Diary of John Quincy Adams, volume 1
1785-03-20
My father went to Versailles in the morning to see the Count de Vergennes, upon the subject of a Treaty between the U. States, and the Powers of Barbary. The Emperor of Morocco has taken an American vessel belonging to Mr. Fitz Simmons of Philadelphia.1 He has made the Master and the crew prisoners; but has not suffered them to be made slaves. He has ordered his People not to take any more untill Congress may send a Consul to him: and he offers to treat with us, upon the same footing that he does with all the Powers of Europe. This matter gives the American Commissioners, a great deal of trouble at present. Mr. West, Mr. Norris, Mr. Waring and Mr. Boling dined with us. I promised Mr. West to introduce him to the Marquis de la 238Fayette, someday this week. Mr. Boling sets off for London tomorrow. The Foire St. Germain2 closed last evening.
For this incident and its significance for relations between the United States and
Mediterranean powers, see JA, Diary and Autobiography
, 3:173–174 and references there.
A Paris fair devoted more to amusements than to business and trade, which began on 3 Feb.
and ended on the Saturday before Palm Sunday; its popularity destroyed by the Galeries du
Palais Royal, it closed in 1786 (Jacques Antoine Dulaure, Histoire
civile, physique et moral de Paris, 10 vols., Paris, 1825, 8:197–199).