tson MSS., Blount to
Robertson, Jan. 18, 1794; letter from Portello, New Madrid, Jan. 17,
1794.]

Collapse of the Movement.

However, the whole movement collapsed when Genet was recalled early in
1794, Clark being forced at once to abandon his expedition. [Footnote:
Blount MSS., Blount to Smith, April 3, 1794.] Clark found himself out of
pocket as the result of what he had done; and as there was no hope of
reimbursing himself by Spanish plunder, he sought to obtain from the
French Government reimbursement for the expenses, forwarding to the
French Assembly, through an agent in France, his bill for the "Expenses
of Expedition ordered by Citizen Genet." The agent answered that he
would try to secure the payment; and after he got to Paris he first
announced himself as hopeful; but later he wrote that he had discovered
that the French agents were really engaged in a dangerous conspiracy
against the Western country, and he finally had to admit that the claim
was disallowed. [Footnote: Draper MSS., Clark's accounts, Aug. 23, 1794;
Fulton to Clark, Nantes, Nov. 16, 1794; _Do.,_ Paris, April 9 and 12,
1795.] With this squabble between the French and Americans the history
of the abortive expedition ends.

Tortuous Diplomacy of the Spaniards.

The attempt, of course, excited and alarmed the Spaniards, and gave a
new turn to their tortuous diplomacy. In reading the correspondence of
the Spanish Governor, Baron Carondelet, both with his subordinates and
with his superiors, it is almost amusing to note the frankness with
which he avows his treachery. It evidently did not occur to him that
there was such a thing as national good faith, or that there was the
slightest impropriety in any form of mendacity when exercised in dealing
with the ministers or inhabitants of a foreign State. In this he was a
faithful reflex of his superiors at the Spanish Court. At the same time
that they were solemnly covenanting for a definite treaty of peace with
the United States they were secretly intriguing to bring about a
rebellion in the western States; and while they were assuring the
Americans that they were trying their best to keep the Indians peaceful,
they were urging the savages to war.

Their Alarm at Clark's Movements.

As for any gratitude to the National Government for stopping the
piratical expeditions of the Westerners, the Spaniards did not feel a
trace. They had early received news of Clark's projected expedition
thr