George  Rogers  Clarke,  wlio  had  d<>ue  good  ser-
vice in  the  Revolution,  but  who,  through  intem-
perance and  other  causes,  had  become  impover-
ished, lent  himself  to  be  the  leader  of  the  expe-
dition from  Kentucky.  Genet  found  a  willing-
ness among  the  Kentuckiaus  to  engage  in  such
an  enterprise,  because  Spain  had  refused  the
free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi.  The  "Dem-
ocratic Society"  at  Lexington  had  taken  this
matter  in  hand.  French  emissaries  were  em-
ployed in  Kentucky  and  South  Carolina,  and
commissions  were  issued;  but  both  enterprises
failed  for  waut  of  money.  At  one  time  Cfeuet
had  two  thousand  seamen  and  soldiers  on  his
hands  to  support.  These  and  other  efforts  of
Genet  to  set  the  neutral  policy  of  the  United
States  at  defiance,  and  his  general  insolence  of
conduct  in  trying  to  stir  up  the  people  and  the
statiC  governments,  caused  serious  thoughts  in
the  mind  of  Washington  of  abruptly  dismissing
him  and  ordering  him  to  leave  the  conntry.
But  a  wise  forbearance  undoubt-edly  accom-
plished good  results  iu  a  better  way.
Geneva  Award.
