In 1789 he declined the office of District Attorney of the United States at Richmond,[12] in 1795 that of Attorney-General of the United States, and in 1796 that of Minister to France, all offered him by Washington. When President Adams persuaded him, in 1797, to go, with Pinckney and Gerry, as envoy to France, he wrote to Gerry of “General Marshall” (as he was then called, from his rank of brigadier general, since 1793, in the Virginia militia), “He is a plain man, very sensible, cautious, guarded, and learned in the law of nations.” The extraordinary details of that unsuccessful six months’ attempt to come to terms with France are found in Marshall’s very able dispatches and in the diary which he kept;[13] for, with the instinct of a man of affairs, he failed not to remember, with Thomas Gray, that “a note is worth a cartload of recollections.” His own part in the business was marked by great moderation and ability; and on his return, in 1798, he was received at Philadelphia with remarkable demonstrations and the utmost enthusiasm. A correspondent of Rufus King, writing from New York in July of that year, says, “No two men can be more beloved and honored than Pinckney and Marshall;” and again in November: “Saving General Washington, I believe the President, Pinckney, and Marshall are the most popular characters now in our country. There is a certain something in the correspondence of Pinckney and Marshall ... that has united all heads and hearts in their eulogy.” It is understood that the American side of this correspondence was by Marshall. Gerry had allowed himself in a measure to be detached by the Directory from his associates, to their great displeasure. With them, in important respects, he disagreed. Among those who paid their respects to Marshall, on his return from France, was Thomas Jefferson, the Vice-President, whose correspondence shows him at the time expressing the most unflattering opinion of the envoys. Jefferson wrote to Marshall the following note: “In after years,” says Mrs. Hardy, one of Marshall’s descendants,[14] “the Chief Justice frequently laughed over it, saying, ‘Mr. Jefferson came very near telling me the truth; the added _un_ to _lucky_, policy alone demanded.’” The note ran thus: “Thos. Jefferson presents his compliments to General Marshall. He had the honor of calling at his lodgings twice this morning, but was so {un}^lucky as to find that he was out on both occasions. He wished to have expressed in person his regret that a pre-engagement for to-day, which could not be dispensed with, would prevent him the satisfaction of dining in company with Genl. Marshall, and, therefore, begs leave to place here the expressions of that respect which in company with his fellow-citizens he bears him. “Genl. Marshall, at Oeller’s Hotel, June 23d, 1798.”