Details
TALLEYRAND-PÉRIGORD, CHARLES MAURICE DE (1754-1838), Foreign Minister of France. Letter signed ("ch mau talleyrand") to Robert R. Livingston, Minister Plenipotentiary to France, Paris, 15 Ventôse an 12 [7 March 1804]. 1 page, folio, 310 x 200 mm. (12 1/8 x 7 7/8 in.), half morocco folding case, in French.
TWO EXPERIENCED DIPLOMATS POLITELY LOCK HORNS
Talleyrand acknowledges a letter from Livingston which questioned "certain clauses of the Convention of [30 April] last [the Louisiana Purchase Treaty and conventions]." As requested, Talleyrand has passed on Livingston's remarks to the Minister of Finance (François de Barbé-Marbois, Minister of Finance, who negotiated and signed that treaty) and assures Livingston that he "has no doubt that the discussions that they will engender will be in perfect harmony with the principles of good faith and friendship that unite the two governments, and which France will eagerly seize the occasion to demonstrate to the United States."
The Louisiana Purchase Treaty--signed 30 April 1803 by Livingston, Monroe and Barbé-Marbois--incorporated two conventions of complex financial provisions which had been hurriedly drawn up by Livingston. These conventions, particularly the one relating to the United States' assumption of claims of American citizens arising from French spoliation, proved faulty and led to serious difficulties, "caus[ing] Livingston much bitterness" (DAB). Monroe "followed Livingston's lead in providing for the claims on the assumption that his colleague, who had been discussing the claims for two years, was better informed than he" (Almon, op. cit., p. 222), but the cumbersome procedure proved unworkable and Livingston was quite soon in open conflict with the American commissioners appointed to look into the claims.
The letter which Talleyrand acknowledges here is likely to have been one of the many attempts--which continued for years--to unravel and clarify the convoluted terms and provisions of the conventions. Or it may also have related to a promise made by Barbé-Marbois to use France's influence with Spain to help American efforts to purchase the Floridas, assistance which never materialized. That Talleyrand, who had been adamantly opposed to France's cession of the Louisiana Territory from the start, "was definitely anti-American and enjoyed snubbing Livingston" (D. Malone, Jefferson the President, p. 251), can perhaps also be detected in the exemplary suavity of his utterly uninformative response.
TWO EXPERIENCED DIPLOMATS POLITELY LOCK HORNS
Talleyrand acknowledges a letter from Livingston which questioned "certain clauses of the Convention of [30 April] last [the Louisiana Purchase Treaty and conventions]." As requested, Talleyrand has passed on Livingston's remarks to the Minister of Finance (François de Barbé-Marbois, Minister of Finance, who negotiated and signed that treaty) and assures Livingston that he "has no doubt that the discussions that they will engender will be in perfect harmony with the principles of good faith and friendship that unite the two governments, and which France will eagerly seize the occasion to demonstrate to the United States."
The Louisiana Purchase Treaty--signed 30 April 1803 by Livingston, Monroe and Barbé-Marbois--incorporated two conventions of complex financial provisions which had been hurriedly drawn up by Livingston. These conventions, particularly the one relating to the United States' assumption of claims of American citizens arising from French spoliation, proved faulty and led to serious difficulties, "caus[ing] Livingston much bitterness" (DAB). Monroe "followed Livingston's lead in providing for the claims on the assumption that his colleague, who had been discussing the claims for two years, was better informed than he" (Almon, op. cit., p. 222), but the cumbersome procedure proved unworkable and Livingston was quite soon in open conflict with the American commissioners appointed to look into the claims.
The letter which Talleyrand acknowledges here is likely to have been one of the many attempts--which continued for years--to unravel and clarify the convoluted terms and provisions of the conventions. Or it may also have related to a promise made by Barbé-Marbois to use France's influence with Spain to help American efforts to purchase the Floridas, assistance which never materialized. That Talleyrand, who had been adamantly opposed to France's cession of the Louisiana Territory from the start, "was definitely anti-American and enjoyed snubbing Livingston" (D. Malone, Jefferson the President, p. 251), can perhaps also be detected in the exemplary suavity of his utterly uninformative response.