A Minister thus specially commissioned, it was expected, would have proved the instrument of restoring mutual confidence between the two Republics; the first step of the French Government corresponded with that expectation. A few days before his arrival at Paris, the French Minister of Foreign Relations informed the American Minister, then resident at Paris, of the formalities to be observed by himself in taking leave, and by his successor preparatory to his reception. These formalities they observed; and on the ninth of December presented officially to the Minister of Foreign Relations, the one a copy of his letters of recall, the other a copy of his letters of credence. These were laid before the Executive Directory: two days afterwards, the Minister of Foreign Relations informed the recalled American Minister that the Executive Directory had determined not to receive another Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States until after the redress of grievances demanded of the American Government, and which the French Republic had a right to expect from it. The American Minister immediately endeavored to ascertain whether, by refusing to receive him, it was intended that he should retire from the territories of the French Republic, and verbal answers were given that such was the intention of the Directory. For his own justification he desired a written answer; but obtained none until towards the last of January; when receiving notice in writing to quit the territories of the Republic, he proceeded to Amsterdam, where he proposed to wait for instruction from this Government. During his residence at Paris, cards of hospitality were refused him, and he was threatened with being subjected to the jurisdiction of the Minister of Police, but with becoming firmness he insisted on the protection of the law of nations, due to him as the known Minister of a foreign power. You will derive further information from his despatches, which will be laid before you. As it is often necessary that nations should treat, for the mutual advantage of their affairs, and especially to accommodate and terminate differences, and as they can treat only by Ministers, the right of embassy is well known, and established by the law and usage of nations; the refusal on the part of France to receive our Minister is then the denial of a right; but the refusal to hear him, until we have acceded to their demands, without discussion, and without investigation, is to treat us neither as allies, nor as friends, nor as a sovereign State.