Pinckney having done his worst, found himself in a position extremely awkward. Although he threatened to leave Spain, and proclaimed that he meant soon to demand his passports, he did not venture to take this last step without instructions. Cevallos, excessively perplexed by his conduct, could not conceive that he should act thus without some definite authority. Boldly as Cevallos talked, he was in truth greatly alarmed by the idea of war. The French representative at Madrid wrote to Talleyrand that Pinckney had terrified the secretary beyond reason:[197]—
“The difficulty of making himself understood by M. de Cevallos in a language with which he is not familiar, excites Mr. Pinckney to fly out in terms beyond moderation and proper civility. He positively threatens war, and loudly announces his resolution shortly to demand his passports. The truth is that he is preparing to depart, and finds himself almost deprived of power to remain, not only in consequence of his personal altercation with the minister, but also of the care with which he has taken the public into his confidence.... M. de Cevallos seems to me to be quite seriously alarmed at the results this may have.”
Ten days later the Frenchman reported that Cevallos was more uneasy than ever.[198]
“‘If the Emperor,’ added M. de Cevallos, ‘would but say a word, and let the United States understand that he is not pleased at seeing them abuse the advantages which they owe to their strength and to the nearness of their resources over an ally of France, this would reconcile all difficulties, and save his Majesty the necessity of exacting satisfaction for an insult which is as good as inflicted.’”
The Frenchman, having no instructions, contented himself with suggesting that the Emperor had more pressing matters on hand. “‘So,’ said M. de Cevallos, ‘France will have caused our actual misunderstanding with our neighbors, and we are to expect no service from her influence!’”
While Cevallos thus invoked the aid of France, the news of Pinckney’s war slowly crossed the Atlantic. No sooner did it arrive than Yrujo in the middle of October, shortly after his attempt to seduce the patriotism of Major Jackson, wrote to the Secretary of State a formal letter,[199] repeating what had already been said to Pinckney at Madrid. Madison’s reply was studiously moderate and conciliatory.[200] He explained as best he could the offensive language of the Mobile Act, and announced that a special minister would soon reach Madrid, to hasten the adjustment of all territorial disputes; he deprecated the demand for an abandonment of the French claims, and argued that such a condition of ratification was not supported by international law; he urged Yrujo to give assurances of an unqualified ratification, but he said not a word about Pinckney’s performances, and gave it to be understood that Pinckney would be recalled. A few days afterward he wrote to Monroe, ordering him in haste to Spain. “The turn which our affairs at Madrid have taken renders it expedient in the judgment of the President that you should proceed thither without delay.”[201] In another letter, written at nearly the same time, he was more explicit:[202]—
“Pinckney’s recall has been asked by the Spanish government, and a letter of leave goes to him. I suspect he will not return in good humor. I could not permit myself to flatter him, and truth would not permit me to praise him. He is well off in escaping reproof, for his agency has been very faulty as well as feeble.”
The first attempts to overawe Spain had failed. Pinckney, not disavowed but ignored, fell into the background; and once more Monroe stepped forward to rescue the Administration. When these instructions were written, he had already reached Paris on his way to Madrid; but Madison, undeterred by Pinckney’s disaster, still persisted in advising him to place his main reliance “in a skilful appeal to the fears of Spain.”[203]
CHAPTER XIII.
Hardly was the Louisiana treaty sent to America in May, 1803, when Monroe began preparations for a journey to Madrid. The outbreak of temper with which Godoy and Cevallos received the news that Spain had been secretly deprived of Louisiana, caused Bonaparte to feel that further maltreatment of his ally was for the moment unwise; and he interposed a sudden veto on Monroe’s journey. “With respect to Florida, this is not the time to pursue that object,” said he, when Monroe came to take leave.[204] The Consul Cambacérès echoed the warning: “You must not go to Spain at present; it is not the time; you had better defer it.” The Third Consul Lebrun spoke in the same tone. Monroe took the advice, and abandoned the journey to Madrid. In July he crossed the Channel to London, and Aug. 17, 1803, was duly presented to George III. as the successor of Rufus King, who had already returned to America. Livingston remained at Paris to manage the relations with Napoleon.