2025. DEBT (French), Payments Resumed.—
On the dissolution of the late constitution
in France, by removing so integral a
part of it as the King, the National Assembly,
to whom a part only of the public authority had
been delegated, appear to have considered themselves
as incompetent to transact the affairs
of the nation legitimately. 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 debt 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 reestablishment 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 meantime,
we went on paying up the four million
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 moneys 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. * * * We shall certainly use our utmost
endeavors to make punctual payments of the
instalments and interest hereafter becoming exigible,
and to omit no opportunity of convincing
that nation how cordially we wish to serve them.—
To Gouverneur Morris. Washington ed. iii, 521.
Ford ed., vi, 199.
(Pa.,
March. 1793)
