When Pinckney, Marshall, and Dana were nominated to settle
our differences with France, it was suspected by many, from what was
understood of their dispositions, that their mission would not result in
a settlement of differences; but would produce circumstances tending to
widen the breach, and to provoke our citizens to consent to a war
with that nation, and union with England. Dana's resignation and your
appointment gave the first gleam of hope of a peaceable issue to
the mission. For it was believed that you were sincerely disposed to
accommodation: and it was not long after your arrival there, before
symptoms were observed of that difference of views which had been
suspected to exist. In the mean time, however, the aspect of our
government towards the French republic had become so ardent, that the
people of America generally took the alarm. To the southward, their
apprehensions were early excited. In the Eastern States also, they at
length began to break out. Meetings were held in many of your towns, and
addresses to the government agreed on in opposition to war. The example
was spreading like a wild-fire. Other meetings were called in other
places, and a general concurrence of sentiment against the apparent
inclinations of the government was imminent; when, most critically for
the government, the despatches of October the 22nd, prepared by your
colleague Marshall, with a view to their being made public, dropped into
their laps.
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