e must rely for this on the
recommendations he brings, as it is impossible for us to judge of this
for ourselves. Yet it will be our duty to use such reasonable cautions
as are in our power. Two occur to me. 1. To give him a clerk capable of
assisting and attending to his proceedings, and who, in case he thought
any thing was going amiss, might give us information. 2. Not to give him
a credit on Van Staphorst and Willinck, but let his drafts be made on
yourself, which, with the knowledge you will have of his proceedings,
will enable you to check them, if you are sensible of any abuse
intended. This will give you trouble; but as I have never found you
declining trouble, when it is necessary, I venture to propose it. I
hope it will not expose you to inconvenience, as by instructing Lambe to
insert in his drafts a proper usance, you can, in the mean time, raise
the money for them by drawing on Holland. I must inform you that Mr.
Barclay wishes to be put on the same footing with Mr. Lambe, as to
this article, and therefore I return you your letter of credit on Van
Staphorst &, Co. As to the first article, there is great difficulty.
There is nobody at Paris fit for the undertaking, who would be likely to
accept it. I mean there is no American, for I should be anxious to place
a native in the trust. Perhaps you can send us one from London. There
is a Mr. Randall there, from New York, whom Mr. Barclay thinks might be
relied on very firmly for integrity and capacity. He is there for his
health; perhaps you can persuade him to go to Algiers in pursuit of it.
If you cannot, I really know not what will be done. It is impossible
to propose to Bancroft to go in a secondary capacity. Mr. Barclay and
myself have thought of Cairnes, at L'Ori-ent, as a _dernier ressort_.
But it is uncertain, or rather improbable, that he will undertake it.
You will be pleased in the first place, to consider of my proposition
to send Lambe to Algiers; and in the next, all the circumstances before
detailed, as consequences of that.

The enclosed letter from Richard O'Bryan furnishes powerful motives
for commencing, by some means or other, the treaty with Algiers,
more immediately than would be done, if left on Mr. Barclay. You will
perceive by that, that two of our vessels, with their crews and cargoes,
have been carried captive into that port. What is to be done as to those
poor people? I am for hazarding the supplementary instruction to Lambe,
which acc