1804-June-27: Minister Livingston formally presented Madison’s proposed convention to French Foreign Minister Talleyrand, emphasizing the “absolute necessity…

1804-June-27: Minister Livingston formally presented Madison’s proposed convention to French Foreign Minister Talleyrand, emphasizing the “absolute necessity” of American trade with the island. Livingston even requested that the United States be permitted to station official commercial agents, or consuls, in Haiti to regulate the traffic. To justify this request, he cited the historical precedent of William Bingham, who served as a consul in Martinique before France had officially recognized American independence. He argued that these agents would actually benefit France by ensuring that American trade did not include prohibited military supplies. Talleyrand remained unmoved, viewing any official American presence on the island as an infringement on French sovereignty.