t whom they were aimed. The tendency of them,
however, is too obvious to be mistaken by men of cool and dispassionate
minds, and in my opinion ought to alarm them, because it is difficult to
prescribe bounds to the effect."

Matters had now reached a point where forbearance toward the insolent
French minister was no longer required by the most exacting courtesy.
His official communications, and public and private acts, were becoming
too offensive to be longer tolerated by the government, without
virtually abdicating authority and acknowledging its utter incompetency.
So the president called the cabinet together at the beginning of August
to consult upon the matter, when the whole official correspondence
between Jefferson and Genet, and the conduct of the latter, were
thoroughly reviewed. The result was, a determination that the French
government should be requested to recall their minister, because he was
offensive to that of the United States. Jefferson recommended great
delicacy in the terms of this request; the others were favorable to a
peremptory demand for his recall; while Knox, whose indignation had been
thoroughly aroused by the conduct of Genet, proposed to dismiss him at
once without consulting his government. It was at length agreed that a
letter should be written to Gouverneur Morris, the American minister in
Paris, in which should be given a statement of the case, with
accompanying documents, with directions to lay the whole subject before
the Executive Council of France; also that a letter, the same in
substance as the one written to Morris, should be sent to Genet.

It was also proposed to publish the whole correspondence, as an appeal
to the people of the United States and the world, in justification of
the action of the administration. Jefferson opposed the proposition on
the ground that it would make matters worse. He said Genet would appeal,
also; that anonymous writers would take up the subject; that public
opinion would still be divided; and there would be a difference of
opinion in Congress, likewise, for the matter must be laid before them.
"It would," Jefferson said, "be a contest between the president and
Genet."

Washington took fire at this last suggestion. Wearied and annoyed by the
continual dissentions in his cabinet, and the unjust abuse of his
political opponents, the idea that he should stand before the world as a
contestant with a man like Genet, and be subjected to the ribaldry of