CONTINUED--INDIGNITIES OFFERED TO MR. PINCKNEY--MONROE'S
LEAVE-TAKING--INSULTING SPEECH OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH
DIRECTORY--PINCKNEY LEAVES PARIS--SPECIAL SESSION OF
CONGRESS--PRESIDENT ADAMS'S MESSAGE--HIS
RECOMMENDATIONS--WASHINGTON'S SOLICITUDE--CHANGES IN PUBLIC
SENTIMENT--ACTION OF CONGRESS--SPECIAL ENVOYS SENT TO
FRANCE--WASHINGTON'S OPINIONS CONCERNING THE EMBASSY AND THE CHANCES
OF WAR--LANGHORNE'S CORRESPONDENCE--JEFFERSON'S
POSITION--LAFAYETTE'S RELEASE--ROCHAMBEAU.

Washington retired from the chair of state at a time when his country
was enjoying the highest degree of prosperity. Through the wisdom of
Hamilton and the firmness of the president, a sound credit at home had
been created, and an immense floating debt funded in a manner perfectly
satisfactory to the creditors, and to all except ignorant or
unscrupulous partisans. An ample revenue was provided for; all
difficulties which a system of internal taxation is liable to encounter
at the outset, had been removed; and the authority of and thorough
respect for the federal government were firmly established. Means had
been provided for the gradual extinguishment of the public debt; a large
portion of it had been actually discharged; and a system, which had
finally brought about an almost entire extinction of it when the war of
1812 broke out, had been matured. The agricultural and commercial wealth
of the nation had increased beyond all former example; and the numerous
Indian tribes, warlike and hostile, that inhabited the western frontiers
and the immense country beyond, even to the west of the Mississippi, had
been taught, by sad experience, the folly of opposing the power of the
United States, and were then at peace with them.

The foreign relations of the United States were in a condition more
desirable than at any time since the establishment of the government,
except in regard to France. The differences with Spain had been
adjusted; the free navigation of the Mississippi had been acquired; and
the use of New Orleans as a commercial _depot_, for a specific time, had
been secured. The causes which, at one time, threatened a war between
the United States and Great Britain, had been removed by diplomacy; and
the military posts on the frontier, which served as nuclei of Indian
hostilities, had passed into the possession of the government of the
United States. Treaties not perfectly satisfactory, but nevertheless