X Y Z letters,
Popular designation of a correspondence, made public in 1798, which nearly resulted in the
United States declaring war against
France.
Louis XVI.
had been overthrown in
France, and a republic established in charge of the Directory and Council.
The French envoys to
America,
Genet,
Adet, and
Fouchet, annoyed
Presidents Washington and
Adams exceedingly by their arrogance.
Then the
French Directory authorized French war-vessels to seize American merchantmen and “detain them for examination.”
Fully 1,000 vessels, carrying the
United States flag, had been thus stopped in their course when
Adams appointed
Pinckney,
Marshall, and
Gerry as a commission to visit
France and negotiate a treaty that would save American vessels from further annoyance.
The commission was met in
France by three unofficial agents, who told the
Americans that the Directory would not listen to them unless suitable bribes, amounting to $240,000, were given; and that, if the commission were received,
France would expect a loan from the
United States, as French finances were then at a very low ebb. The American envoys indignantly rejected these proposals and were ordered out of
France.
They at once published their report in the
United States, but, instead of giving the names of the three French agents, they were styled X, Y, and Z, and the correspondence took its name from this fact.
The disgraceful action of
France aroused the whole country.
“Millions for defence, not one cent for tribute” became a proverbial phrase, having been originally used by
Charles C. Pinckney, who, after being expelled from
France, was sent back as one of the three envoys.
Congress at once ordered an increase in the army and navy.
Before the new ships were ready hostilities had actually begun.
Commodore Truxton, in the
United States frigate
Constellation, captured a French frigate, the
Insurgente, in West Indian waters, Feb. 9, 1799, and fought the French frigate
Vengeance, which, however, escaped during the night.
Over 300 American merchant vessels were authorized as privateers.
The result was that
France yielded.
Talleyrand, the very minister who had dictated the insults, and whose secretary had demanded the bribe of 1,200,000 francs, now disavowed any connection with the
French agents, X, Y, Z, and by order of Napoleon, who had assumed the charge of French affairs, pledged his government to receive any minister the
United States might send.
Without consulting his cabinet,
Adams took the responsibility of again sending ambassadors.
These men were well received, and orders were at once issued to French cruisers to refrain from molesting vessels of the
United States, and a cordial understanding between the two countries began, which terminated in the cession of
Louisiana two years later.