the xyz affair refers to an attempt by french officials to:?

Answer 1

Basic answer -- it was all about a bribe demanded by the French to be allowed to negotiate a dispute between the countries. (In fact, the bribe was not precisely demanded by "French officials", but by unofficial representatives of the French Directory.)

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The background of the "XYZ Affair" was French anger at the U.S., their former ally during the American Revolution, when they settled their disputes with England in the Jay Treaty (1794). The French began harassing American shipping, seizing hundreds of ships, and refusing to even accept Washington's delegate seeking to resolve the matter.

When John Adams took office he sent a three-man commission to France, but they could not gain an official audience. Eventually, they were approached by a group of men, agents of French foreign minister Talleyrand, who demanded of $250,000 BRIBE (which Talleyrand would receive), to gain access... and an apology from the President for anti-French remarks. The Americans refused to pay it.

Why "XYZ"? These were the 'code names' for the three agents used in Adams's official report to congress about the matter. (In fact, what most don't know is that there was a FOURTH man named, so it was original "the WZYZ Affair"! but he played a tiny role and was forgotten.)

Here's a bit more (including the names of the 'mystery men').
http://ap.grolier.com/article?assetid=0425920-00&templatename=/article/article.html

This one tells about the forgotten "W"
http://www.constitution.org/lrev/kentvirg_watkins.txt

If you want "THE" book on the incident, check out William Stinchcombe's *The XYZ Affair* (1980). Compare his article -- "The Diplomacy of the WXYZ Affair," William and Mary Quarterly (1977), 221-45.

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There is also a famous quote that came out of this affair, though it is often popularly associated with the wrong person.

"Millions for defense but not one penny for tribute!"

Some have mistakenly attributed this statement to Ambassador Charles Pinckney (part of Adams's delegation)... who reacted strongly, but not with this particular line.
http://www.bartleby.com/73/804.html

Others have even thought that it was Thomas Jefferson who spoke these words. This probably came from a confusion between the FRENCH seizing of ships and demanding bribes with the rather similar behavior of the Barbary Pirates which Jefferson later had to deal with during his Presidency (in the "First Barbary War" against Tripoli).

In fact, the words were spoken by Rep. Robert Goodloe Harper, chairman of the committee on ways and means in Congress, on June 18, 1798 at a dinner for John Marshall (another commission member) on his return from France.
http://blogs.chron.com/nickanderson/archives/2006/11/last_throws.html
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,787997-3,00.html

Answer 2

I can't determine where the name came from (not even from the Wikipedia article below), but the XYZ Affair refers to the French confiscation of American shipping in retaliation for public American disapproval of the excesses of the French Revolution.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

I thought it was an attempt by French officials to zip up their pants.