Papers of John Adams, volume 18
th.1786
The last Letter I had the Honor to address to your Excellency was of the 17th: instant—conveyed by Mr Harrison, who has resided in Cadiz, I believe in Quality of Consul—in which I suggested some small Difficulties embarrassing Mr Lamb’s Embarkation—but as I had not received Intelligence of their Removal until Mr Harrison was on the Point setting out—he will supply to your Excellency, that Permission is granted to Mr Lamb for extracting the Sum of £2,000 St out of the Kingdom upon giving Caution to abide the Directions of the Court thereupon.—
Mr Lamb has since purchased a Vessel, instead of freighting, which was perhaps rendered necessary considering a full Quarantine, and that he was demanded half the Price of a small Vessel—for the Freight of a few Months. In three or four days the Vessel will be rendered fit for Sea—at the End of which Time, I know of no further Obstacles to impede our Progress to Algiers. We have no late Intelligence from thence, and are not acquainted or even informed:— whether the spanish Peace is absolutely concluded or not—tho’ we are in the presumption that it must be e’er this.
My Industry should not be wanting in seeking every Occasion to advise your Excellency upon each individual Step, could my Services be equal with my Intentions—but that crude Information might rather obscure than reflect Light upon the Business—especially as we have not always safe Conveyances to command at this Distance.
Mr Jefferson will conclude from Mr Harrison that Mr Lamb will shortly proceed— therefore it may not be of so much Importance to
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offer this Letter for his Inspection—rather than take a more unsuspicious Method of forwarding it to your Excellency inclosed to my Brother— but as I conceived it might be in some Measure satisfactory to your Excellency to be ascertained in these trifling Particulars in a Business so interesting;—I have taken the Liberty to write, and at the same time to evince, that in Matters of more Consequence my Attention shall not be wanting.
With sentiments of the highest Respect, your Excellency will permit me to consider myself / Your most obedient & hum s[er]t
With the purest satisfaction I reflect upon the Expressions of Kindness from Mrs. & Miss Adams on my Expedition, and wish on all Occasions to be suffered respectfully to declare my Sensibility of the honor confered on me.
RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “His Excellency / John Adams Esquire.— / Minister plenipotentiary from the / United states of America at the Court of / Great Britain— / Grosvener square. Corner of Duke street / London.”; internal address: “His Excellency / John Adams Esqr. / Minister plenipotentiary from / the United states of America.”; endorsed by WSS: “Barcelona Feby. / 25th. 1786— / from P. R. Randall / Copy sent to Mr. Jay. / 28th. March 1786—” Some loss of text where the seal was removed. WSS refers to the copy of this letter that was likely enclosed with the commissioners’ 28 March letter to John Jay, below.
The Envoy from Portugal, has received from his Court an Answer to his Dispatches relative to the Treaty with the United States, and the enclosed Extract from it, which has been delayed sometime by the Sickness of the Chevalier de Freire, the Portuguese Secretary of Legation,1 this Minister did me the Honour to deliver to me two days ago, with his request that it might be transmitted to Congress. at the Same time he delivered me the enclosed State of the Trade between the United States and Portugal the last Year.2
When Mr Jefferson arrives We Shall endeavour to finish this Business.
The Proposition of Sending and receiving a Minister has been many times made before.— Congress will no doubt answer this which is now made formally and officially. The Regard which is due from one sovereign to another, and indeed common Decency seems
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to require it. to refuse it would be thought Surprizing. indeed according to all the Rules of Politeness between Nations and sovereigns, it ought to be left to the Option of her most faithfull Majesty to Send what Species of public Minister She shall judge proper, and Assurances should be given of the most amicable Disposition of Congress to receive him with all the respect due to his sovereign and to send a Minister to her Majesty of equal Rank. Character.
The United States are at this moment Suffering Severely for Want of an equitable Adjustment of their Affairs with the Powers of Europe, and Affrica which can never be accomplished, but by conforming to the Usages established in the World.
If the United States would come to the Resolution to prohibit all foreign Vessells from coming to their Ports, and confine all Exports and Imports to their own Ships and seamen they would do, for any thing that I know, the wisest Thing which human Prudence could dictate. But then the Consequence would be obvious. They must give up the most of their Commerce, and live by their Agriculture. in this Case They might recall their Ministers and Send no more.
On the other Hand, if the United States would adopt the Principle of the French Œconomists, and allow the Ships and Merchants of all Nations equal Priviledges with their own Citizens, they need not give themselves any further Trouble about Treaties or Ambassadors. The Consequence nevertheless would be the Sudden Annihilation of all their Manufactures and Navigation; We should have the most luxurious set of Farmers that ever existed, and Should not be able to defend our sea Coast against the Insults of a Pirate.
As these are two Extreams that We know Americans will never consent to, We must vindicate our own Manufactures and Navigation, by Legislation at home and Negotiation abroad, and therefore, the Prejudi[ces] against Exchanges of Public Ministers Will be found Some of the most pernicious that ever have arisen among American Citizens. Laws at home must be made in Conformity to the State of Affairs abroad, which can never be known to Congress but by Ambassaders.
With great Respect I have the / Honour to be, Sir your most obedient / and most humble servant
RC and enclosures (PCC, No. 84, VI, f. 127–140); internal address: “His Excellency / John Jay Esq.”; notation: “Copy.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 112. Text lost due to a tight binding has been supplied from the LbC.
Ciprião Ribeiro, the Chevalier de Freire, was the Portuguese chargé d’affaires in London, and he would later serve as Portuguese minister to the United States (
AFC
, 8:368).
On 24 Feb., JA received an extract from a 4 Jan. letter from Martinho de Melo e Castro, the Portuguese secretary of state, to the Chevalier Pinto de Balsamão, which JA copied and enclosed here. It concerned the ongoing Portuguese-American commercial negotiations. Melo e Castro instructed Pinto de Balsamão to protect the Portuguese flour and grain trade, and he expressed concern that the Pennsylvania and South Carolina legislatures had recently raised duties on Portuguese wine and fruit. With the extract were two lists, both copied by JA, one indicating the number of North American vessels trading with Portugal and the other the number of Portuguese vessels trading with North America. The extract from the Melo e Castro letter and the two lists are in the Adams Papers at 25 April and were filmed at that date. For an English translation of the enclosures, see
Dipl. Corr., 1783–1789
, 2:575–578. See also Proposed Portuguese-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce, [April 25], Editorial Note, below.
Congress’ dispatch book indicates that JA’s letter and the report on Portuguese-American trade were read in Congress on 15 May (PCC, No. 185, 3:162;
JCC
, 30:267).