pacification. There is a general jealousy among them of the house of
Bourbon, and a particular animosity against this branch of it. This I
have long remarked, and I have now more frequent occasions than
heretofore. I am afraid the rumors of peace will slacken the
preparations of the Dutch for war. The hopes of a speedy general
pacification, and a sense of complaisance and apprehension of the
Empress of Russia, may procrastinate the treaty between the United
States and them. I write these conjectures with diffidence, as indeed
I do all which depend on my own judgment.
I am busy at present in arranging the public accounts. The projected
bank employs so much of M. Cabarrus's time, and that of his clerks,
that it is possible I may be obliged to follow the Court to St
Ildefonso, to which place the king removes the 14th instant, before I
can obtain such a settlement of them, as may enable me to transmit the
general account to Mr Jay, for his approbation. In the meantime, I
draw, and shall still be obliged to draw, on Dr Franklin, to enable me
to discharge the public bills accepted by Mr Jay. Exchange is every
day more to our disadvantage. The depreciation of the royal billets is
now at 3-1/4 to 3-1/2 per cent, and I make no doubt will be at 6 per
cent in two months. The Court has been again obliged to apply to the
Gromios for assistance, whose privileges, it appears from the
establishment of the bank, it meant to deprive them of. This
circumstance marks their distress for money, and as some say, the want
of system in their conduct.
The Duc de Crillon has set out for the camp before Gibraltar; the
operations, however, will not seriously commence before the month of
August, if in all that month. The expectations of success are
sanguine. I heard the Duke himself speak with great confidence on the
subject. The combined fleet left Cadiz the 4th instant; it consists of
thirtytwo sail of the line, and some frigates, and proceeds
immediately to the British channel. I avail myself of a courier from
the French Ambassador to forward copies of this letter to the ports of
France. The Count de Montmorin continues to give the same proofs of
attachment to the interests of the States, and of personal kindness to
myself, that I have ever experienced since my arrival in Spain. I beg
leave to remind you to send me a cypher, and to entreat your
instructions and intelligence addressed directly to myself; otherwise
I have few opportunities of manifesting my zeal for the public
service, or of acquiring your personal esteem.
I have the honor to be, &c.
WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.
FOOTNOTES:
[13] The letter here referred to is missing. Mr Jay left Madrid for
Paris about the 20th of May.
* * * * *
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON TO WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.
Philadelphia, July 6th, 1782.
Sir,
Since my letter of May last, I have been favored with yours of the
18th and 27th of February. As they contained many things of
importance, which we had received through no other channel, I
communicated their contents to Congress, to whom I have reason to
think they were very acceptable. The great changes that have taken
place in the administration of Britain, make us extremely desirous of
learning minutely the measures they are pursuing. Unfortunately it is
long since we have received any other information from Europe, than
that contained in the public prints. Our Ministers abroad do not keep
up such a communication with the sea-ports as to avail themselves of
the opportunities, that are almost weekly afforded, by which means the
intelligence they transmit, if not of a private nature, is almost
always forestalled.
We are at present in a state of absolute inactivity here. We are not
sufficiently strong to attack the enemy in their works, without some
naval aid; nor can they attack us with any prospect of success.
Congress employ the present leisure in forming and enforcing a system
of finance, which, notwithstanding all the difficulties it has to
struggle with, will, I hope, shortly place our affairs on a more
respectable footing; particularly, if any of those powers who are
interested in supporting us, shall afford the aid we have a right to
expect.
Among other changes that have taken place, there is one I believe you
will be pleased with; in the payment of your salaries, which in future
will be paid here upon my certificate. I, as your agent, will vest the
money in bills, and remit them to you or Dr Franklin, with orders for
him to remit the money to you, or pay it to your order. This will
render your payments more regular, and free you from the appearance of
dependence, which must be disagreeable to you. I remit by this
conveyance to him, the amount of one quarter's salary, commencing the
1st of January last, and ending the 1st of April, which I have vested
in bills at the present rate of exchange, which is six shillings
threepence this money, for five livres, by which you gain almost five
and a half per cent. You will be charged here two and a half per cent
premium, which is the usual commission, and I shall consider myself as
your agent in this business, unless you should choose to appoint some
other. Your accounts for the next quarter will be made up immediately;
the money vested in a bill upon Dr Franklin, which I will remit him by
the next opportunity. Send me a general state of your account, that I
may get it settled for you, and the arrears, if any, discharged. I
could wish much to have a cypher with you, but find it very difficult
to send one. Let me have one, if you have a safe conveyance, if a
favorable opportunity offers from here, I will transmit you one.
I am, with great esteem and regard, &c.
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
* * * * *
TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
St Ildefonso, July 8th, 1782.
