Early in February, 1804, Madison sent these new instructions to Pinckney, inclosing the ratified treaty, and instructing him in effect to press the reserved claims for French spoliations in Spanish ports. The despatch reached Pinckney in May, and he went at once to Cevallos for the ratification. To his great annoyance Cevallos made difficulties. During the discussion, Cevallos received from Yrujo a copy of the Mobile Act, which he sent to Pinckney May 31, with a demand for explanations. Pinckney replied in a tone little short of dictatorial.[189] “Permit me on this subject to remind your Excellency,” said he, “that on the first intelligence being received of the cession of Louisiana, I communicated verbally to your Excellency and the Prince of Peace the contents of an official letter I had received from Mr. Livingston and Mr. Monroe, informing me that they considered a great part of West Florida, as so called by the English, as included. Such letter could not have been written officially to me by them without their having been so informed by the French plenipotentiary and government.” Pinckney urged that the two subjects should be kept separate. “Do not show the United States that you have no confidence either in their honor or justice,--qualities on which they value themselves more than on power or wealth.” Unfortunately Pinckney’s note obliged Spain to show want of confidence in the “honor or justice” of the United States, unless indeed she meant to acquiesce in losing Florida as well as Louisiana. Pinckney next appealed to the French ambassador for help.[190] “I took the course of giving Mr. Pinckney an obliging but vague answer,” said Beurnonville, writing for instructions to Talleyrand. Cevallos, on his side, wrote to Admiral Gravina, the Spanish ambassador at Paris, instructing him to remonstrate with Talleyrand against Pinckney’s conduct. After a month’s delay, Cevallos, in answer to Pinckney’s letters, sent a sharp note,[191] offering to ratify the convention on three conditions,--one being that the reserved claim for French spoliations should be abandoned, and another that the Mobile Act should be revoked. Without waiting for further instructions, or even consulting Monroe at London, Pinckney next wrote to Cevallos a letter which surpassed all indiscretions that Madison could have imagined. Requesting Cevallos “merely to answer this question,” whether ratification was refused except on the conditions specified, he added:[192]--