Complete Works. Hamilton Alexander
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with blank commissions and appointments, and fitted out the privateer Embuscade, which patrolled the coast and captured an English merchantman, which it took into Philadelphia. This city, which was then full of émigrés and French sympathizers, including the redoubtable Talleyrand, was in a state of mind to eagerly welcome the swashbuckling Genet, who tied his vessel up to the Market Street wharf, all decorated with the insignia of the revolutionists at home. The bow, stern, and top of the foremast of the Embuscade, we learn, were adorned with liberty caps, while inscriptions were attached to other parts of the ship, all breathing of extravagant promises of liberty, equality, and fraternity. A body of leading citizens, headed by Jefferson and Governor Mifflin, and including Clement Biddle, Rittenhouse, Dallas, Dulonceau, and others, heartily welcomed the French minister with salvos of artillery and fulsome speeches; and, without waiting until he had presented his credentials to President Washington, he accepted an invitation to dinner, which was a remarkably disorderly event. Washington's reception of the man was dignified but freezing, and Genet's embarrassment was further increased by finding pictures of the dead king upon the walls of the executive mansion. His indignation knew no bounds, and this "insult" was only made bearable by the kind sympathy of his new friends, and another public dinner, which must have been a veritable saturnalia. One of the dishes was a roast pig, which Genet proceeded to stick with his knife, meanwhile crying, "Tyrant! tyrant!" He then placed upon his own head a liberty cap, which was transferred to the heads of the others in turn, while the "Marseillaise" was sung by the half-crazed party.
The state of popular feeling was incredible, and the Jacobin clubs, which represented the disorderly majority, lost no opportunity of praising Genet, and encouraging him in his obstinate course of fitting out privateers to prey upon English commerce. So bad did this become that Chief Justice Jay was obliged to issue a warning, and declared it the duty of all grand juries to prosecute persons guilty of such violations of the laws. English prizes were restored to their owners, and even Jefferson, who had silently encouraged the rabble, slowly realized that he was Secretary of State, and tardily admonished Genet.
The incredible arrogance and impudence of this individual was such that he threatened to appeal from the President and his advisers to the people; but luckily the noisy mob was then really in the minority, and cooler reason prevailed. Before this point had been reached, however, Genet attempted to fit out the English prize that had been seized by the Embuscade, which he called the Little Sarah or Petit Democrat. Hamilton, who had stood shoulder to shoulder with Washington, here asserted himself. The situation is summed up in a letter, written by the Secretary of the Treasury to Rufus King:
Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 13, 1793.
DEAR SIR: The post of to-day brought me your letter of the 10th, but I was too much engaged to reply to it by return of post.
The facts with regard to Mr. Genet's threat, to appeal from the President to the people, stand thus:
On Saturday, the 6th of July last, the warden of this port reported to Governor Mifflin that the brig Little Sarah, since called the Petit Democrat (an English merchant vessel, mounting from two to four guns, taken off our coast by the French frigate the Ambuscade, and brought into this port), had very materially altered her military equipments, having then fourteen iron cannon and six swivels mounted, and it being understood that her crew was to consist of one hundred and twenty men.
Governor Mifflin, in consequence of this information, sent Mr. Dallas to Mr. Genet to endeavor to prevail upon him to enter into an arrangement for detaining the vessel in port, without the necessity of employing or that purpose military force.
Mr. Dallas reported to Governor Mifflin that Mr. Genet had absolutely refused to do what had been requested of him, that he had been very angry and intemperate, that he had complained of ill-treatment from the government, and had declared that "he would appeal from the President to the people;" mentioned his expectation of the arrival of three ships of the line, observing that he would know how to do justice to his country, or, at least, he had a frigate at his command, and could easily withdraw himself from this; adding that he would not advise an attempt to take possession of the vessel, as it would be resisted.
The refusal was so peremptory that Governor Mifflin, in consequence of it, ordered out 120 men for the purpose of taking possession of the vessel.
This conversation between Genet and Dallas was in toto repeated by General Mifflin to General Knox the day following, and the day after that the governor confirmed the declaration with regard to appealing to the people, owned that something like the threat to do justice to his country by means of the ships of the line was thrown out by Mr. Genet, but showed an unwillingness to be explicit on this point, objecting to a more particular disclosure, that it would tend to bring Mr. Dallas into a scrape.
Mr. Jefferson, on Sunday, went to Mr. Genet, to endeavor to prevail upon him to detain the Petit Democrat until the President could return and decide upon the case, but, as Mr. Jefferson afterwards communicated, he absolutely refused to give a promise of the kind, saying only that she would not probably be ready to depart before the succeeding Wednesday, the day of the President's expected return. This, however, Mr. Jefferson construed into an intimation that she would remain. Mr. Jefferson also informed that Mr. Genet had been very unreasonable and intemperate in his conversation (though he did not descend to particulars), and that Dallas had likewise told him (Mr. Jefferson) that Genet had declared he would appeal from the President to the people.
The Petit Democrat, instead of remaining as Mr. Jefferson had concluded, fell down to Chester previous to the Wednesday referred to, where she was when the President returned. A letter was written to Mr. Genet, by order of the President, informing him that the case of the vessel, among others, was under consideration, and desiring that she might be detained until he should come to a decision about her, but this requisition was disregarded. She departed in defiance of it.
I give this detail that you may have the whole subject before you, but I cannot authorize you to make use of it all. The circumstance of the letter may be omitted. It may be said generally that a requisition was made of Mr. Genet, by order of the President, for the detention of the vessel. All that part, however, which is scored or underlined, may be freely
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This conversation between Genet and Dallas was in toto repeated by General Mifflin to General Knox the day following, and the day after that the governor confirmed the declaration with regard to appealing to the people, owned that something like the threat to do justice to his country by means of the ships of the line was thrown out by Mr. Genet, but showed an unwillingness to be explicit on this point, objecting to a more particular disclosure, that it would tend to bring Mr. Dallas into a scrape.
Mr. Jefferson, on Sunday, went to Mr. Genet, to endeavor to prevail upon him to detain the Petit Democrat until the President could return and decide upon the case, but, as Mr. Jefferson afterwards communicated, he absolutely refused to give a promise of the kind, saying only that she would not probably be ready to depart before the succeeding Wednesday, the day of the President's expected return. This, however, Mr. Jefferson construed into an intimation that she would remain. Mr. Jefferson also informed that Mr. Genet had been very unreasonable and intemperate in his conversation (though he did not descend to particulars), and that Dallas had likewise told him (Mr. Jefferson) that Genet had declared he would appeal from the President to the people.
The Petit Democrat, instead of remaining as Mr. Jefferson had concluded, fell down to Chester previous to the Wednesday referred to, where she was when the President returned. A letter was written to Mr. Genet, by order of the President, informing him that the case of the vessel, among others, was under consideration, and desiring that she might be detained until he should come to a decision about her, but this requisition was disregarded. She departed in defiance of it.
I give this detail that you may have the whole subject before you, but I cannot authorize you to make use of it all. The circumstance of the letter may be omitted. It may be said generally that a requisition was