wo of us.

That Dr. Franklin having found it, necessary to return to America, the
execution of these several commissions had devolved on us. That being
placed as Ministers Plenipotentiary for the United States at the courts
of England and France; this circumstance, with the commissions with
which we are charged for entering into treaties with various other
nations, puts it out of our power to attend at the other courts in
person, and obliges us to negotiate by the intervention of confidential
persons.

That, respecting the friendly dispositions shown by his Majesty, the
Emperor of Morocco, towards the United States, and indulging the desire
of forming a connection with a sovereign, so renowned for his power, his
wisdom, and his justice, we had embraced the first moment possible, of
assuring him of these the sentiments of our country and of ourselves,
and of expressing to him our wishes to enter into a connection of
friendship and commerce with him. That for this purpose, we had
commissioned the bearer hereof, Thomas Barclay, a person in the highest
confidence of the Congress of the United States, and as such, having
been several years, and still being, their consul general with our
great and good friend and ally, the King of France, to arrange with his
Majesty the Emperor, those conditions which it might be advantageous for
both nations to adopt, for the regulation of their commerce, and their
mutual conduct towards each other.

That we deliver to him a copy of the full powers with which we are
invested, to conclude a treaty with his Majesty, which copy he is
instructed to present to his Majesty.

That though by these, we are not authorized to delegate to him the
power of ultimately signing the treaty, yet such is our reliance on his
wisdom, his integrity, and his attention to the instructions with which
he is charged, that we assure his Majesty, the conditions which he shall
arrange and send to us, shall be returned with our signature, in order
to receive that of the person whom his Majesty shall commission for the
same purpose.

HEADS OF INSTRUCTION TO MR. BARCLAY.

Congress having been pleased to invest us with full powers for entering
into a treaty of amity and alliance with the Emperor of Morocco, and it
being impracticable for us to attend his court in person, and equally
impracticable, on account of our separate stations, to receive a
minister from him, we have concluded to effect our object by the
inte