Informal Demands in Paris and the Refusal
- When
- October 1797
- Where
- Paris, France
- Part of
- XYZ Affair
In Paris in early October 1797, agents of Talleyrand demanded a loan and a £50,000 bribe; the commissioners curtly refused and negotiations never became formal.
The commission arrived in Paris in early October 1797 and immediately requested a meeting with Talleyrand, who had become foreign minister in July. Approached through informal channels by Talleyrand's agents, the commissioners heard from Hottinguer ("X") a demand for a large loan to the French government and a £50,000 bribe to Talleyrand. Pinckney relayed the demands to his colleagues, Hottinguer repeated them to the full commission, and the commissioners curtly refused, though bribes to Talleyrand were widely known. Their offer to send one member home for instructions if seizures of American shipping were suspended was refused.
Sources
- XYZ Affair Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-21
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