When Adams sent three other commissioners to Paris to negotiate, agents of Foreign Minister Charles Maurice de Talleyrand (whom Adams labeled "X, Y and Z" in his report to Congress) informed the Americans that negotiations could only begin if the United States loaned France $12 million and bribed officials of the French government.
Da Adams sendte tre forhandlere til Paris, gjorde udenrigsminister Charles Maurice de Talleyrands tre diplomater (som Adams kaldte X,Y og Z i sin rapport til Kongressen) opmærksom på, at forhandlingerne først kunne indledes, hvis USA lånte Frankrig 12 millioner dollars og bestak franske embedsmænd.