Blount, the Governor of the Southwestern Territory, acted as vigorously and patriotically as St. Clair and Wayne, and his conduct showed in marked contrast to Shelby’s.  He possessed far too much political good sense not to be disgusted with the conduct of Genet, which he denounced in unmeasured terms.  He expressed great pleasure when Washington summarily rebuked the blatant French envoy.  He explained to the Tennesseeans that Genet had as his chief backers the disappointed office-hunters and other unsavory characters in New York and in the seacoast cities, but that the people at large were beginning to realize what the truth was, and to show a proper feeling for the President and his government. [Footnote:  Robertson MSS., Blount’s letter, Philadelphia, Aug. 28, 1793.] Some of the Cumberland people, becoming excited by the news of Clark’s preparation, prepared to join him, or to undertake a separate filibustering attack on their own account.  Blount immediately wrote to Robertson directing him to explain to these “inconsiderate persons” that all they could possibly do was to attempt the conquest of West Florida, and that they would “lay themselves liable to heavy Pains and Penalties, both pecuniary and corporal in case they ever returned to their injured country.”  He warned Robertson that it was his duty to prevent the attempt, and that the legal officers of the district must proceed against any of the men having French commissions, and must do their best to stop the movement; which, he said, proceeded “from the Machenations no doubt of that Jacobin Incendiary, Genet, which is reason sufficient to make every honest mind revolt at the Idea.”  Robertson warmly supported him, and notified the Spanish commander at New Madrid of the steps which he was taking; at which the Spaniards expressed great gratification. [Footnote:  Robertson MSS., Blount to Robertson, Jan. 18, 1794; letter from Portello, New Madrid, Jan. 17, 1794.]

    Collapse of the Movement.

However, the whole movement collapsed when Genet was recalled early in 1794, Clark being forced at once to abandon his expedition. [Footnote:  Blount MSS., Blount to Smith, April 3, 1794.] Clark found himself out of pocket as the result of what he had done; and as there was no hope of reimbursing himself by Spanish plunder, he sought to obtain from the French Government reimbursement for the expenses, forwarding to the French Assembly, through an agent in France, his bill for the “Expenses of Expedition ordered by Citizen Genet.”  The agent answered that he would try to secure the payment; and after he got to Paris he first announced himself as hopeful; but later he wrote that he had discovered that the French agents were really engaged in a dangerous conspiracy against the Western country, and he finally had to admit that the claim was disallowed. [Footnote:  Draper MSS., Clark’s accounts, Aug. 23, 1794; Fulton to Clark, Nantes, Nov. 16, 1794; Do., Paris, April 9 and 12, 1795.] With this squabble between the French and Americans the history of the abortive expedition ends.