The residue of Gallatin's
speech shall follow when published. A recent fact proving the anxiety of
France for a reconciliation with us, is the following. You know that one
of the armed vessels which we took from her was refitted by us, sent to
cruise against her, re-captured, and carried into Guadaloupe under the
name of the Retaliation. 'On the arrival there of Desfourneaux, the
new commissioner, he sent Victor Hughes home in irons; called up our
captain; told him that he found he had a regular commission as an
officer of the United States; that his vessel was then lying in the
harbor; that he should inquire into no fact preceding his own arrival
(by this he avoided noticing that the vessel was really French
property), and that, therefore, himself and crew were free to depart
with their vessel; that as to the differences between France and the
United States, commissioners were coming out to settle them, and, in the
mean time, no injury should be done on their part. The captain insisted
on being a prisoner; the other disclaimed; and so he arrived here with
vessel and crew the day before yesterday. Within an hour after this
was known to the Senate, they passed the retaliation bill, of which
I enclose you a copy. This was the more remarkable, as the bill was
founded expressly on the _Arret_ of October the 29th, which had been
communicated by the President as soon as received, and he remarked,
'that it could not be too soon communicated to the two Houses and the
public'.
Pages:
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715
716
717
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727
728