Sir,
On the 5th and the 12th ultimo I did myself the honor of addressing
you from Madrid. On the 2d instant I came to this place, having waited
in the capital some days longer than I intended, for the purpose of
arranging finally the public accounts with M. Cabarrus; but finding
that that gentleman's occupations prevented him from stating them in
the manner directed by Mr Jay, and having by my stay, in compliance
with his request, convinced him that the settlement and discharge of
the balance still due, depended on himself, I judged it proper to
follow the Court hither, in order to have frequent opportunities of
pressing the Minister to pay attention to the different memorials
presented by Mr Jay; of which copies have been transmitted by him to
Congress, and to procure such information as it might be proper to lay
before you. I did not strongly urge the settlement of the accounts
above mentioned, because Dr Franklin had requested Mr Jay to give him
as much time as possible for the payment of the sums due here,
although I am persuaded the delay will be prejudicial, as it is
probable the exchange will be more to our disadvantage every day.
On the 3d instant, I waited on the Count de Florida Blanca and M. Del
Campo. I found the former in conference with the French Ambassador,
and as that had been long, and I knew he would be much fatigued, and
also that he expected the Russian Minister and the Ambassador of the
Emperor, who have of late received frequent couriers, I shortened my
visit, which passed in amicable assurances on his part and hopes on
mine, that his Excellency would put it as much in my power, as it was
my inclination to contribute to a lasting harmony between the two
countries, by enabling me to inform Congress of the favorable
disposition of his Majesty, and at the same time of the measures taken
by his Ministers to redress the grievances, which Mr Jay had so often
laid before him. He desired me to mention these affairs in detail to
M. Del Campo, and after repeating assurances of good will, &c., he
proceeded to inform me, that he had received a copy of a letter, which
Mr Jay on his arrival at Paris had written to the Count d'Aranda,
adding, that he was sorry he could not continue the conversation at
present, for that he expected the Ministers above mentioned every
moment, but that on the Saturday following he would be glad to see me,
to talk over many matters necessary to discuss at this crisis. I took
my leave, and actually met the Imperial and Russian Ministers at the
door, with M. Del Campo, whom I next went to see.
I had a long conversation, the material points of which, after having
reminded him of the memorials, &c., presented by Mr Jay, turned on the
manner in which the propositions of the new British Administration
would be received in America. I had the good fortune to answer in the
most decided manner, that all proposals for a separate treaty would be
unanimously rejected, for on my return from this visit to my lodgings,
I found Mr Clonard, who delivered me the letter you did me the honor
to write me on the 1st of May, and who informed me of many of the
subsequent transactions. The same day at dinner, the Count de
Montmorin showed me a letter from the Chevalier de la Luzerne, in
which he informs him, that Congress had rejected the propositions made
by General Carleton, and that all the States would follow the example
of Maryland. This conduct has a great and good effect in Europe. The
same day the king spoke at table of the news, and praised greatly the
probity of the Americans, raising his voice in such a manner that all
the foreign ministers might hear him. I have conversed with several of
these since, and find them unanimous in their opinion that the wisest
measure Great Britain can take, is to conclude a treaty acknowledging
our independence.
The couriers received, and the audiences demanded by the Russian and
Imperial Representatives, excited my attention, and I have discovered
that they have been once more directed by their Courts to make an
offer of their mediation to his Catholic Majesty. They made this
communication on the 3d instant, and have received their answer; for
on the 6th the Count de Kaunitz despatched a courier. In my next I
hope to communicate the answer of this Court. I suspect England is at
the bottom of this business. The combined fleet is probably at this
time in the English channel, where it will be reinforced by a squadron
of French ships commanded by M. de la Motte Piquet. The preparations
for the siege of Gibraltar are pushed with vigor. I have not yet had
the honor to hear from Mr Jay. My last letter from Dr Franklin is
dated the 11th ultimo. Messrs Grenville and Oswald were then at Paris,
but had not yet received their full powers. Neither had Spain nor
Holland sent instructions to their Ministers, so that the conferences
could not properly be opened.
I have the honor to enclose in the first copy of this, a letter which
I received the 4th instant from M. Dumas. The letters brought by Mr
Clonard for Mr Jay were forwarded by the same gentleman. I remain
without other instructions than what are contained in yours of the 1st
of May. If Mr Jay should be detained at Paris, I shall be without any
information but what I may obtain by my private correspondence and my
own industry; I beg leave to submit this to your consideration.
I have the honor to be, &c.
WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.
* * * * *
TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
St Ildefonso, July 22d, 1782.
Sir,
In my last of the 8th instant, I had the honor to inform you of an
offer of mediation renewed to this Court by those of Petersburg and
Vienna. I have since been told, that the Count de Florida Blanca's
answer was to the following purport; "that his Catholic Majesty is
highly sensible of the offers made by their Imperial Majesties to
promote the establishment of the public tranquillity, but that before
accepting their propositions it is necessary to consult his ally, and
for this purpose instructions will be sent to his Ambassador at Paris,
who, in order to prevent delay, will at the same time be authorised to
communicate the answer to the Russian and Imperial Ministers at the
Court of Versailles." I had this information from a person connected
with the Ambassador of the Court of Vienna.
