commence its operations. The subscription fills fast, and the
directors assure me they shall be able to fulfil what they have
promised to the public. The directors for the supply of the army and
navy, have engaged to give America the preference for such supplies as
they may from time to time stand in need of from thence, and for this
purpose have taken from me the address of mercantile houses in the
different States. I mention this, in order that the different members
in Congress may be enabled to inform their constituents, who, perhaps,
might choose to furnish supplies of the produce of the States to which
they belong to this country, and who may be able to do it on better
terms than the parties I have recommended. The articles most in
demand will be masts, spars, tar, pitch, turpentine, flour, grain,
fish, &c. The tariff, mentioned in my last, excites universal
complaint; there is scarce a Minister from a maritime Court, who is
not preparing to make remonstrances. I shall see what success they
have, and regulate my conduct thereby. If we obtain any partial
advantages, they must be derived from treaty, and the desire of Spain
to cultivate our friendship.
The Court has not yet named a Minister to the United States. Indeed,
it is difficult to find a proper person for this employment. I
proposed to a M. Jose Llanos, a gentleman highly respected here for
his abilities and his agreeable manners, this commission. He is nephew
of the Duke d'Osada, a favorite of the King. The proposal was received
with great marks of satisfaction, and will contribute to secure his
good will and friendship, as well as that of his uncle, if it answers
no other purpose. The same Under Secretary in the foreign department,
who is charged with the affairs of Great Britain, has also the
direction of those of the United States. On being informed of this
circumstance, I paid him my compliments, and shall neglect nothing
which shall enable me to secure his good will, on which, in a great
measure, depends the despatch of business which passes through his
hands.
Since my residence in this country, I have written several long
letters to the Philadelphia Philosophical Society, in which, among
other things, I recommended to its attention, the nomination of
persons in this country as honorary members. I know not whether these
letters ever came to hand, for which reason permit me to suggest to
you, whether the nomination of the most distinguished literary
characters in the different countries of Europe might not be useful.
The suffrage of the republic of letters has contributed to give us a
celebrity during the war, and this union formed with its chiefs in
various countries, will secure useful connexions to our Ministers, as
well as to the American youth who may travel for instruction. Should
this idea meet your approbation, I would take the liberty of
recommending the Count de Campomanes, Fiscal of the Council of
Castile, the above mentioned Don Gaspar Jose Llanos, and the Abbe
Gavarra, Secretary of the Academy of History.
In consequence of your request to nominate a person to receive my
salary, I have written to Mr John Ross to act for me. I have now more
than three quarters due, and am absolutely obliged to live on credit.
I am under great obligations to Dr Franklin for his kindness in
assuming the bills, which I have been constrained to draw on him
hitherto; but dare not draw for the amount of salary due me, lest he
should not have funds. It is impossible for me to retrench my
expenses, without, at the same time, depriving myself of the occasions
of seeing frequently those here from whom alone useful information can
be drawn.
I am happy to have had the Marquis de Lafayette, a witness of my
conduct, and I flatter myself that his testimony will convince you,
that I have neglected nothing to conciliate the esteem of the best
informed natives, and the most distinguished foreigners at this Court,
from whom I could expect either countenance or intelligence. If
possible, I will endeavor to send with this letter copies of all
public accounts. Having no one to assist me in the comparing with the
books and examining the number of bills which have been paid, their
dates, &c. &c. in making out copies, and being but an indifferent
accountant, I proceed more slowly than I desire in their arrangement.
I hope Congress will finally have no reason to complain, as it has
been and ever will be, my highest ambition to merit the confidence
reposed in me.
I have the honor to be, &c.
WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.
* * * * *
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON TO WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.
Philadelphia, May 7th, 1783.
Sir,
I congratulate you upon the turn our affairs are likely to take with
you, and the prospect your letters open of a speedy connexion between
us and the Court of Madrid. Her cold and distant conduct (which I much
lament) has somewhat damped the ardor of this country to render that
connexion as intimate as possible. No people in the world are more
governed by their feelings than the Americans, of which the late war
was a striking proof, and those feelings have been long sported with
in Spain. Yet men of reflection see the propriety of overlooking the
past, and forming in future a durable connexion.
