to embroil his country in support of France, in order that his own political power should be affirmed and his personal antipathies gratified. War between the United States and Great Britain included likewise war with Canada, and the event in this view is a part of Canadian history.

Genet landed at Charleston, to be enthusiastically received by the governor, Moultrie, and a sympathising mob. His duty was to proceed to Philadelphia and there present his credentials to Washington and obtain official recognition. Without taking this essential step, he gave instructions to every French consul in the United States to act as a court of admiralty, to judge the prizes brought in by French cruisers. He purchased two vessels, which he named "Citizen Genet" and the "Sans Culottes;" these he equipped, armed and manned with United States seamen, and sent out to prey upon British vessels engaged in American commerce.

After the landing of Genet "L'Ambuscade" sailed for Philadelphia. Such British vessels as were engaged in the West Indian trade and came in her course with rich cargoes she endeavoured to seize. Some were too swift for her and escaped; others were taken and sent into Atlantic ports in charge of prize masters. As "L'Ambuscade" entered the United States waters of Delaware bay, she seized a British merchantman, the "Grange;" this vessel was sent to Philadelphia as a prize. So great was the activity displayed by Genet in attacking from United States ports British vessels that, within twenty-three days after his arrival, the British minister, Hammond, brought to the notice of Jefferson a long array of the consequences of his mischievous disregard of international law. Genet arrived in Philadelphia the day after the "Grange" had been brought in. He was received with a perfect turmoil of respect and attention. He had travelled by land from Charleston, and his journey was one ovation of homage and sympathy. On the 18th of May he was received by Washington as minister plenipotentiary. Genet was repelled by Washington's cold, official recognition. What particularly offended him was that he

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saw in the room the "medallions of Capet and his family. Genet fared otherwise with the general public; on all sides he was caressed and entertained. At a dinner he himself sang a republican song, in vogue in France, of which the refrain was the adored name of liberty.

Genet lost no time in demanding payment of the $2,300,000 owing to France. The money, he admitted, was not due, but France was pressed by want of funds. He represented that it would be expended in the purchase of provisions to be sent to Saint Domingo. He likewise placed on record his authority to conclude a new treaty, on a liberal and fraternal basis as a family compact. Jefferson's official reply was that treaties could be made only with the sanction of the senate, and that the body did not meet until autumn, In answer to the application for payment of the debt, Hamilton stated that the United States were without funds, and, if the treasury were replete with money, compliance with the demand would be held by Great Britain as a violation of neutrality. Genet answered, in terms of rage, that he would assign proportions of the debt for payment of the supplies he desired to obtain, and against this course Hamilton equally contended.

While Jefferson was prepared to sustain Genet as far as possible, those ministers who viewed his conduct in the spirit of statesmen were astonished at the insolence of the man, and resolved that he should not with impunity defy the government of the country. One of his arguments was that United States citizens found on board of a French vessel had ceased to hold that character and had become sons of France. The reply to this audacious proposition was that orders were given by the United States government for all vessels being fitted out as privateers to be seized, and the "Citizen Genet" was ordered out of the United States waters. These instructions led to counter demonstrations. Mobs paraded the streets, cursing the government and calling for a declaration of war against England. A second dinner

followed, when Genet sang the "Marseillaise," with two additional stanzas of his own composition.

The complaint of the British minister was answered by Jefferson to the effect that United States citizens had the right to make and sell arms, and if seized the owners could not complain, for they had been warned. It was not, however, possible to view with indifference the action of the French consuls in the matter of prizes, and their conduct was pronounced illegal. The seizure of the "Grange" was declared to be an insult to the United States. The letter of the British minister had been sent to Ternant, the French minister, on Genet's arrival, for Genet had not then been officially recognised. It fell, however, to Genet to reply to it. He knew nothing of the purchase of arms. He had directed the "Grange" to be given to her owners; he justified the purchase and despatch of privateers; he had submitted the matter to the governor of South Carolina, general Moultrie, and with his approval the vessels had put to sea. He appealed to the treaty to sustain him. As one of the articles gave power to bring prizes into each other's ports, Genet drew the inference that he possessed the right to condemn prizes so brought in. On the same principle, the treaty refused the right of the enemies of one party to fit out privateers in the ports of the other; and in Genet's view it confirmed the right of the principals to commission privateers in each other's ports. However willing Jefferson was to be influenced by this flimsy argument, he could give it no countenance, and orders were issued to seize all vessels which were being equipped as privateers.

