nclosing you a letter from the Swedish
ambassador, praying that inquiry may be made for a vessel of his nation,
piratically carried off, and measures taken relative to the vessel,
cargo, and crew. Also a letter from William Russell and others, citizens
of America, concerned in trade to the island of Guadaloupe, addressed
to the Marechal de Castries, and complaining of the shutting to them the
port of Point a Pitre, and receiving them only at Basse-terre. This was
enclosed to me by the subscribers, to be delivered to the Marechal de
Castries. But the present is not the moment to move in that business:
and moreover, I suppose, that whenever parties are within the reach of
Congress, they should apply to them, and my instructions come through
that channel. Matters, arising within the kingdom of France, to which
my commission is limited, and not admitting time to take the orders
of Congress, I suppose I may move in originally. I also enclose you
the copy of a letter from Mr. Barclay, closing his proceedings in our
affairs with Morocco. Before this reaches you, he will have had the
honor of presenting himself to you in person. After his departure, the
parliament of Bordeaux decided that he was liable to arrest. This was
done on a letter from the minister, informing them that Mr. Barclay
was invested with no character which privileged him from arrest. His
constant character of consul was no protection, and they did not explain
whether his character to Morocco was not originally diplomatic, or
was expired. Mr. Barclay's proceedings under this commission being now
closed, it would be incumbent on me to declare with respect to them, as
well as his consular transactions, my opinion of the judgment, zeal, and
disinterestedness with which he has conducted himself; were it not that
Congress has been so possessed of those transactions from time to time,
as to judge for themselves. I cannot but be uneasy, lest my delay of
entering on the subject of the consular convention, may be disapproved.
My hope was and is, that more practicable terms might be obtained: in
this hope, I do nothing till further orders, observing by an extract
from the journals you were pleased to send me, that Congress have
referred the matter to your consideration, and conscious that we are not
suffering in the mean time, as we have not a single consul in France,
since the departure of Mr. Barclay. I mentioned to you in my last, the
revival of the hopes of the Cheval