sold Elbridge Gerry, Seeking to Legitimize Actions At the End of XYZ Affair, Writes His Friend John

In the meantime, Elbridge Gerry stayed in France until fall, which would open him to attacks by the Federalists that he was negotiating secretly and without the approval of his government.  This was exacerbated by news of the duplicitous actions of the French and by some who sought to tarnish Gerry's reputation, chief among them Federalist Secretary of State Timothy Pickering, whose report on negotiations in Paris accused Gerry of acting counter to his mandate and the wishes of his two colleagues.  Pickering would make Gerry's life difficult from the moment he returned, and would deny the legitimacy of his stay in Paris past the departure of Marshall.  This went to the heart of the Federalist – Republican split at a time when the former were strong. 

This Pickering – Gerry feud reached a boiling point when, on August 3, 1799, responding to Gerry's complaints that his work in 1798 was being questioned, President John Adams had to intervene, writing on Gerry's behalf to Pickering, "Mr. Gerry's stay in France… was not gratuitous but of indispensable and unavoidable necessity under the paws of arbitrary power." Adams wanted Gerry reimbursed for his expenses there.  Gerry was anxious to put the incident behind him and wanted to receive the needed funds he was waiting for, so he followed up with Adams.

Autograph Letter Signed, Cambridge, Sept. 29, 1799, to President Adams. "If an answer to the letter which your excellency proposed to write to Mr. Pickering on my concerns, is received, I will do myself the honor of waiting on you at any time which may best serve your convenience.  Mrs. Gerry writes with me in best respects to yourself and Lady."

The American quasi-war with France would end in 1800, when another delegation would meet in Paris at Adams' urging and sign an agreement with the new French government headed by Napoleon. It realized that the war on the Continent demanded its complete attention and there was no benefit of adding another war across the Atlantic.