ould rather you would use the communication
with reserve till you see the whole papers. The first impressions
from them are very disagreeable and confused. Reflection, however, and
analysis resolve them into this. Mr. Adams's speech to Congress in May
is deemed such a national affront, that no explanation on other
topics can be entered on till that, as a preliminary, is wiped away by
humiliating disavowals or acknowledgments. This working hard with
our Envoys, and indeed seeming impracticable for want of that sort
of authority, submission to a heavy amercement (upwards of a million
sterling) was, at an after meeting, suggested as an alternative, which
might be admitted if proposed by us. These overtures had been through
informal agents; and both the alternatives bringing the Envoys to their
_ne plus_, they resolve to have no more communication through inofficial
characters, but to address a letter directly to the government, to
bring forward their pretensions. This letter had not yet, however,
been prepared. There were interwoven with these overtures some base
propositions on the part of Talleyrand, through one of his agents, to
sell his interest and influence with the Directory towards soothing
difficulties with them, in consideration of a large sum (fifty thousand
pounds sterling); and the arguments to which his agent resorted to
induce compliance with this demand were very unworthy of a great nation
(could they be imputed to them), and calculated to excite disgust and
indignation in Americans generally, and alienation in the republicans
particularly, whom they so far mistake, as to presume an attachment
to France and hatred to the federal party, and not the love of their
country, to be their first passion. No difficulty was expressed
towards an adjustment of all differences and misunderstandings, or even
ultimately a payment for spoliations, if the insult from our executive
should be first wiped away. Observe, that I state all this from only
a single hearing of the papers, and therefore it may not be rigorously
correct. The little slanderous imputation before mentioned, has been the
bait which hurried the opposite party into this publication. The first
impressions with the people will be disagreeable, but the last and
permanent one will be, that the speech in May is now the only obstacle
to accommodation, and the real cause of war, if war takes place. And
how much will be added to this by the speech of November, is yet