The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, v. 29, no. 7 (March, 1971)

Windham for his recent "affectionate attention," he reported that Washington
"disliked the System of the New Republicans as much as might be expected from
a man sensible of the true principles of a good government and anxious for the
happiness of mankind." He told at length how America was divided in reaction
to the current situation in France, after having been in favor of the first movements
toward a constitutional government. He found it "remarkable that the
states which admit slavery were all the more in favor of equality and licentiousness."
In a detailed and, it would seem, partisan description of the members of
Washington's cabinet he praises Hamilton as "a man of great understanding, fine
talents, a communicative genius, an untainted probity, an absolute disinterestedness,"
while "Jefferson is the chief of the Jacobin party; had he the talent and
capacity of Hamilton he would acknowledge with him that there is no prosperity
for a great Empire without a repressive force directed against everyone who
wishes to rise above the law." Noailles had experienced enough such risings. He
detailed Genet's warm welcome in the southern states and the latter's activities
contrary to Washington's Proclamation of Neutrality, which was quoted in entirety
by Noailles. He estimated extraordinarily accurately, in the light of subsequent
history, that the United States would remain neutral as long as England
ended the war quickly and did not "take any French ship armed with an Americain
[sic] captain and an Americain crew." He advised that if England acted differently
"America will make some reclamations. In this case do not threaten or
come to a war." Noailles then provided Windham with figures on American population,
finances, taxation, debt, Indian problems, and military arrangements.
Noting that America could defend itself but not make offensive war, he counseled
that it was "the interest of England not to quarrel with America, as it is the
interest of America to keep not only the most exact neutrality but a perfect harmony."
Noailles's primary interests on arriving in Philadelphia appear most clearly,
however, in the final part of this extraordinary letter: "To give you a general view
of the situation of America, I must now consider it with respect to the resources
it offers to speculations. The main things are 1. trade, 2. acquisition of cultivated
land, 3. the loan upon individuals, 4. the loan upon the Unitate [sic] States, 5. the
reestablishment of French colonies, 6. the acquisition of uncultivated land." He
recommended the commission business in trade, loans to individuals, and the
purchase of uncultivated lands as the best ways to make money. "The reestablishment
of French colonies is uncertain," he noted, "and perhaps the moment
it will take place far from the present; but the instant it shall take place be very
favourable to the possessors of land in this country." Noailles closed the letter
hoping "it contains some particulars useful to the cause you support and that my
former knowledge of this country has rendered me able to observe. What I mention
relative to the employment of founds [funds] may be serviceable to those
of our countrymen who may be desirous of an establishment here."
The compilation of such a complete, well-informed, and thoughtful document
within a month of Noailles's arrival in this country must have resulted in part at
least from consultation with his old correspondent, Robert Morris, who was, with
his partner William Bingham, one of America's most successful land speculators
and general businessmen. Noailles quickly made a trip into "uncultivated" lands
of Morris and John Nicholson, another of Morris's associates in land speculation,
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