the Spanish possessions. With this purpose in view, Genet arrived in Charleston, April 9, 1793. In February of that year, France had declared war against England, and in March, against Spain. The frontiersmen could be counted upon to cooperate because they had suffered from the Indian raids. Incidentally, it is of interest to note Blount's reaction to the proposed Genet expedition. He openly denounced any persons who joined Clark's forces, and declared them "liable to Heavy Pains and Penalties, both pecuniary and corporal, in case they ever returned to their injured country. "120 Unable to raise the necessary funds and opposed by the Washington Administration, Genet was forced to give up the project. The new embassy from France, Fauchet, La Forest, and Le Blanc, rejected the Genet plan, and revoked the commissions of the filibusters, but this did not cause the French to abandon their dream of a Colonial Empire. Fauchet estimated that if France controlled the Mississippi Valley, it could free the French West Indies from their dependence on the United States. It would mean, too, a monopoly of the products of the Mississippi Valley.21 France, aware of the advantages of possessing the province, urged Spain to cede Louisiana 20. F. A. Ogg, Opening of the Mississippi (New York, 1904), p. 453. at the Treaty of Basel where France and Spain made peace. 22 The French Commissioner agreed that the Jay treaty had united the interests of England and the United States, and that there was much reason to believe the two powers would seize Louisiana. Spain held firm, and de clined to give up the province. On the other hand, Godoy justly alarmed that the Jay treaty might lead to an expedition against Louisiana by England and the United States came to terms with Pinckney, and hurried through the San Lorenzo Treaty, to guarantee friendly terms with the United States. favorable concession to the United States would prevent an invasion on the part of that power. 23 This The treaty of Basel established friendly rela tions between France and Spain, and, in the spring of 1796, France again negotiated for Louisiana. 24 France feared that Pinckney would bring about a Spanish-American alliance, and would secure a cession of Louisiana and Florida 25 to the United States. After the brilliant victories in Italy France offered the papal legations to the royal 22. Turner, Policy of France, p. 268. 23. Ibid., p. 267. 24. Ibid., p. 269. 25. James A. James, "Louisiana as a Factor in American Diplomacy" in Mississippi Valley Historical house of Spain in return for the much coveted province With the feeling of certainty that France would secure Louisiana, Adet, the French Minister at Philadelphia, who replaced Fauchet in 1795, commissioned Victor Collot to make a survey of the military conditions in the West.27 Collot was instructed to make note of all strategic locations for commerce or defense, and to become acquainted with the most influential persons in the West. He was to sound out the general temper of the country in 28 regard to an alliance with France. Collot, after in vestigating, reported that Louisiana ought to include the whole region between the Alleghenies and the Rockies.29 By the end of 1796, the French had several 26. Turner, Policy of France, p. 269. 27. Justin Winsor, The Westward Movement (New York, 1897), p. 561. 28. George Gibbs, Memoirs of Administrations of Washington and John Adams, from papers of Oliver Wolcott (2 vols., New York, 1846), p. 251. (Callot was too communicative for his particular post, and confided in a person who carried the information to the United States Government. As a result an agent was sent to follow Callot. From Memoirs of Wilcox, May 21, 1796, Gibbs, p. 352. 29. Turner, Policy of France, p. 273; (Adet, notified his government that Collot's findings were of great value and would serve to counteract the projects of the British. See "Correspondence of the French Ministers to the United States, 1791-1797", ed. by Frederick J. Turner, in Annual Report of the American Historical Asso |