3165. FRANCE, Reconciliation overtures.—
The event of events was announced
in the Senate yesterday. It is this: It seems
that soon after Gerry's departure, overtures
must have been made by Pichon, French
Chargé d'Affaires at the Hague, to Murray.
They were so soon matured, that on the 28th
of September, 1798, Talleyrand writes to
Pichon, approving what had been done, and
particularly of his having assured Murray
that whatever Plenipotentiary the government
of the United States should send to
France to end our differences would undoubtedly
be received with the respect due to the
representative of a free, independent and
powerful nation; declaring that the President's
instructions to his envoys at Paris, if
they contain the whole of the American government's
intentions, announce dispositions which have been always entertained by the
Directory; and desiring him to communicate
these expressions to Murray, in order to convince
him of the sincerity of the French government,
and to prevail on him to transmit
them to his government. This is dated September
the 28th, and may have been received
by Pichon October 1st: and nearly five
months elapse before it is communicated.—
To James Madison. Washington ed. iv, 292.
Ford ed., vii, 362.
(Pa.,
Feb. 19 1799)
