Dear Sir, Philadelphia Feb.^y 2. 1797. I send you M^r Swan's letter to Gen^l Smith, in which the former would have it understood that the conduct of Santhonax & the other agents of the French Gov ernments have not determined on their late depredations on American commerce, in consequence of any orders or letters from M^r Adet; and that he has no commu nications from France that authorize the conduct now followed there; and that he (M^r Adet) believes that it can never have entered into the "Head of power" (by which it must be presumed he means, the Directory in France) to make such a regulation. Without enquiring whether M^r Swan's statement is or is not correct, I will just remark, that the first captures made of American Vessels by order of Victor Hugues, for having Horses &other contraband articles on board, are expressly grounded, by that "special agent of the French Directory," on the advices he had received from M^r Adet, under the date of the 15^th or [undecipherable: probable reading 22^d] of July last; and that twelve days after July 14^th M^r Adet, in answer to a number of questions I had proposed to him relative to [strikethrough: any] orders which might have been issued by the French Government or any branch of it, for capturing American Vessels, professed entire ignorance on the subject. I will further inform you, that the capturing of American vessels going to or from British ports is not confined (as M^r Adet seems inclined to have us believe) to the West Indies: the same game is playing in Europe: and not against Americans only: for the French privateers, be side two of these, had captured three Swedes & two Danes, and carried them into Spain, or the Spanish port of Ceuta on the Barbary Coast: and the French Consul at Cadiz avowed his determination to con demn all neutral vessels going to or coming from the ports of the enemies of France, adding, that he had authority so to do. Such was the State of things agreeable to my latest information from Spain. Thus much I thought it would be agreeable to you to know, after perusing Swans letter to General Smith. I remain respectfully yours T. Pickering James McHenry Esq^r [Feb^y 2, 1797 Sec^y of State]