[XYZ Affair]: [Adams, John]:

$400 · Offered by William Reese Company

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, ACCOMPANYING A REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE, CONTAINING OBSERVATIONS ON SOME OF THE DOCUMENTS, COMMUNICATED BY THE PRESIDENT, ON THE EIGHTEENTH ... The culmination of the official documents revealing the XYZ affair. President John Adams sought to negotiate with the French government, after a falling-out with France over Jay's Treaty and the coup which installed the Directory, in the fall of 1797. Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, John Marshall, and Elbridge Gerry were sent to Paris to negotiate on behalf of the United States. However, when the American envoys met with the French foreign minister, Talleyrand, and other unnamed persons (Mr. X, Y, and Z) they were asked to provide bribes and pay an indemnity to the French government. Pinckney and Marshall returned to the United States, and first told the story in a Message of the President of the United States to Both Houses of Congress (Evans 34812), issued on April 3, and followed by similar revelations on May 4 (Evans 34819). The scandal was also trumpeted by the British press in The Whole Official Correspondence with the Envoys of the American States, and Mons. Talleyrand... (London, 1798). Gerry remained in France, still attempting to negotiate, but finally returned to America in disgust. At this point, "After President Adams saw reports of the XYZ affair, he considered asking for a declaration of war. Congress demanded to see the reports and Adams delivered them in this addre

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