Papers of John Adams, volume 21
th:1795
It is with peculiar satisfaction that we are informed by your Speech to the two Houses of Congress, that the long, and expensive war in which we have been engaged with the Indians North west of the Ohio, is in a situation to be finally terminated; and though we view with concern the danger of an interruption of the peace so recently confirmed with the Creeks, we indulge the hope, that the measures you have adopted to prevent the same, if followed by those Legislative provisions that justice and humanity equally demand, will succeed in laying the foundation of a lasting peace with the Indian tribes on the Southern as well as on the Western frontiers.1
The confirmation of our treaty with Morocco, and the adjustment of a treaty of peace with Algiers, in consequence of which our fellow Citizens shall be delivered from slavery, are events that will prove no less interesting to the public humanity, than they will be important in extending and securing the navigation and commerce of our country.2
As a just and equitable conclusion of our depending negotiation with Spain, will essentially advance the interest of both nations, and thereby cherish and confirm the good understanding and friendship, which we have at all times desired to maintain, it will afford us a real pleasure to receive an early confirmation of our expectations on this subject3
429The interesting prospect of our affairs with regard to the foreign powers, between whom and the United States controversies have subsisted, is not more satisfactory, than the review of our internal situation: if from the former we derive an expectation of the extinguishment of all the causes of discord, that have heretofore endangered our tranquility, and on terms consistent with our national honor and safety, in the latter we discover those numerous, and wide spread tokens of prosperity, which in so peculiar a manner distinguish our happy country.
Circumstances thus every way auspicious demand our gratitude, and sincere acknowledgements to Almighty God, and require that we should unite our efforts, in imitation of your enlightened, firm and persevering example, to establish and preserve, the peace, freedom, and prosperity of our country.
The objects which you have recommended to the notice of the Legislature will in the course of the Session receive our careful attention, and with a pure zeal for the public welfare, we shall cheerfully cooperate in every measure that shall appear to us best calculated to promote the same.
Vice President of the United States
and President of the Senate
FC (DLC:Washington Papers).
In his 8 Dec. address to Congress, Washington
emphasized the “durable tranquillity,” and trumpeted the growing
economic prosperity, of the United States. He pointed to the Jay Treaty,
Mawlay Sulayman ibn Mohammad’s confirmation of the Moroccan-American
Treaty of Peace and Friendship, and progress on agreements with Algiers
and Spain as signs of success. Washington asked Congress to evaluate
U.S. military and naval forces, to address Creek and Cherokee
grievances, and to regulate the U.S. Mint. James Madison was the main
author of the House of Representatives’ reply, which highlighted the
suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion, observing “that the late scene of
disorder & insurrection has been compleatly restored to the
enjoyment of order & repose. Such a triumph of reason & of law
is worthy of the free Govt. under which it happened, & was justly to
be hoped from the enlightened & patriotic spirit which pervades
& actuates the people of the U. States.” New Jersey representative
Jonathan Dayton, in his capacity as Speaker of the House, presented the
address on 17 Dec. (Washington, Papers, Presidential
Series
, 19:221–227; Madison, Papers,
Congressional Series
, 16:164–167;
Biog.
Dir. Cong.
).
Joseph Donaldson Jr., the U.S. consul at Tripoli and
Tunis, and Ali Hassan Bashaw, the Algerian dey, signed the Treaty of
Peace and Amity on 5 September. The United States agreed to pay nearly
$600,000 to Algiers, and an annual tribute of $21,000, in exchange for
the free passage of American ships in the Mediterranean Sea, and the
return of sailors who were seized and enslaved in 1785. Once the treaty
reached New York on 7 Feb. 1796, CA carried it to
Philadelphia. Washington submitted the treaty to the Senate on 15 Feb.,
and the Senate consented to it on 2 March, ratifying it five days later.
JA, who had struggled with the other American
commissioners to liberate the American captives, observed that “the
Algerine Treaty is horridly Costly. It is worse than the British: but
will not be so fiercely opposed.” A Jewish brokerage firm in Algiers,
the house of Bacry, loaned the United States $180,000 to secure the
prisoners’ release. On 8 Feb. 1797 the sailors arrived in 430 Philadelphia (vols. 17:index;
18:390, 406; 19:index; 20:463–464; Miller, Treaties
, 2:275–317; Washington, Papers, Presidential Series
,
18:220;
AFC
, 11:185–186, 553–554).
The successful negotiation of the Jay Treaty improved
relations between Spain and the United States. Aware that the United
States had signed a treaty with Great Britain, but unaware of its exact
contents, Spanish foreign minister Don Manuel de Godoy agreed to free
U.S. navigation of the Mississippi River, a new boundary between Georgia
and Spanish Florida, a mutual end to support for Native raids in the
southwest, and recognition of American neutrality. Carlos IV of Spain
and Thomas Pinckney signed the Treaty of San Lorenzo El Real on 27 Oct.
1795. A copy of the treaty arrived in Boston on 15 Feb. 1796, and the
Senate consented to it on 3 March (Samuel Flagg Bemis, Pinckney's Treaty, Baltimore, 1926, p.
249–250, 333;
AFC
, 11:185).
e.Xbr. 1795.
