symbol of the enfranchisement of a friendly nation, who like them had purchased their liberty at the price of their blood.

This expectation has not been fulfilled, and it has been decided that the French flag should be shut up among the archives. Whatever may be the expression of friendship in the answer of the President; however amicable also are the resolutions of the House of Representatives, I cannot doubt, sir, that the order made for preserving a flag, which the Republick sent only to the United States, will be looked upon by it as a mark of contempt or indifference. Pride, sir, you know is the portion of a free people, and it is never wounded but at the expense of friendship. The present circumstances are extremely delicate, and when I am convinced the American government had no intention of leading the French Republick to think that the gift of her flag was worth nothing in its eyes, should it not give her authentick proofs of it? Would it not be convenient to fix this flag in a similar place to that which yours occupies in France, and where the national honour expected to see it?

I venture to believe, sir, that when I make you this proposition you will know how to appreciate my intentions, and will see in this step the man, who, faithful to his character, endeavours to prevent every cause of altercation between the governments of two people united by the same interests. Accept, sir, &c.

P. A. ADET.

No. 143.

From Mr. Pickering, Secretary of State, to Mr. Adet, Minister Plenipotentiary of the French Republick. Department of State, Jan. 15, 1796.

SIR,-I have received your letter of the 9th indicating your regrets at the disposition, which has been made of the colours you presented to the United States, and your opinion that all France will be dissatisfied.

You remark, that when the National Convention decreed that the colours of France should be presented to the United States, there was but one opinion on the place where they should be deposited; and as a decree had

placed those of the United States in the hall of the legis lative body, that the French colours would here receive the same honour. You even suppose that the depositing of these colours among the archives of the United States will be received as a mark of contempt, or at least of indifference.

Indeed, sir, I should extremely regret, that the real and essential friendship of two free people should be wounded by a circumstance of this kind, resulting from the different ideas they entertain of the mode most proper for preserving the signs of their liberty, and of the victories and triumphs by which it was acquired.

It should be remembered, that when it was decreed by the National Convention, that the colours of the United States should be placed in the hall of their sittings, the representatives of the French people assembled in one room, and that their own colours (it is understood) had been there previously exhibited.

In the United States, on the contrary, the representatives of the people are divided into three branches. For the President and senators are as truly the representatives of the people as the members of the other house, the only difference being this, that the latter are chosen immediately by the people, and the two former by persons whom the people have previously chosen to elect them. But each of the three branches of the representatives of the people has its peculiar duties. While that of the House of Representatives is confined to objects of internal legislation; and that of the Senate, embracing the same objects, extends partially to some external concerns, the President is the sole constitutional organ of communication with foreign nations; and for this purpose the people have appointed him their sole representative. When therefore the colours of France were delivered to the President, they were in the only proper manner presented to the people of the United States of America, for whom the President is the only constitutional depository of foreign communications. Of these, the President transmits to the two houses of Congress such as he thinks proper for their information and thus the colours of France were exhibited to their view. But the United States have never made a publick display of their own colours, except in their ships and in their military establishments.

Under these circumstances, what honour could be shown to the colours of France more respectful than to deposit them with the evidences and memorials of our own freedom and independence? If to the United States only the colours of France have been presented-I answer that the colours of France alone have been deposited with our national archives; that both may be preserved with equal

care.

I must also remark, that the people of the United States exhibited no where, in their deliberative assemblies, any publick spectacles as the tokens of their victories, the symbols of their triumphs, or the monuments of their freedom. Understanding in what true liberty consists,contented with its enjoyment, and knowing how to preserve it, they reverence their own customs, while they respect those of their sister Republick. This I conceive, sir, is the way to "maintain peace and good harmony between France and the United States ;" and not by demanding of one nation an adoption of the manners of the other: in these we must be mutually free.

This explanation, sir, I hope will be satisfactory to you and to your government, and in concurrence with the manner of receiving the French colours, and the unanimous sentiments of affection and good wishes expressed on the occasion by the President, the Senate and the House of Representatives, effectually repel every idea that could wound the friendship subsisting between the two nations. I have the honour to be, &c.

TIMOTHY PICKERING.

No. 144.

TRANSLATION.

The Minister Plenipotentiary of the French Republick, near the United States of America, to Mr. Pickering, Secretary of State of the United States. Philadelphia, the 13 Ventose, 4th year of the French Republick, one and indivisible (3d March, 1796, O.S.)

SIR,-Some periodical works, and particularly the Directory printed at Philadelphia, have come out this year with an alteration against which it is my duty to complain.

The French ministers have always enjoyed the precedency as to those of England, not only in the United States but throughout the world; and France as a Republick has preserved and will preserve the rank she has held in the diplomatic corps under her ancient regime.

The French people look upon all people as equal and as brothers; but they will never suffer that partial distinctions contrary to custom should be granted directly or indirectly to any state whatever.

The foreign agents near your Republick have hitherto been arranged in the Directory and other almanacks of the United States in the order of rank appertaining to their respective powers.

This year the agents of Great Britain, who enjoy only the third rank, have there been placed before those of France and Spain.

It is usual, sir, for almanacks of this kind to be corrected under the direction of governments, and with their approbation. I should presume that this is not the case in the United States, since they would have noticed the alteration against which I complain.

If I am mistaken in this respect, as I ought to suppose that this change is only an errour, I shall confine myself, sir, to requesting you to have it rectified by suppressing the publication and the distribution of the Directory and other almanacks in which it has been committed.

But if, as I imagine, these works are the property of individuals, and the government of the United States can exercise no influence as to their correction, in this case, as their publication, although free, has taken place under the protection of the American laws, and if the alteration therein made should not be contradicted, the publick may conclude either that it has been consented to by the government of the United States, and acquiesced in by me, or that the French Republick does not preserve as to England the priority she has always enjoyed:

I pray you, sir, to be pleased to declare in writing, that the government of the United States have no concern in the printing of the Directory and other works of that kind, in which the agents of the French Republick near the United States have been registered this year after those of Great Britain, against the usage and the right of pre

cedency which belongs to the French Republick; and to permit me to publish in the newspapers your answer or declaration which I have the honour to request.

· Accept, sir, my sentiments of respect and esteem,

P. A. ADET.

-No. 145.

Mr. Pickering, Secretary of State, to Mr. Adet, Minister Plenipotentiary of the French Republick. Department of State, March 14, 1796.

SIR, I received your letter of the 3d instant, complaining of an alteration introduced into some periodical works, particularly the Directory printed at Philadelphia, in which the names of foreign agents in the United States are so arranged, that those of Great Britain precede those of France; although (you observe) not only in the United States, but in all the world, France has always enjoyed, in the diplomatic line, the precedency of Great Britain. You rightly imagine, sir, that works of this kind are not here, as in Europe, edited under the direction of government. They are all the property of individuals, who print what they please, and in such order as their ideas of propriety, or humour or accident may direct. The contents of such annual works are usually confined to facts, the details of which are not of a nature to be subjected to any legal regulation.

Supposing the alteration in the order of publishing the names of the agents of foreign powers in the United States to have originated in an errour, without any direction from the government, "you request, that the errour may be corrected, by a suppression of the publication and distribution of the Directory and other almanacks, in which the same errour has been committed." But, sir, this is impossible. These works are, as I have before observed, the property of private citizens, who, having offended against no law, can be subjected to no penalty or loss. The press in the United States, you must have seen, sir, is perfectly free. Not to trouble you with any more remarks, I will close this letter with noting the manner in which the foreign diplomatic characters in the United States have