HUMPHREYS.

Philadelphia, March 22, 1793.

Dear Sir,

I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letters from No. 60 to 67,
inclusive. You cannot be too vigilant against any such treaty as that
mentioned in No. 60, which by giving the exclusive supply of wheat to
Naples, would altogether debar the United States from it. This would
bear so hard on us, that not only an exclusion of their wines from
the United States ought to be expected on their part, but every other
measure which might open to us a market in any other part of the world,
however Portugal might be affected by it. And I must for ever repeat it,
that, instead of excluding our wheat, we must continue to hope that they
will open their ports to our flour, and that you will continue to use
your efforts, on every good occasion, to obtain this without waiting for
a treaty.

As there appears at present a probability of a very general war in
Europe, you will be pleased to be particularly attentive to preserve for
our vessels all the rights of neutrality, and to endeavor that our flag
be not usurped by others to procure to themselves the benefits of our
neutrality. This usurpation tends to commit us with foreign nations, to
subject those vessels truly ours to rigorous scrutinies and delays
to distinguish them from counterfeits, and to take the business of
transportation out of our hands.

Continue, if you please, your intelligence relative to the affairs of
Spain, from whence we learn nothing but through you: to which it will be
acceptable that you add any leading events from other countries, as
we have several times received important facts through you, even from
London, sooner than they have come from London directly.

The letters enclosed for Mr. Carmichael and Mr. Short are of a very
secret nature. If you go by Madrid, you will be the bearer of them
yourself; if not, it would be better to retain them than to send them
by any conveyance which does not command your entire confidence. I have
never yet had a letter from Mr. Carmichael but the one you brought from
Madrid. A particular circumstance will occasion forbearance yet a little
longer.

Captain Cutting will bring you a copy of the laws of the last session of
Congress, and of the gazettes to the time of his departure.

Not yet knowing the actual arrival of Mr. Church at Lisbon, I believe
it will be safer that I direct letters for you, during your absence, to
Messrs. Bulkeley and son, with whom you will