"L'Ambuscade" found her way to New York. There was a strong party who felt disgust at the conduct of Genet and had ceased to have sympathy with the French revolution; moreover, they desired to avoid all proceedings which would weaken amicable intercourse with England. A privateer, re-christened the "Republican," was seized. Both the consul at New York and Genet wrote insolent letters to the government. Nevertheless, law prevailed and the vessel was held

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TREACHERY OF JEFFERSON.

361 Several vessels, however, escaped this vigilance and put to sea. In the case of the "Little Sarah," renamed the "Petit Democrat," a prize brought in by "L'Ambuscade," Genet flatly refused to detain her one hour. He complained of being ill-treated by the government, threatened to appeal to the people against the decision of the president, and declared that if an attempt was made to detain her it would be resisted by force.

The vessel sailed from port, Jefferson allowing himself to be duped by Genet's explanation. It is impossible to acquit Jefferson of compliance with her leaving port. He was opposed to Washington's policy of neutrality, and his creature, Freneau, was specially required to denounce it. Jefferson himself was possessed of but moderate literary ability, so he induced Madison to reply to a series of letters signed "Pacificus," in which the policy of Washington's government was ably vindicated. The writer of them was Hamilton. There is scarcely a parallel in political life of treachery equal to that of Jefferson. It is not a strained supposition that Jefferson privately had confidential relations with Genet, and that Genet, believing he could place reliance on the protection of Washington's secretary, persevered in his audacity.* Jefferson's sympathy with France would have led him to sustain Genet's pretensions, and, seconded by Randolph in the discussions in the cabinet, he had given all the support that was possible to the French minister. He had desired to leave the matter of the captured vessels to the decision of the courts, and that no intervention should take place on the part of the government. He also opposed the proposition that the French government should be applied to to remove Genet from his official position.

The violence of Genet awoke a strong sense of the dangerous direction in which the country was drifting. It was

* Genet, in his published letters, reproached Jefferson for the attack made upon him in the letters requesting his recall, "after pretending to be his friend, and initiating him into mysteries which had inflamed his hatred against all those who aspire to an absolute position," an evident allusion to Washington and the

nothing less than war with Great Britain, in support of France, advocated by a party, by no means insignificant in numbers, the leader of which was Jefferson, sustained by Randolph and Madison. It became plain that active support must be given the government in the policy it was enforcing, if the desire to preserve peace was to prevail. Addresses were accordingly sent to Washington, pledging the signers, and they were men of the first influence and position, to support the maintenance of neutrality, and recording their thankful acknowledgment that the proclamation had been issued. These addresses came from Boston, New York, Philadelphia, from all the principal ports of New England, and from the south, with the exception of Charleston. The very places which had shewn the tumultuous welcome to Genet on his journey from Charleston to Philadelphia, Alexandria, Baltimore and Richmond, similarly asserted themselves. The impudent violence of Genet and his partisans had turned public feeling against the French cause.

At Boston the French vice consul intervened in a matter of a prize brought into port, on which the U.S. marshal had served a writ of replevin. The consul had called upon the captain of a French corvette, then in the harbour, to send a party of marines to take the prize in possession. Washington revoked the exequatur of the consul. Genet wrote to Jefferson, with more than his usual insolence, that he did not recognise the proclamation, that the president had overstepped his authority, and demanded that the viceconsul's conduct should be looked into by the sovereign state of Massachusetts. At Philadelphia some French partisans endeavoured to kill a man on board a vessel from Saint Domingo, on the ground that he had been inimical to the French cause. He was saved only by being rescued by the bystanders, and taken to the city hall. On the following day other members of the cabinet. Further, Genet wrote, "that it was not in his character to speak, as many people do, in one way and act in another, to have an official language and language confidential." To these serious accusations no reply was made by Jefferson.