ion of the
laws of the country for them, than the consul of their nation can. He is
generally a foreigner, unpossessed of the little details of knowledge
of greatest use to them. He makes national questions of all the
difficulties which arise; the correspondent prevents them. We carry on
commerce with good success in all parts of the world; yet we have not
a consul in a single port, nor a complaint for the want of one, except
from the persons who wish to be consuls themselves. Though these
considerations may not be strong enough to establish the absolute
inutility of consuls, they may make us less anxious to extend their
privileges and jurisdictions, so as to render them objects of jealousy
and irritation, in the places of their residence. That this government
thinks them useful, is sufficient reason for us to give them all the
functions and facilities which our circumstances will admit. Instead,
therefore, of declining every article which will be useless to us, we
accede to every one which will not be inconvenient. Had this nation been
alone concerned, our desire to gratify them might have tempted us to
press still harder on the laws and opinions of our country. But your
Excellency knows, that we stand engaged in treaties with some nations,
which will give them occasion to claim whatever privileges we yield to
any other. This renders circumspection more necessary. Permit me to add
one other observation. The English allow to foreign consuls scarcely any
functions within their ports. This proceeds, in a great measure, from
the character of their laws, which eye, with peculiar jealousy, every
exemption from their control. Ours are the same in their general
character, and rendered still more unpliant, by our having thirteen
parliaments to relax, instead of one. Upon the whole, I hope your
Excellency will see the causes of the delay which this convention has
met with, in the difficulties it presents, and our desire to surmount
them: and will be sensible that the alterations proposed, are dictated
to us by the necessity of our circumstances, and by a caution, which
cannot be disapproved, to commit ourselves to no engagements which we
foresee we might not be able o fulfil.

These alterations, with some other smaller ones, which may be offered
on the sole principle of joint convenience, shall be the subject of more
particular explanation, whenever your Excellency shall honor me with
a conference thereon. I shall then, also, po