e, which I do sincerely. He gives me the grateful
intelligence of your health, and that of Mrs. Langdon. Anxious to
promote your service, and believing he could do it by getting himself
naturalized here, and authorized to command your vessel he came from
Havre to Paris. But on making the best inquiries I could, it seemed that
the time requisite to go through with this business, would be much more
than he could spare. He therefore declined it. I wish it were in my
power to give you a hope that our commerce, either with this country,
or its islands, was likely to be put on better footing. But if it be
altered at all, it will probably be for the worse. The regulations
respecting their commerce are by no means sufficiently stable to be
relied on.

Europe is in quiet, and likely to remain so. The affairs of the Emperor
and Dutch are as good as settled, and no other cloud portends any
immediate storm. You have heard much of American vessels taken by the
Barbary pirates. The Emperor of Morocco took one last winter (the brig
Betsey of Philadelphia); he did not however reduce the crew to slavery,
nor confiscate the vessel or cargo. He has lately delivered up the crew
on the solicitation of the Spanish court. No other has ever been taken
by them. There are, indeed, rumors of one having been lately taken by
the Algerines. The fact is possible, as there is nothing to hinder their
taking them, but it is not as yet confirmed. I have little doubt that
we shall be able to place our commerce on a popular footing with the
Barbary States this summer, and thus not only render our navigation
to Portugal and Spain safe, but open the Mediterranean as formerly. In
spite of treaties, England is still our enemy. Her hatred is deep-rooted
and cordial, and nothing is wanting with her but the power, to wipe us
and the land we live on out of existence. Her interest, however, is her
ruling passion! and the late American measures have struck at that so
vitally, and with an energy, too, of which she had thought us quite
incapable, that a possibility seems to open of forming some arrangement
with her. When they shall see decidedly, that, without it we shall
suppress their commerce with us, they will be agitated by their avarice
on the one hand, and their hatred and their fear of us on the other. The
result of this conflict of dirty passions is yet to be awaited. The
body of the people of this country love us cordially. But ministers and
merchants love n