They invited their fellow-citizens, therefore,
to appoint a National Convention. In conformity with this their idea
of the defective state of the national authority, you were desired
from hence to suspend further payments of our debts to France till
new orders, with an assurance, however, to the acting power, that
the suspension should not be continued a moment longer than should be
necessary for us to see the re-establishment of some person or body of
persons authorized to receive payment and give us a good acquittal; (if
you should find it necessary to give any assurance or explanation at
all.) In the mean time, we went on paying up the four millions of livres
which had been destined by the last constituted authorities to
the relief of St. Domingo. Before this was completed, we received
information that a National Assembly had met, with full powers to
transact the affairs of the nation, and soon afterwards, the minister of
France here presented an application for three millions of livres, to
be laid out in provisions to be sent to France. Urged by the strongest
attachment to that country, and thinking it even providential, that
monies lent to us in distress, could be repaid under like circumstances,
we had no hesitation to comply with the application, and arrangements
are accordingly taken, for furnishing this sum at epochs accommodated
to the demand and our means of paying it.
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