The Emperor is full of the project of removing his East India Company
from Trieste to Ostend, and of augmenting the commerce of his
subjects, particularly in the Low Countries. The continuation of the
war is favorable to his designs, at all events he will seek his own
advantage in the proposed mediation.
All the neutral powers seem desirous of procuring stipulations
favorable to their commerce and navigation, particularly in the
Mediterranean, and for this purpose all appear to wish a general
Congress. Perhaps upon the whole it would be more for the honor and
permanent advantage of the United States, to have their independence
acknowledged and guarantied in an assembly of this nature, than by a
particular treaty between the belligerent powers. As Mr Jay is to
negotiate with the Count d'Aranda at Paris the proposed treaty, my
business here is confined to the arrangement of the public accounts,
and the payment of the bills still due, the collecting intelligence,
and the solicitation of redress of the various complaints laid before
the Ministry in behalf of individuals. For this last purpose I wait
on the Count de Florida Blanca, and M. Del Campo, from time to time,
and in a respectful manner solicit their attention to these affairs.
Personally I have no reason to complain; in my political character I
should have more, if I did not know, that the first powers in Europe
are treated with the same inattention and delay. I mention this not to
excuse the conduct of this Court, but to convince you, that it is not
singular with respect to us. I have in some instances promises of
redress, and it is to be hoped, that circumstances, patience, and good
humor, will terminate these affairs to the satisfaction, in some
measure, of the parties interested.
While Mr Jay remains at Paris, as the public despatches are addressed
to him, I shall be deprived of intelligence from America, except what
I may acquire by private correspondence from thence. I have not had
the honor to hear from Mr Jay since he left this place, which may have
been occasioned by delay or ill health on the road and afterwards. I
have no correspondence with Messrs Adams and Dana, from whom I might
receive, and to whom I might contribute hints, that might be of
service to the public interest. Messrs Grenville and Oswald are still
at Paris, but on this subject you will have from others much more
accurate information than it is in my power to give you.
The Count d'Artois is expected here tomorrow, and will be received and
treated as an Infant of Spain. This visit is highly pleasing to the
royal family. He is expected with impatience. Nothing worth your
notice has yet passed at Gibraltar. The besiegers and the besieged,
equally prepare the one for the attack, the other for the defence of
the place. A courier extraordinary from France, brings advice of the
capture of eighteen transports and merchantmen bound to Quebec and
Newfoundland. Unhappily the New York fleet, which sailed with the
vessels captured, had two or three days before separated from them. A
fifty gun ship and a frigate, which escorted them, escaped. I have not
yet received M. Cabarrus's account. When these are once delivered and
settled, I shall take the earliest opportunity of transmitting to
Congress and to Mr Jay, copies of all the public accounts in this
country. I entreat your indulgence, and frequent remembrance of me.
I have the honor to be, &c.
WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.
* * * * *
TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
St Ildefonso, September 8th, 1782.
Sir,
My last were of the 17th and 26th ultimo, I am still without the least
information from America, since the 1st of May, the date of your last
letter. His Excellency, the Count de Florida Blanca, whom I had the
honor to see yesterday, seemed apprehensive, that Congress might be
induced to believe, from the capitulation accorded to the British at
Providence, that this Court had not after what happened at Pensacola
instructed its commanders to take care in future, that the garrisons
of such places as his Catholic Majesty's forces might reduce, should
be disposed of in such a manner as not to be prejudicial to any of the
belligerent powers. His Excellency assured me how much he should be
concerned if an oversight of the General employed on this occasion,
should create a misunderstanding injurious to the harmony which the
King wished to cultivate with America, and prayed me to take the
earliest opportunity of conveying these sentiments to Congress. He
proceeded to inform me, that immediately after the Court received the
articles of capitulation at Pensacola, instructions were sent to M.
Galvez, to oblige the enemy to consent in future to the transportation
of their prisoners to Europe; that these orders did not reach him
until he had left the Havana, previous to the necessary arrangements
for the expedition against the Bahama Islands.
