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Whitehall, July 31, 1793.

LORD GRENVILLE has had the honour to receive Mr. Pinckney's note of the 22d July, with the memorandum accompanying it; he has directed inquiry to be made respecting the cases of the several ships mentioned by Mr. Pinckney, which he apprehends, however, to be all in a course of legal adjudication, and consequently not in a state to admit of the interference of government.

Mr. Pinckney may be assured of Lord Grenville's best endeavours at all times, to prevent, as far as possible, any inconvenience arising to the subjects of the United States in their European commerce, from the measures which unavoidably result from that state of war, in which the maritime countries of Europe are engaged. But it is impossible for him not to remark, in reply to the observation contained in Mr. Pinckney's note, that the steps adopted by this government, so far from being infractions of the neutral rights, are more favourable than the law of nations on that subject, as established by the most modern, and most approved writers upon it; and that the rule laid down here, has been marked with circumstances of particular attention to the commerce of America, * in the instance which Lord Grenville has already had the honour of pointing out to Mr. Pinckney.

Lord Grenville avails himself of this opportunity, to assure Mr. Pinckney of his sincere esteem and consideration.

Mr. Pinckney, Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States, with Great Britain, to Mr. Jefferson, Secretary of State. London, September 25, 1793.

DEAR SIR,-No alteration has taken place since my last, in the conduct of this government towards the neutral powers; they still assert the propriety of preventing the provisions specified in their additional instructions, from being sent to French ports, and of making prize of their enemy's property, in whatever vessels it may be found-the execution of these measures, of course, creates much uneasiness among our citizens, whose commerce is

• This alludes to rice not being included in the prohibition. T. P.

much injured thereby-I receive assurances that their court will amply redress the irregularities which may be committed by their cruisers, upon proper application; but these are frequently of a nature, to be with difficulty brought under the cognizance of the judiciary; and I find our seafaring people in general, rather inclined to submit to the first inconvenience, than risk the event of a lawsuit. The court of admiralty, in the beginning of the present month, adjudged freight, demurrage, and expenses to an American vessel, whose cargo was condemned. hopeful, since this precedent, that it will be allowed in all other cases, which will, of course, prevent so many of our vessels from being brought in. The protection afforded our seamen, remains also on the same footing; they profess a willingness to secure to us all real American seamen, when proved to be such; but the proof they will not dispense with our consuls are allowed to give protections, where the master of the vessel and the mariner, swear, that the party is an American native and citizen, which protections, in general, are respected, though some irregularities occasionally take place. So many objections are made to the arrangement we propose on this subject, that I see no prospect of its taking place.

I remain, &c.

THOMAS PINCKNEY.

Extract from the Convention between his Britannick Majesty and the Empress of Russia, signed at London the 25th of March, 1793.

Article 3d. Their said majesties reciprocally engage, to shut all their ports against French ships, not to permit the exportation in any case from their said ports for France, of any military or naval stores, or corn, grain, salt meat, or other provisions; and to take all other measures in their power for injuring the commerce of France, and for bringing her, by such means, to just conditions of peace.

Article 4th. Their majesties engage to unite all their efforts to prevent other powers, not implicated in this war, from giving on this occasion of common concern to every civilized state, any protection whatever, directly, or indirectly, in consequence of their neutrality to the

commerce or property of the French on the sea, or in the ports of France.

By the treaty between his Britannick majesty and the king of Sardinia, signed at London the 25th April, 1793, the latter engages to keep on foot, during the war, an army of fifty thousand men, for the defence of his dominions, as well as to act against the common enemy; and the former engages to send into the Mediterranean, a respectable fleet, to be employed as circumstances shall permit, in that quarter. By the 2d article, Great Britain is engaged to furnish to Sardinia, during the war, a subsidy of two hundred thousand pounds sterling, payable quarterly, in advance; the first payment at the date of this treaty. By the third article, his Britannick majesty guarantees to his Sardinian majesty, the restitution of all the parts of his dominions which have, or may be taken from him, during the war. The 4th and 5th articles make all hostilities, in consequence of this treaty, a common cause, and direct the exchange of ratifications in two months or

sooner.

