I told him I really could not foresee what would be the event of
this detention; that the situation of the British funds, and the desire
of their minister to begin to reduce the national debt, seemed to
indicate that they could not wish a war. He thought so, but that neither
were we in a condition to go to war. I told him, I was yet uninformed
what Congress proposed to do on this subject, but that we should
certainly always count on the good offices of France, and I was sure
that the offer of them would suffice to induce Great Britain to do us
justice. He said that surely we might always count on the friendship
of France. I added, that by the treaty of alliance, she was bound to
guaranty our limits to us, as they should be established at the moment
of peace. He said they were so, '_mais qu'il nous etoit necessaire de
les constater_.' I told him there was no question what our boundaries
were; that the English themselves admitted they were clear beyond
all question. I feared, however, to press this any further, lest a
reciprocal question should be put to me, and therefore diverted the
conversation to another object.
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