We are necessary to each other, and our mutual friendship must conduce
to the happiness of both. Should Spain have the magnanimity to reject
partial considerations, and offer such a treaty of commerce as her own
true interest and ours require, we shall now lay the foundation of a
friendship that will endure for ages. But should she contend with us
for the free navigation of the Mississippi, which is now ours by the
titles, should she deny us the privilege of cutting wood in the bays
of Campeachy and Honduras while she grants it to the English, she
will, without serving herself, injure us, and open the wounds which
her kindness should close.
I have no particular directions to give you with respect to your
mission; your conduct is perfectly agreeable to Congress, and I doubt
not that you will continue to pursue such a line as will render you
most acceptable to the Court of Madrid. We have now no particular
favors to ask, and the ground on which we stand, will, I hope,
preserve us from future neglects, and enable you to obtain the
practice you have been so long soliciting in those matters of a
private nature which you mention.
I am surprised to hear that you have not received your salary, since
it has been regularly remitted every quarter to Dr Franklin ever since
the first of January, 1782. By letters from Mr Lewis Morris, you will
learn that the money paid here was laid out in bills of exchange at
six shillings and threepence, this money, for five livres, and the
bills sent out. This exchange was in your favor, but by the enclosed
retrospective resolution, (passed in consequence of a representation
from Dr Franklin, that the salaries should not depend upon the
fluctuations of exchange,) Congress have deducted that advantage from
the quarter's salary, which was due on the 1st of April. The balance
will be paid in bills to Mr Ross, agreeably to your order, as soon as
I can prevail on Mr Robert Morris to draw, which he says will be in a
few days. No commission has been, or will be charged by me upon these
money transactions, so that your salary will be five livres, five sous
per dollar, considered at four shillings and sixpence sterling, not
without deduction from the 1st of January, 1782.
I need not tell you, that the terms of the provisional treaty were
very acceptable here; all but those articles that relate to the
loyalists, upon which subject I fear the recommendations of Congress
when made, will not effect what is expected of them. Of this the
unhappy people who are the objects of them appear to be very sensible,
and are going in much greater numbers than I could wish, to Nova
Scotia. Congress have ratified the treaty; we are now mutually
discharging prisoners. We shall send in about six thousand men in good
health and spirits, in return for a few hundred poor debilitated
wretches who have lost their health in the prison-ships. You will be
struck with the contrast between our conduct to the captives and
theirs, when I assure you that out of one thousand men confined in
close jail in Philadelphia for a twelvemonth, but sixteen died. Though
the knowledge of this can answer no political purpose at present, it
is not amiss that facts, which mark the humanity of a young nation
should be known. The measures, which Congress have lately adopted for
securing half pay to the troops, have given them satisfaction, and
they look with patriotic pleasure to the hour of their dissolution. We
have yet no knowledge of the time the British have fixed for the
evacuation of New York, on which subject I imagine they have yet
received no orders; though the communication between us and them is
perfectly open at present. You will continue to employ your leisure in
writing to us, and when no public business demands your attention, let
us learn from you the political and commercial history of the Court
and country you are in. In doing this I beg leave to remind you, that
general histories are in everybody's hands. That minute details are
requisite to an accurate knowledge of a country.
I thank you for the information you have given relative to the siege
of Gibraltar; it is curious and interesting.
I am, Sir, &c.
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
* * * * *
TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
Madrid, July 19th, 1783.
