3425. GENET, Recall of.—
[At a cabinet
meeting] to consider what was to be done with
Mr. Genet, * * * the following propositions
were made: 1. That a full statement of
Mr. Genet's conduct be made in a letter to G.
Morris, and be sent with his correspondence, to
be communicated to the Executive Council of
France; the letter to be so prepared, as to serve
for the form of communication to the Council.
Agreed unanimously. 2. That in that letter his
recall be required. Agreed by all, although I
expressed a preference of expressing that de
sire with great delicacy; the others were for
peremptory terms. 3. To send him off. This
was proposed by Knox; but rejected by every
other. 4. To write a letter to Mr. Genet, the
same in substance with that written to G. Morris, and let him know we had applied for
his recall. I was against this, because I
thought it would render him extremely active
in his plans, and endanger confusion. But I
was overruled by the other three gentlemen
and the President. 5. That a publication of
the whole correspondence, and statement of the
proceedings, should be made by way of appeal
to the people. Hamilton made a jury speech of
three-quarters of an hour, as inflammatory and
declamatory as if he had been speaking to a
jury. E. Randolph opposed it. I chose to
leave the contest between them.—
The Anas. Washington ed. ix, 162.
Ford ed., i, 252.
(Aug. 1793)
