modified, as to limit the exertion of this power of partial reprisals to the vessels of war, and against armed vessels hovering on the coast.

While thus the pretenders to a superior love of liberty were combining to expose the American trade, defenceless on the ocean; and were advising patience and submission, until France should have completed her conquests; Denmark and Sweden had resolved to arm for the protection of their commerce, and were remonstrating with Prussia against her decrees affecting the rights of neutrals.

CHAPTER CXLII.

ANOTHER month elapsed, and another communication was received from Paris. It mentioned a new demand by the envoys of a reply to their memorial; new requisitions of money; the disclosure to France of the prohibition in their instructions to promise a loan.

Soon after the departure of Kosciusko, Volney, whose intimacy with Jefferson has been mentioned, and who was regarded by the Cabinet as a spy of the Directory, alarmed by the proposed alien act, left the United States, as Jefferson remarked, "most thoroughly impressed with the importance of preventing war." He was the bearer of a letter from him to Kosciusko.*

The effect of the despatches of the Envoys on the national mind was increasing. The emergency was great. The preparations for war were decisive of the intentions of the Administration; and, recent as had been his secret missions, one more attempt was resolved upon by Jefferson to open to France all the dangers which menaced the cause of her partisans. The person selected to perform this office was a citizen of Pennsylvania, of the name of

Jefferson to Madison, May 3, 1798. Among those who would sail “I believe will be Volney, who has in truth been the principal object aimed at by the law" (the alien act.) "It is said, Hamilton declines coming to the Senate."

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Logan, whose mind had been infected with the new theories of France. His ardor and his intimacy with Bache * recommended him to the confidence of the leaders of the opposition as a convenient tool. As has been seen, he was one of the persons selected as the medium of Monroe's anonymous communications from Paris to the American press. This vain political zealot, flattered with this promised importance, lent himself to the intrigue; and after conferences with Genet and Rowan,† sailed secretly from the United States immediately after the promulgation of these despatches, provided with recommendations from Jefferson and from Chief Justice McKean.

He arrived at Hamburg, whence, after an interview with La Fayette, he proceeded to Paris. There he was in full consultation with Thomas Paine, who had become the Editor of a press devoted to the French Government, and with Kosciusko. Repeated conferences were held by him with Talleyrand, and he received marked attentions from all the members of the French Directory, being publicly spoken of at Paris as an agent of the Vice President of the United States. While there, he addressed a memorial to Talleyrand. In this memorial, he declared himself a friend of the principles of the French Revolution, and represented himself as speaking in behalf of the friends of liberty in America. "They," he said, “imputed the depredations of France, not to the Government, but to its agents they neither blame one Government nor

* Of the "Aurora," who passed some time at the residence of Jefferson. A. H. Rowan, an Irish refugee.

Logan's arrival is thus alluded to in the "Surveillant" of August 30, 1798. Paris. "The new American Envoy, come to Paris in the name of the patriot party of the United States. It is he who has obtained the raising of the embargo in favor of the greater part of the ships of his nation." For a contradiction of this latter statement, see Ames i. 251, note.

the other. They would baffle the intrigues of the enemies of France and America." He remarked, that the American magistrates once chosen, were the organs of the people, notwithstanding their administration may be attended with errors, and even faults. If France provoked a rupture, every American will rally round the Government. "I wish, citizen Minister," he added, (and here I know that I convey the wishes of all who deprecate a separation from France, and particularly that great friend to liberty, so well known in this country, Mr. Jefferson) to impress on the minds of the Government the truth of this paragraph." He urged them not to count on a party in America, but, "by a great and magnanimous conduct, to draw back its wandering affections, and leave the true American character to blaze forth in the approaching elections!" He pressed them to release the seamen-to raise the embargo, and to send a minister to America, with liberal instructions. If such a mission was inadmissible, he proposed that an official declaration should be given of their readiness to open a conference at the Hague.*

* Soon after the publication of this letter, an animated comment upon it was published, entitled "Jefferson's Envoy." In this comment, the consequences of such a procedure are thus adverted to: "The Constitution has vested in the President alone the management of our exterior relations. To him belongs the right of appointing public ministers, of forming treaties, and of expressing our national sentiments. The Vice President, considered as such, possesses no other powers than those which are attached to the head of a legislative body. The President has entered into a negotiation with France, as the legal representative of the whole nation. Mr. Jefferson has entered into another, as the representative of a profligate faction. Let him not attempt to defend himself by saying that his objects coincided with those of the Administration, for, if he is authorized unsolicited, without the knowledge, and as he well knew, against the inclination of the President, thus kindly to further the completion of his wishes in this instance, it would be equally proper for him, on another occasion, to impede and obstruct them. If he is compe

Further advices were received from Paris. They left little hope that France would accede to the just demands that were made. The requisitions for money were continued, no disposition to repeal the late decree against neutral commerce was manifested. The irritation of the people increased, and with it increased energy in Congress. A bill, which Hamilton had advised, suspending all commercial intercourse with France and her dependencies, was brought forward and passed, so altered as to declare the treaties with France void, and the United States exonerated from their stipulations, and from those of the consular convention. A proposal to authorize the issue of letters of marque and reprisal was rejected.

Hamilton, it is seen, had dissuaded an alliance with Great Britain, and suggested, that powers should be lodged with her minister adapted to probable exigencies; and that it would be good policy on her part to send to this country a dozen frigates to pursue the directions of this Government. Patriotic citizens had raised subscriptions in the large seaports for building armed vessels to be presented to the nation. A law was passed to enable the administration to avail itself of these aids; another law was enacted to carry into effect his suggestion that merchant vessels should be authorized to defend themselves, and to subdue and capture their assailants.

These measures were deemed insufficient to secure the independence of this country. An evil which had long exerted, and still exerts a formidable influence, was to be checked. It was the too easy admission of foreigners to political rights. The early opinions of Jefferson, as

tent to send an agent to France for the purpose of securing peace, he is no less empowered to send one to England in order to create war."