Grace au Roi des Siecles (le seul que je revere & que
j’aime, parce qu’il est le seul sage & le seul bon), ce qui a
constamment fait ma consolation au milieu des persécutions, fait maintenant
mon triomphe: les hauts & puissants Ψενδόμενοι qui ont voulu me honir
& flétrir par leur résolution du 23e. 7br.
1788, Sont flétris par une autre du 14e. Août
1795; & je suis déclaré le μακάριος de l’Evangile, Matth. V, 11.—Quand
vous aurez jeté les yeux sur les papiers ci-joints, mon préambule n’aura pas
besoin de com̃entaire. Quoique je les aie envoyés au Département des
Affaires étrangeres, j’ai cru devoir vous les com̃uniquer aussi directement,
à cause de la Lettre que vous écrivit en 1787
le Greffier Fagel de la part de ses maîtres, de la réponse que vous y fites, & de la bonté que vous eutes alors
de me faire parvenir copie de ces deux pieces, lesquelles, ainsi que leur
propre résolution du 23 7br 1788, viennent de servir à les prostituer selon
leurs mérites.—1 Je remets la
présente à Mr. votre fils Thomas, qui voudra bien vous la faire parvenir.—
J’apprends que le Successeur de Mr. Jefferson a résigné. Il est le premier
du Département qui n’ait pas daigné m’accuser la réception de mes Lettres,
lesquelles je n’ai point discontinuées. J’espere que son Successeur se
souviendra mieux de l’ancien serviteur des Etats-Unis en Europe depuis leur
berceau. Veuillez faire agréer mes respects à Made. votre chere & digne Epouse, com̃e aussi à Mr. Jn. Jay aujourd’hui Gouverneur de N. York.— Je ne
vous parle pas de notre malheureuse Europe: toujours livrée au conflit de
l’oligarchie & de l’anarchie, elle ne mérite assurément pas de servir de
modele aux Américains. Ce qu’elle deviendra finalement, est encore un
profond secret de la providence, que j’adore; la priant seulement, de
préserver les Etats-unis, sous les auspices d’une bonne éducation (la plus
générale possible) de leur jeunesse, des maux causés depuis tant de siecles
à l’ancien 431 continent par des corps de prêtres imposteurs, de militaires
brutaux, & de prétendus nobles.— Je suis avec grand respect, Monsieur,
Votre très-humble, & obéis / sant serviteur—
TRANSLATION
Thanks be to the Eternal King (the only one I revere and
love, because he alone is wise and good), that which has ever been my
consolation in the midst of persecution now constitutes my triumph: the high
and mighty liars who wanted to shame and chastise me with their resolution
of 23 September 1788, are chastised by another of 14 August 1795; and I am
proclaimed the blessed of the Gospel of Matthew, 5:11. When you glance at
the papers included herein, my preamble will need no commentary. Though I
have sent them to the department of foreign affairs, I thought it best to
communicate them to you directly as well, because of the letter which Secretary Fagel wrote you in 1787
on behalf of his masters, of the reply that you
made to it, and of the kindness you did me then to have a copy delivered to
me of these two pieces, which, along with their own resolution of 23
September 1788, have just served to degrade them according to their
worth.1 I give it to your
son Thomas, who will send it to you. I hear that Mr. Jefferson’s successor
has resigned. He is the first from the department who never condescended to
confirm receipt of my letters, which I have not stopped sending. I hope his
successor will better remember this old servant in Europe of the United
States since its cradle days. Kindly accept my respects on behalf of your
dear and worthy spouse, as well as of Mr. John Jay, now governor of New
York. I shall not write to you of our miserable Europe: succumbing still to
its conflict between oligarchy and anarchy. She surely does not deserve to
serve as a model to the Americans. What she will become in the end remains a
profound secret of providence, which I revere, beseeching it only to
preserve the United States—under the auspices of a good education (the most
liberal possible) of its youth—from the damage caused to the old continent
for so many centuries by regiments of deceitful
priests, brutal military men, and so-called nobles. I am with great respect,
sir, your most humble, and obedient servant
RC and enclosures (Adams Papers); internal address: “à Mr.
Jn— Adams Vice Président des Et. Un.
& Présidt. de Leur Sénat.”
Writing to JA on 14 Dec.,
TBA enclosed Dumas’ letter and two enclosures, all in
French. The first, dated 14 Aug., was a resolution of the States General
that exonerated Dumas from a 23 Sept. 1788 resolution censuring him for
allegedly aggrandizing his role at The Hague. The second enclosure was a
copy of Dumas’ 19 Aug. 1795 reply thanking the States General. Here,
Dumas also referred to Hendrik Fagel’s 18 Oct. 1787 letter to
JA, in which he recommended that the United States no
longer employ Dumas, and JA’s 25 Oct. 1795 reply defending
him (vol. 19:196, 199;
AFC
, 11:90, 91).
This letter ends an extensive correspondence between
JA and Dumas that began in 1778. Dumas died suddenly on
11 Aug. 1796. JA, who valued Dumas’ work as the 432 unofficial U.S. agent at The
Hague but found that political prejudices clouded his career, later
observed: “He, poor man, was too dependent on the French, and too
devoted to democracy, to advocate the true system of government” (
AFC
, 11:354; JA, Works
,
9:609).