Papers of John Adams, volume 18

Thomas Barclay to the American Commissioners, 10 April 1786 Barclay, Thomas American Commissioners
Thomas Barclay to the American Commissioners
Gentlemen Madrid 10th. April 1786.

The Day before yesterday mr. Carmichael received Letters from Algiers from mr. Lamb, dated the 29th. of last Month, and from mr. Randal the 26th. (which I think a wrong Date) with a Postscript from on board a Vessel in the Bay of Alicant of the 1st. Inst. after a Passage of 26. Hours. He cannot come on Shore without a Permission from Court to shorten his Quarantine, which mr. Carmichael has applied for, & probably mr. Randal will soon be at Paris.1

Though mr. Carmichael will write to you on this Subject2 and though I have no Information from Africa, but what I derive from him, I think it a Part of my Duty to give you the Outlines of what Intelligence I can collect, though it should prove a Work of Supererogation.

Mr. Lamb’s Letter is short & obscure nor do I understand the whole of it. However he says3 “no Peace can be made until Congress grant a larger Sum to pay for it, & that he will return to Spain to wait for Orders.” Mr. Randal says the Dey of Algiers has refused to treat with mr. Lamb without assigning any Reason for it. It does not appear by either Letter that mr. Lamb has had any Audience of the Dey of Algiers: but I shall think it very strange if he returns to Europe without knowing on what Terms a Treaty may be made.— And I find that to be the Case unless I have your Directions to the contrary I shall hold myself justifiable at the Expence of some Time & Money to attain this Knowlege.

The Removal of the Court, the Compliance with necessary Forms & the Intervention of the Holy Week4 (during some Days of which I need not pretend to set forward) has detained me some Time longer than I expected, but the Delay can be of no Consequence, as the Count de Florida Blanca was so condescending as to apprize the Spanish Consul at Morocco of my being thus far on the Way, Indeed the Attention shewn here to the Business in which I am engaged far surpassed my warmest Expectations. It will give me great Pleasure to receive a Letter from you.5 If an Opportunity to Cadiz should offer please to put it under Cover to Messrs. Lynon & Bellew of that Place who will take Care of it.

I am with great Respect & Esteem / Gentlemen, &c

(signed) Thos Barclay
246

I wish what I have put in Cypher may be tolerably correct, not having Time to examine it.

Tr (PCC, No. 87, I, f. 275–278); internal address: “Their Excellencies / John Adams. & Thos. Jefferson Esqrs.FC-Pr (Adams Papers); endorsed by JA: “Mr Barclay to / A. and Jefferson.”; docketed by CFA: “April 10th 1786.” The FC-Pr in the Adams Papers is partially illegible. The text is taken from the copy in the PCC because the FC-Pr enclosed with Thomas Jefferson’s 11 May letter, below, was taken from it. For the RC retained by Jefferson, see note 3.

1.

The letters from John Lamb and Paul R. Randall to William Carmichael, which Barclay summarizes in the third paragraph, have not been found. But for Lamb’s 29 March letter to Thomas Jefferson, which apparently was similar to that sent to Carmichael, see Randall’s 4 May letter, and note 1, below.

2.

Carmichael wrote to the commissioners on 13 April, enclosing Lamb’s 29 March letter to Jefferson and indicating that Barclay was writing to them regarding Lamb’s mission (Jefferson, Papers , 9:385–386).

3.

As Barclay indicates in his postscript, a portion of this letter was encoded, namely, the remainder of this paragraph, with the exception of the words “Mr. Randal says.” For the encoded passage, using Jefferson’s code No. 11 (same, 9:384), see Jefferson’s retained RC (DLC:Jefferson Papers).

4.

The Spanish court observed Holy Week, culminating in Easter on 16 April.

5.

Jefferson wrote to Barclay on 31 Aug. (Jefferson, Papers , 10:313–315) and the commissioners did so on 25 Jan. 1787, below; but JA’s next letter was of 4 Nov. 1788 (DLC:Madison Papers).

To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 12 April 1786 Gerry, Elbridge Adams, John
From Elbridge Gerry
My dear sir Boston 12th April 1786

A few Days since, I recd your Letter of the 13th of Decr last, without either of the Arrets therein referred to. from the Cover of the Letter, which is inclosed for your Inspection, I suspect it has been opened, previously to my receiving it; if so, I should be well pleased to know who the person is that is so very curious as to loose his Sense of Honor in this Matter.1

When I left New York, the Board of Treasury were seriously disposed to investigate minutely, the Expenditure of the foreign Loans,2 & I flatter myself, whatever has been wrong, will be rectified, or at least brot to Light.

Virginia has proposed a fœderal commercial Convention, & Massachusetts have appointed their Commissioners; should the other States accede to the Measure, I think some effectual plan will be adopted for putting our Commerce on a respectable Footing.

the States appear likewise to be sensible they have long eno’ trifled with public Credit, & to be disposed toward of the impending Blow, by granting the Impost & supplementary Funds. New York alone is opposed to the former, & will probably adopt it soon.

247

What is the Issue of your Negotiations respecting the Interest of british Debts during the War? this is a more important Matter than I formerly supposed it, & the Idea of being subject to such a Demand, strikes the American Merchants thro’ out the Continent so disagreably, that an attempt to recover the Interest by a legal process, would I am apprehensive produce dangerous Convulsions in every State. indeed there would be too much Reason for them, for at the Time that the american Merchant is responsible for the principal of the british Debt & the Interest accruing since the War, he must either pay, or be subject to Arrests & attachments, he cannot recover the principal of his Debtors unless he takes real Estate or public Securities, neither of which will his british Creditor take at their Value, nor even Specie, without an allowance of 6 per Ct for Loss on Bills of Exche.— indeed every State seems to be so impressed with the Injustice of allowing to the british Creditors, Interest under such Circumstances, & more especially as American Merchants cannot recover on their Book Debts Interest, that the States have almost universally expressed their Sense against such an allowance; but at the same Time all Eyes are turned to your Negotiations, & if the british Minister will not come into the propositions of Congress, it may be necessary in order to give Satisfaction to the Union, for you to hint to Congress what it will be best for them to adopt, to do Justice to your & their Constituents. I have Reason to expect some of your Competition are laying concealed, to make a Clamour against You, should your Measures not be satisfactory to our Merchants—

pray give my best Respects to the Ladies & be assured I / am my dear sir yours / sincerely

E Gerry

RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “His Excelleny Mr Adams”; endorsed: “Mr Gerry. 12. April / recd & ansd May 24 / 1786.”

1.

Although JA initially intended to send the arrêts to Gerry, he changed his mind and enclosed them with his 23 Dec. 1785 letter to Rufus King, above.

2.

See the Board of Treasury’s 7 March 1786 letter, and note 2, above.