"On October 20, 1799, from Newport Harbor, R.I., Captain Barry notified the Hon. Jonathan Dayton, of New Jersey, that Owen Smith whom he had recommended as a midshipman for frigate 'United States' had, in many instances, 'behaved himself in a manner very unbecoming a gentleman, and as I conceive it my indispensable duty to prevent every person of bad conduct from getting a footing in the infant navy, I have, at his own request, discharged him. Your nephew, Mr. Williamson, has been too tenderly brought up to follow sea life; I think his father had better seek some other mode of life for him.'" (Crimmins' MS.)
The cruise ordered took six weeks, but no record of captures appears. The coast had been protected. That was the end to be obtained—not captures—as a formal declaration of war had not been made by either the United States or France. Though commonly called "the War with France" because of actual hostilities having taken place, officially, war did not exist between the two countries. It is not necessary for our purpose to detail the political course of the two nations with respect to the difficulties between them, but when negotiations had so far progressed that special Commissioners or Ministers were to proceed to France with a view of arranging a treaty, Captain Barry was, on October 16, 1799, notified that "the President has decided that the 'United States' shall carry our envoys to Europe and you will hold yourself in readiness to perform that service by the first of November at the farthest."
The envoys were Chief Justice O. Ellsworth, R.W. Davis, ex-Governor of North Carolina, and W.V. Murray, U.S. Minister at The Hague—"Envoys Extraordinary to the French Republic."
Captain Barry had orders to land them at any part of France they preferred and to touch at any ports they desired. Captain Barry was indeed on an old service. He had carried Colonel John Laurens and Lafayette to France to seek aid for America. Now he carried American envoys to demand justice for American commerce and the cessation of hostile measures against its freedom.
The mission President Adams declared was sent at one of the "most critical, important and interesting moments that ever occurred" in American history. Again was Barry given the old order so often given him during his Revolutionary career: "You will not capture anything on the voyage. This is a mortification to which it is necessary that you should submit. I hope to salute you an Admiral on your arrival at Philadelphia."
Captain Barry performed the duty assigned him and landed the envoys in France. After long negotiations a Treaty of Peace, Commerce and Navigation was agreed to September 30, 1800, with the First Consul Bonaparte. It was ratified by the U.S. Senate February 3, 1801, by the French July 31, 1801, and proclaimed December 31, 1801.
Washington died December 14, 1799. On the 20th Captain Barry received from the Navy Department a General Order of President Adams that all vessels should be "put in mourning one week by wearing their colors at half-mast high." The officers to "wear crape on the left arm below the elbow for six months."
During the year 1800 the "United States" frigate was not in active duty—the trouble with France having ceased, other occasions for her services did not arise. Lieutenant Mullowney was promoted to the command of the "Ganges" and thirty-five of the seamen of the "United States" transferred with him.
On July 16, 1800, Lieutenant Charles Stewart was given command of the "Experiment," Captain Barry expressing the hope that "he will be more active than he was," a hope which was justified in his subsequent career. At this time Barry's vessel was undergoing repairs. He wrote the Secretary, "she will not be out of the carpenter's hands until October." When she was ready for sea, Barry was directed "to proceed to St. Kitts and assume command of your squadron on the Guadeloupe station, taking under your convoy any merchant vessels ready to proceed for the Windward Islands; you have to protect our commerce to all the Islands and to guard our merchant vessels against all depredations from Porto Rico as well as from Guadeloupe and other dependencies of France." Later the Treaty of September 30, 1800, arrived, when Barry was directed to "treat the armed vessels of France, public and private, exactly as you find they treat our trading vessels."
Up to that time seventy-four French vessels had been taken and more than eighty had been retaken from the French. This was regarded as ample proof of the value of a Navy and made its advocates so jubilant that "What think ye of the Navy now?" was tauntingly asked of its former opponents.