MONROE, James (1758-1831), President . Autograph letter signed ("Jas Monroe") as Minister to France, TO PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON, PARTIALLY IN CIPHER, with WASHINGTON'S DOCKET "From Colonel Monroe 24 t h March 1796" on verso of integral leaf, Paris, 24 March 1796. 1 page, 4to, deciphered text at bottom (perhaps in the hand of Secretary of State Timothy Pickering), integral leaf , in very fine condition. MONROE WARNS THE PRESIDENT THAT A LETTER (ON THE JAY TREATY) HAS BEEN INTERCEPTED AND "HAS PRODUCED AN ILL EFFECT" ON THE FRENCH COURT An excellent example of the numeric diplomatic cipher widely used by American diplomats from Jefferson's years as minister to France. Here, the American Minister in Revolutionary France warns the President that diplomatic correspondence may have been compromised when a letter from the President was intercepted by the French authorities. Appointed Minister in the Spring of 1794, Madison's duties were compllicated by the political turmoil of the revolution. At the same time, his own revolutionary sympathies ran counter to the wishes of President Washington. The disputes that resulted proved dangerous not only to Monroe's reputation at home, but "nearly wrecked his career" (H. Ammon, James Monroe , p. 114). Monroe writes (ciphered text in italics): "You will decypher this by the publick cypher in the hands of the Secry. of State. A letter from you to G r. Morris inclosed to Mr. Deas has fallen by some accident into the hands of the Directoire. It contains five or six pages, is said to be very confidential, authorizing communications with Lord Grenville, etc. The person who told me of it and who read it, says it has produced an ill effect. He adds, that you say you have kept no copy of the letter. I mention this that you may be aware of the fact, upon the idea it may be useful and cannot be hurtful ." Monroe concludes with the innocuous remark that "My publick communications are so full that I have little to add here...." Washington's intercepted letter to Morris, dated 4 March, commented frankly on the expected ratification of Jay's Treaty, and noted that he expected "animated" debate in Congress before ratification (published in Writings , ed. J. C. Fitzpatrick, 34:482-484). Relations with France had been strained since the outset of the French Revolution, and news that the U.S. and Great Britain had signed Jay's Treaty exacerbated French suspicions. Monroe himself "felt that he himself had been perfidiously used as a decoy to keep the French passive while a treaty was negotiated which neither he nor the French would approve" (Flexner, Washington: The Indispensable Man , p. 357). Two weeks prior to the present letter, the Directory lodged an official protest against what they perceived as an alliance with an enemy. The intercepted diplomatic note mentioned by Monroe is yet another indication of the serious deterioration of Anglo-American relations. Monroe was recalled from France later that year. Within two years, the United States would be embroiled in the undeclared "Quasi-War" with its former ally, France. Provenance : Calvin Bullock (sale, Christie's, 14 May 1985, lot 50).
MONROE, James (1758-1831), President . Autograph letter signed ("Jas Monroe") as Minister to France, TO PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON, PARTIALLY IN CIPHER, with WASHINGTON'S DOCKET "From Colonel Monroe 24 t h March 1796" on verso of integral leaf, Paris, 24 March 1796. 1 page, 4to, deciphered text at bottom (perhaps in the hand of Secretary of State Timothy Pickering), integral leaf , in very fine condition. MONROE WARNS THE PRESIDENT THAT A LETTER (ON THE JAY TREATY) HAS BEEN INTERCEPTED AND "HAS PRODUCED AN ILL EFFECT" ON THE FRENCH COURT An excellent example of the numeric diplomatic cipher widely used by American diplomats from Jefferson's years as minister to France. Here, the American Minister in Revolutionary France warns the President that diplomatic correspondence may have been compromised when a letter from the President was intercepted by the French authorities. Appointed Minister in the Spring of 1794, Madison's duties were compllicated by the political turmoil of the revolution. At the same time, his own revolutionary sympathies ran counter to the wishes of President Washington. The disputes that resulted proved dangerous not only to Monroe's reputation at home, but "nearly wrecked his career" (H. Ammon, James Monroe , p. 114). Monroe writes (ciphered text in italics): "You will decypher this by the publick cypher in the hands of the Secry. of State. A letter from you to G r. Morris inclosed to Mr. Deas has fallen by some accident into the hands of the Directoire. It contains five or six pages, is said to be very confidential, authorizing communications with Lord Grenville, etc. The person who told me of it and who read it, says it has produced an ill effect. He adds, that you say you have kept no copy of the letter. I mention this that you may be aware of the fact, upon the idea it may be useful and cannot be hurtful ." Monroe concludes with the innocuous remark that "My publick communications are so full that I have little to add here...." Washington's intercepted letter to Morris, dated 4 March, commented frankly on the expected ratification of Jay's Treaty, and noted that he expected "animated" debate in Congress before ratification (published in Writings , ed. J. C. Fitzpatrick, 34:482-484). Relations with France had been strained since the outset of the French Revolution, and news that the U.S. and Great Britain had signed Jay's Treaty exacerbated French suspicions. Monroe himself "felt that he himself had been perfidiously used as a decoy to keep the French passive while a treaty was negotiated which neither he nor the French would approve" (Flexner, Washington: The Indispensable Man , p. 357). Two weeks prior to the present letter, the Directory lodged an official protest against what they perceived as an alliance with an enemy. The intercepted diplomatic note mentioned by Monroe is yet another indication of the serious deterioration of Anglo-American relations. Monroe was recalled from France later that year. Within two years, the United States would be embroiled in the undeclared "Quasi-War" with its former ally, France. Provenance : Calvin Bullock (sale, Christie's, 14 May 1985, lot 50).
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