its inspiration, delivering a patriotic sentiment. The table was decora ted with the tree of Liberty and the French and Américan flags; and the officers and sailors of the L'Ambus cade, to whom they were finally delivered, swore to defend till death these tokens of liberty and of American and French fraternity. From the moment, indeed, of Genet's arrival in the United States, the existence became evident, not only of a wide-spread and enthusiastic sympathy for France, but of a faction more French than American, ready and anxious to go all lengths toward identifying the French and American republics. In his address to the president, Genet had disavowed any wish to involve the United States in the pending war. Yet it was sufficiently evident, from his proceedings at Charleston, that he expected favors toward France CHAPTER had been paraded through the streets, followed by four VI. carts drawn by twenty-four horses, and containing six1793. teen hundred loaves of bread and two hogsheads of punch. While these viands were distributed among an immense crowd collected in State Street (formerly King Street), a select party of three hundred persons sat down in Faneuil Hall to a civic feast, over which presided the venerable Samuel Adams, then lieutenant governor of the state, assisted by the French consul. The children from all the schools, marshalled in State Street, were each presented with a cake stamped with the words "Liberty and Equality." A subscription was raised, and the pris oners confined in jail for debt were liberated. Two balloons, then a new invention, were let off, and in the evening bonfires were kindled, and the State House and other buildings were splendidly illuminated. Similar celebraFeb. 6. tions took place in several other places. In Philadelphia, the anniversary of the French alliance was commemorated by a public dinner, at which Governor Mifflin presided. At the head of the table a pike was fixed, bearing the cap of Liberty, with the French and American flags intertwined, the whole surmounted by a dove and olive branch. The execution of the unfortunate Louis excited a degree of sympathy on behalf of that amiable sovereign; but neither that nor any other of the violences of the Convention served hardly to check the glow of enthusiastic zeal, for the French republic-a sentiment soon kindled April 9. into new fervor by the arrival at Charleston of Citizen Genet, appointed to supersede Ternant as embassador from France, News of the French declaration of war against England, which Genet brought with him to Charleston, had reached New York five days earlier by the British packet. It could not but excite the deep, VI. ́est anxiety in the minds of Washington and his cabinet. CHAPTER By the treaty of commerce, French privateers and prizes were entitled to shelter in the American ports a shelter 1793. not to be extended to the enemies of France. By the treaty of alliance, the United States were bound, in express terms, to guarantee the French possessions in America. As soon as the news reached Washington, then at Mount Vernon, he hastened to Philadelphia, and, imme- April 18. diately after his arrival, sent to the cabinet officers a series of questions, suggested, probably, by Hamilton, on which their opinions were to be given at a council the next day. Should a proclamation issue to prevent interferences, by citizens of the United States, in the war? Should it contain a declaration of neutrality, or what? Should a minister from the French republic be received?: If so, should the reception be absolute or qualified? Were the United States bound to consider the treaties with France as applying to the present state of the parties; or might they be renounced or suspended? pose the treaties binding, what was the effect of the guarantee? Did it apply in case of an offensive war? Was the present war offensive or defensive on the part of France? Did the treaty with France require the exclusion of English ships of war, other than privateers, from the ports of the United States? Was it advisable to call an extra session of Congress? Sup . Upon an elaborate discussion of these questions, it was unanimously agreed that a proclamation of neutrality should issue; that the new French minister should be received; and that a special session of Congress was not expedient. Upon other points there were differences of opinion. Hamilton, with whom Knox concurred, thought that the reception of Genet should be with an express reserve of the question as to the binding force of |