I assured his Excellency, that I found myself happy in having an
occasion to represent every instance of his Majesty's good will, and
begged leave to remind him, that several complaints sustained by
citizens of America laid before his Excellency by Mr Jay, and since
his departure by myself, remained unredressed. That I presumed his
Excellency had given the necessary orders for their relief, but that
his Majesty's favorable intentions had been hitherto frustrated by the
delay, and in some cases by the injustice of persons employed in the
service of Government. I insinuated how agreeable it would be to me to
remove the unfavorable impressions, that his conduct had made or might
make in the breast of my countrymen, by having it in my power to
communicate the orders which had been given, or which his Majesty
might be pleased to renew, for this effect. I particularized the case
of the Lord Howe, an English vessel with a valuable cargo, brought
into Cadiz by part of her crew, Americans, detained by order of the
Admiralty, and the captors confined in some measure as prisoners of
war. I represented in the strongest terms, the little respect paid to
a positive resolution of Congress, granting to the captors of vessels
the property taken in this manner; a resolution occasioned by the
notorious injustice of the common enemy, who commenced this practice
of seducing American seamen, and encouraging their own to enter into
our service with the purpose of afterwards betraying the confidence
reposed in them.
His Excellency desired me to pass him an office in French on the
subject, and promised me an answer in writing, with the intention I
imagine of its being sent to Congress. You will please to observe that
the negligence of Mr Harrison's banker, to whom he addressed his
letters to me on this subject, retarded my knowledge of the detention
of this vessel. I had, however, spoken to M. Del Campo, immediately on
hearing of its arrival at Cadiz, and repeated to him the substance of
the resolution of Congress, from an apprehension that the officers of
that port would observe the same conduct, as those of the Canaries had
done in the case of the Dover cutter. I avoided mentioning
particularly the latter affair, until I should have obtained the
promised answer, as if that proves favorable, as I expect it will, I
shall renew with redoubled ardor my representations on this head. They
are, however, so much in want of money here, that I fear the captors
will be obliged to wait some time for theirs. This scarcity of cash
occasions the exaction of the duties at Cadiz and Bilboa, complained
of by Mr Harrison and others. I have employed all the means in my
power to convince not only the Count de Florida Blanca, but also the
Ministers of Finance and the Indies, of the impolicy as well as the
injustice of this measure.
I have engaged several persons, who have their confidence to second
me, and I hope that good humor, patience, and above all, frequent
personal solicitations, will obtain at least a diminution of these
duties, an object of great importance to our commerce. In the mean
time, I have advised Mr Harrison and others to make no payments on the
pretext that the affair is before the Ministry, for refunding is
contrary to the spirit of this country. Important news may soon be
expected from Gibraltar, at least my letters inform me that the attack
is to be made this day, for that everything would be ready for the
purpose. As I have very minute details of all that passes there from
persons at head quarters, I hope I shall be able to give you a
succinct relation of the operations. This correspondence is of a
delicate nature for the parties concerned, and therefore I shall not
hazard sending copies of my letters but by the safest conveyances. I
am promised a drawing of the so much talked of floating batteries,
which, as the nature and novelty of their construction may excite
curiosity, I will forward the instant I receive it. I hope soon to
have the honor to hear from you, and to have instructions for my
future government. With sincere wishes that my conduct may not be
displeasing to Congress, and with the highest respect,
I have the honor to be, &c.
WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.
* * * * *
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON TO WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.
Philadelphia, September 12th, 1782.
Sir,
All my letters of late have begun with complaints of neglect on the
part of our Ministers, in not transmitting early and full intelligence
of what is passing in Europe at this interesting period. That there
may, however, be one exception, I will not say a word on this subject
to you, only reminding you, that the last despatches we have been
favored with from you are those of the 18th and 27th of February.
These I replied to the 6th of July; a copy of that letter goes with
this; since which, Carleton and Digby have announced the commencement
of negotiations in Europe, and the resolution to acknowledge the
independence of America, without exacting any condition. Leslie has
informed the inhabitants of Charleston, that he means to evacuate it;
measures have been accordingly taken for that purpose. The evacuation
of New York seemed also in some measure determined on. But the arrival
of the packet, announcing the late changes in the Administration, has
revived the spirits of the tories, and they still retain hopes of
maintaining their ground in America. Our armies are now united, and
about moving to their old station at the White Plains. Pigot is at New
York with twentysix sail of the line; and the Marquis de Vaudreuil at
Boston, where he has unfortunately lost the Magnificence, sunk in the
harbor. Congress have endeavored to compensate this loss by presenting
His Most Christian Majesty with the America, built at Portsmouth. She
will, I believe, prove a very fine ship; and with diligence, she may
be fitted in time to be of use this campaign.
We have nothing new among us to inform you of. The armies on both
sides have been inactive, and our attention is turned on what passes
in Europe. Here we are lost in the wide field of expectation and
conjecture without a clue to lead us. I must again press you to think
of appointing some agent here to receive your salary, which will be
paid upon the spot; and may be vested in bills to great advantage.
Two quarters' salary have been transmitted by me, but as I am
unauthorised in this business, I shall inform Mr Morris that he must
devise some other way to make these remittances, which I beg leave to
decline meddling with in future.
I have the honor to be, with great esteem, &c.
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
* * * * *
TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
St Ildefonso, September 29th, 1782.
Sir,