Department of State, to wit:

I hereby certify, that the preceding copies, beginning with a letter of November 29th, 1791, and ending with one of September 25th, 1793, and the paper it enclosed, are from originals, or from authentick copies in the office of the department of state.

Given under my hand, this 4th day of December, 1793. TH: JEFFERSON.

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PAPERS RELATIVE TO FRANCE.

[The following documents, not found in the pamphlet usually considered as those communicated with the message of December 5, are printed with some other papers, which we have already inserted, and must be thought to have been omitted by mistake.]

Citizen Genet, Minister Plenipotentiary of the French Republick, to Mr. Jefferson, Secretary of State of the United States. New York, September 30, 1793, 2d year of the French Republick.

SIR, am directed to communicate to you a new decree of the National Convention, passed the 20th March, relative to the commerce of the United States with our colonies-You will find in it, sir, fresh proofs of the attachment which France bears to the Americans, and of the interest which she takes in their prosperity-After having confirmed, by the preceding decree, to their European commerce every advantage they could wish during the present war, she has established for them, by this, the opening of the ports of her colonies for the consumption of all the productions of their soil, and their industry, for the importation into the United States of part of her sugars, and her coffee, and for the exportation of every kind of colonial production to the ports of France, on the same footing with the French themselves. This law, constructive of that of the 19th February, appears such to me that I cannot conceive the United States could wish a more favourable one. I have been also charged to direct all the consuls and other agents of the French Republick to attend to the equipments which may take place in the different ports of the United States for the French colonies, and, to prevent any violation of the regulations of the 1st and 3d article of the enclosed decree; and I have every reason to believe that the federal government will cheerfully, and without delay, take the necessary steps that the directions which I am about to give on this head shall meet with no difficulty on their part.

Hitherto, sir, the greatest part of my correspondence has only presented you with details distressing for a philosopher. The declaration of war, occasioned by tyranny

against France in freedom, has only allowed me to speak to you of the military points fixed between our nations by the alliance which unites them; but I this day find a real pleasure in engaging your attention in details more consolatory, in details which cannot fail of being to you the most interesting, since they have no other object than the peaceable pursuits of man as a social being, of man on whom philosophy is delighted to fasten her attention. Urged by the convulsions which occasion the establishment within itself of a constitution which annihilates every privilege, which stifles every prejudice, surrounded by all the force which tyranny and fanaticism can collect against her from every part of Europe, France, presenting in one hand the shield of liberty, and in the other the thunderbolt of war, already marks out by her inspiration those exten sive enterprises which, on the return of peace, will fix, in their execution the happiness of the French and of their allies, and prepare a regeneration for the inhabitants of the whole earth! Among these views her first attention has been fixed upon the commercial ties of the Republick with other nations. The national convention has felt the immense satisfaction which enables them to enjoy the spectacle of that establishment which, in annihilating distances, unites, at the same spot, the productions and the enjoyments of every climate, and which, by connecting the human race scattered over the earth should collect them into one family only, constantly excited by the interchange which their mutual wants occasion. She has seen with grief every people groaning under commercial regulations, as absurd as they are tyrannical, every where the victims of errours and of greedy exactions; she has seen them with pain after having overcome seas, mountains, deserts, and every barrier which nature appeared to have placed between them, checked, in the moment when their efforts were to be crowned with success, by rules and ministerial regulations, which, impeding their genius, puts more insurmountable bars to their intercourse, than those even which nature appears to have created. France, sir, perceiving the period when all nations will be freed from these obstacles, views the moment when every one, governed by the same laws, led by the same interests, and leading freely their activity over the face of the earth, find on it no other commercial guide than their own

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