Knox discusses the French Carribean with Genet
Item
Type
Draft Document
Title
Knox discusses the French Carribean with Genet
Description
Document, describes Genet's request for arms and ammunition to defend Guadeloupe and Martinique. Document also contains an internal U.S. Government memorandum, dated 8 June 1793, concerning the staffing and vetting of the official opinions given to Genet in the letter of 7 June.
short description
Doc, Memo des meeting with Genet
year created
1793
month created
06
day created
07
author
recipient
in collection
in image
note
documents are written in the hand of Knox
notable person/group
Genet
Henry Knox
Mr Genet
Admiral Gardner
President of the United States
Mr Hammond.
notable location
Guadeloupe
Martinice [ Martinique ]
France
Great Britain.
notable item/thing
the French minister called upon the subscriber and after some uninteresting conversation he observed that he had just received some agreeable news from Guadeloupe and Martinique
Admiral Gardner had made his appearance off Martinique
a good disposition
stood in need of the items that they may act
muskets, cannon and ammunition
if the US would provide these articles out of the public arsenal, the amount
to reduce
the debt due France
puts the commerce with them upon the same footing as for France itself
any assistance we should afford in the present instance
offering it to ourselves
France had the right to demand our guarantee of these islands
supply of arms and ammunition
I replied that in fact our arsenals was very deficient
so much so that the President had directed me to look about
for replenishing
if the case was otherwise it would be doubted whether
short of an act of the legislature
public
means of defense
candor dictated that I should say that the measure would be considered
of Great Britain
in answer to these reasons he said that as to any deficiency of ours the granting of a few thousand of muskets would not much
that deficit and that we might soon make arrangements
to manufactory the quantity required
That if the President had not the actual authority to present the articles it might be considered as a good reason for the
but as to the British he did not consider that Mr. Hammond was a Viceroy in this country and that they had not any right to take any offense at the measure as the British government had the last year sold arms to France out of their arsenal
matter might be considered purely as the sale made to some individual and he added that he understood we had 70000 arms in store
our vessels would soon be useless
violently insulted
did not see that we had any cause to fear our own shadow
he soon should send in preference of the plan of England to favor France in to subjection that our ships would be boarded at sea by the English and violated in a fast manner
these things were repeated
demand urged with considerable zeal
I finally told him that from his manner of his making his request it would appear to be his design that I should mention to the President of the US
his object he thought that in cases of a similar nature it was helpful to mention the business informally
then an official note might be presented
I promised to state the request to the President and would endeavor to let him know the result tomorrow.
document number
1793060700201
page start
1
Item sets
Transcribe this document
Document instances
| In image | In source | Location in source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [view document] (10 pages) | AKQ16 (10 pages) | Collection: Henry Knox Papers. [microfilm] | R: 34, P: 48 |
Document names
| Type | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Henry Knox | [unknown] | [n/a] |
| Recipient | M. Genet | [unknown] | [n/a] |