Dft (DLC); unsigned and partially dated text written by TJ ca. 22 May 1793 and then revised by him on 23 or 24 May 1793; with three markings in pencil by Washington—two of them described in the “Anas” entry of 23 May 1793—three revisions by TJ made at the President’s behest, and two additions by George Taylor, Jr. (see notes below); at foot of text by TJ and encircled in pencil, presumably by the President: “To the Provisory Executive council of the republic of France.” PrC (DLC); lacks all but two of the revisions in Dft; written at head of text in ink by TJ, probably on one of the occasions later in life when he reviewed or reorganized his papers: “See among my official reports &c. the original of which this is a press-copy, scored by the President, and altered to his views.” Recorded in SJPL under 24 May 1793: “draught of lre from the Presidt. to the Exve of France. Ter[nant].” Enclosed in TJ to Washington, 22 May 1793; final text enclosed in TJ to Gouverneur Morris, 13 June 1793.

The drafting of this letter reflects the difference between TJ’s enthusiasm for the cause of the French Republic and the President’s more restrained attitude toward it. On 17 May 1793, the day after Jean Baptiste Ternant wrote to TJ about his recall by the Provisional Executive Council of France, the French minister wrote privately to Washington requesting an expression of his “personal and private assurance” that he had faithfully discharged his official duties in the United States “notwithstanding the violent agitations, and great vicissitudes experienced by the government of my country” (Ternant to Washington, 17 May 1793, DLC: Washington Papers; note to TJ to Washington, 18 May 1793). Washington drafted a personal letter to Ternant expressing approval of his conduct in the United States, but then decided that it would be impolitic to send it because the Provisional Executive Council had not explained its motives for recalling the last French minister to the United States appointed by Louis XVI (Washington to Ternant, [ca. 17] May 1793, and his note thereto, DLC: Washington Papers). In the meantime, having been asked by Washington to draft for him a letter to the Provisional Executive Council expressing his sentiments on the occasion of the end of Ternant’s diplomatic mission, TJ submitted a draft of the above letter to the President on 22 May 1793. During a conversation with the Secretary of State on the following day, Washington criticized TJ’s use in the draft of the phrase “our republic” with respect to the United States because it seemed to reflect Republican complaints about the alleged monarchism of Federalists, and also objected to TJ’s use of the term “republic” with respect to France, possibly because of the rapidly changing political situation in that country (see Notes of a Conversation with George Washington, 23 May 1793). Washington apparently also challenged the form of address TJ had inscribed at the foot of the draft. TJ altered the draft in accordance with the President’s wishes (notes 2, 4–5 below), and the next day Washington signed the final text containing these revisions (Washington, Journal description begins Dorothy Twohig, ed., The Journal of the Proceedings of the President, 1793–1797, Charlottesville, 1981 description ends , 147, 148). The text sent to the Provisional Executive Council has not been found, but retained copies, dated 24 May 1793, indicate that it included one minor change in wording not recorded in TJ’s Dft and that it was signed by Washington alone (FC in Lb in DLC: Washington Papers, addressed: “The Provisionary Executive Council of France”; FC in Lb in DNA: RG 59, Credences). For the phrase “our republic” as it was later considered by the President, see Notes of a Cabinet Meeting on the President’s Messages to Congress, 28 Nov. 1793.