While Cevallos thus invoked the aid of France, the news of Pinckney’s war slowly crossed the Atlantic. No sooner did it arrive than Yrujo in the middle of October, shortly after his attempt to seduce the patriotism of Major Jackson, wrote to the Secretary of State a formal letter,[199] repeating what had already been said to Pinckney at Madrid. Madison’s reply was studiously moderate and conciliatory.[200] He explained as best he could the offensive language of the Mobile Act, and announced that a special minister would soon reach Madrid, to hasten the adjustment of all territorial disputes; he deprecated the demand for an abandonment of the French claims, and argued that such a condition of ratification was not supported by international law; he urged Yrujo to give assurances of an unqualified ratification, but he said not a word about Pinckney’s performances, and gave it to be understood that Pinckney would be recalled. A few days afterward he wrote to Monroe, ordering him in haste to Spain. “The turn which our affairs at Madrid have taken renders it expedient in the judgment of the President that you should proceed thither without delay.”[201] In another letter, written at nearly the same time, he was more explicit:[202]-- “Pinckney’s recall has been asked by the Spanish government, and a letter of leave goes to him. I suspect he will not return in good humor. I could not permit myself to flatter him, and truth would not permit me to praise him. He is well off in escaping reproof, for his agency has been very faulty as well as feeble.” The first attempts to overawe Spain had failed. Pinckney, not disavowed but ignored, fell into the background; and once more Monroe stepped forward to rescue the Administration. When these instructions were written, he had already reached Paris on his way to Madrid; but Madison, undeterred by Pinckney’s disaster, still persisted in advising him to place his main reliance “in a skilful appeal to the fears of Spain.”[203] CHAPTER XIII.