Brooks: Diplomacy and the Borderlands 127

Onis, then at Bristol." What worried the Spaniard was that the
messenger not only brought the notes, but zealously argued for
the acceptance of Adams' plans.
 A valuable service was performed by Hyde de Neuville in acting
as the agent for continuing negotiations, because of the desire of
Adams and Onis to reach a conclusion while intercourse was offi-
cially severed pending the outcome of the Florida affair. On re-
ceipt of word (through Hyde de Neuville, as it happened) of a
tense situation in Washington in July, 1818, Pizarro wrote to
Fernin Nfiiez, as well as to Duke Montmorency Laval, French
ambassador at Madrid, urging just that course of action. He said
that in that way without loss of dignity Onis would have a means
of continuing the negotiation."
 Before that exhortation reached Paris, however, final instruc-
 tions had been sent to Hyde de Neuville, upon receipt of his report
 of the July crisis. Richelieu wrote:
 The King has approved the wisdom of your conduct; and you should, Mon-
 sieur, continue to follow the same system. You cannot present yourself a a
 mediator, still lew as arbiter; bnt, as the American government and the leg-
 tion of Spain have had reeoure to you, as a coneilator, you have done well
 to charge yourself with that honorable rOle.

 It will become evident that Hyde de Neuville followed rather closely
 the fine distinctions made in that instruction.