"By our treaties with several of the belligerent Powers," he told Genet, "we have established a style of peace with them.

But without appealing to treaties, we are at peace with them all by the law of nature: for, by nature's law, man is at peace with man." Hence the propriety of forbidding acts within American jurisdiction that would cause disturbance of this peace, a point on which he quoted copiously from Vattel.

Genet manifested some irritation at being referred to treatises on international law when he was resting his case on a treaty the validity of which Jefferson acknowledged.

"Let us not lower ourselves," he wrote, "to the level of ancient politics by diplomatic subtleties.

Let us be frank in our overtures, in our declarations, as our two nations are in their affections, and, by this plain and sincere conduct, arrive at the object by the shortest way." Logically Jefferson's position was that of maintaining the validity of the treaty while opposing the fulfillment of its obligations.