THE scrupulous neutrality of the United States had been
sufficient evidence of peaceful intentions to convince the Brit-
ish Ministry, if not the Canadian authorities, that there was
little danger of the American Government following the lead
of the French alliance of 1778 into the war. Genet's impetu-
ous diplomacy reacted against the immense popularity which
the French Republic had enjoyed at the outbreak of the Euro-
pean war. As the autumn months of 1793 came on, Anglo-
American relations appeared to rest in a comparatively quiet
condition, while the public attention became absorbed with
the dreadful yellow-fever epidemic that fell on Philadelphia
and its vicinity.

In reality an adjustment of the various issues between the
United States and Great Britain was as distant as ever. Jeffer-
son's reply to Hammond's indictment of American infractions
of the treaty of peace was still unanswered, though it had
been delivered many months previous. It was useless for the
Foreign Office in such an important matter to plead pressure
of other business. The procrastination was only too apparent.
England seemed to be either unwilling or at a loss to explain
the continued occupation of the posts. The diplomatists of
Downing Street were still hugging the hope of a mediation¹

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