8565. TREATIES OF COMMERCE, British.—[continued].
On my presentation as
usual to the King and Queen, at their levées, it
was impossible for anything to be more ungracious
than their notice of Mr. Adams and
myself. I saw at once that the ulcerations in
the narrow mind of that mulish being left nothing
to be expected on the subject of my attendance;
and on the first conference with the
Marquis of Carmarthen, his Minister of Foreign
Affairs, the distance and disinclination
which he betrayed in his conversation, the
vagueness and evasions of his answers to us,
confirmed me in the belief of their aversion to
have anything to do with us. We delivered
him, however, our projét, Mr. Adams not despairing
as much as I did of its effect. We afterwards,
by one or more notes, requested his appointment
of an interview and conference,
which, without directly declining, he evaded
by pretences of other pressing occupations for
the moment. After staying there seven weeks,
till within a few days of the expiration of our
commission, I informed the minister by note
that my duties at Paris required my return to
that place, and that I should with pleasure be
the bearer of any commands to his Ambassador
there. He answered that he had none, and
wishing me a pleasant journey, I left London
the 26th, and arrived at Paris the 30th of April.—
Autobiography. Washington ed. i, 64.
Ford ed., i, 89.
(1821)