Sir,
A few days ago I had the satisfaction to receive a letter, which you
did me the honor to write me the 7th of May. It is the only one which
has reached me from the department of Foreign Affairs since the 12th
of September, 1782. I am happy to find my conduct has the approbation
of Congress. The delicate situation in which I have found myself here,
and a total privation of intelligence from America, embarrassed me
greatly; I was apprehensive, on the one hand, that a marked resentment
of the coldness and delays of this Court might compromise our ally,
and embroil still further our affairs here; and on the other, I felt
that it was not decent longer to solicit the amity of a nation, which
has long trifled with the proposals of the States. I was not
authorised to negotiate, and if I had been, I had no instructions but
those which were given to Mr Jay in 1779.
Our affairs have taken such a different aspect since that period, that
these could be of little use to me. Thus circumstanced, I contented
myself with taking every opportunity of pointing out to the Count de
Florida Blanca and others, the conduct which I presumed would be most
advantageous to my country, while, at the same time, it would cement a
lasting harmony between the two nations. I received constantly
general assurances of the favorable disposition of the King; the
letter transmitted by the Marquis de Lafayette, and those which I have
had the honor to write to you before and since that period, will have
informed you of the nature of them. I was induced to believe these
assurances were sincere, more from the opinion that it was the true
interest of this Court to follow that line of conduct, than from any
confidence in the real good will or good faith of government here. Its
apparent jealousy of our rising importance, and of our vicinity to
their American possessions, joined to its past conduct, I think will
justify these sentiments.
A few days ago, the Minister of the Indies, speaking of America in
general, wished the whole continent at the bottom of the ocean. I
believe he has his particular reasons for this wish. The advice which
I have had the honor to transmit you from time to time, of the
discontents and disturbances in Mexico and Peru, will in some measure
explain the cause of his dissatisfaction. The last intelligence
received from Buenos Ayres is by no means agreeable. The Court keeps
the most guarded silence on this subject, and the Minister has taken
care to stop all letters of a late date brought by packets from that
part of the world. I have, however, been informed by natives of
consequence from these countries who reside here, and who pay their
court every day to M. Galvez, that the spirit of revolt increases, and
that the conduct of the officers civil and military sent from hence,
is so odious and intolerable to all classes of people, that the worst
consequences are to be apprehended. These Americans treat me with the
cordiality of countrymen. The other night being at the Tertullia,
(Assembly) of Madame Galvez, the Count d'Oreilly entered. I saw
indignation immediately painted on their countenances, and one of them
accosting me, said, "there, my countryman, is a specimen of the
Governors they send us," alluding to the perfidy and cruelties of that
General in Louisiana. I was cautious in my reply, as indeed, I have
been in all conversations which I have had with these or others on
this subject. The apprehensions, which the situation of their Colonies
might be supposed to excite, do not appear to influence the conduct of
the Count de Florida Blanca.
In my letter of the 25th of June, I had the honor to submit to you my
conjectures on the part Spain seemed disposed to take in the war
commenced by Russia against the Turks. These conjectures have been
confirmed by circumstances, which have since come to my knowledge. The
Count de Florida Blanca takes an active part in negotiating and
exciting the distrust of other nations against the supposed designs of
the Imperial Courts. There have been frequent conferences of late
between that Minister, the French and Portuguese Ambassadors, and the
Count de Fernan Nunez, now here on _conge_ from Portugal. It is
surmised, that the object of them is to exclude from the ports of the
Court of Lisbon the fleet which Russia has talked of sending into the
Mediterranean, and to avoid giving a pointed offence to the Empress by
this exclusion, it is proposed to extend it to all nations at war.
Many circumstances induce me to credit this surmise. The Russian
Minister here is informed from Lisbon of this negotiation, and accuses
the Portuguese Ambassador, (who is a weak and vain man) of being
entirely gained by the court paid him here.
Efforts have been made to engage the Genoese and Venetians to enter
into the same views. I know the sentiments of the Ambassador from the
latter Republic on this subject. He is piqued by the little confidence
placed in him by this Court, on account of letters from him to his
constituents, placing the affairs of this country in an unfavorable
aspect. Copies of these letters have some how or other been procured
by the Spanish Ambassador there, and transmitted hither. He advises
the republic to remain neutral, notwithstanding the jealousies which
others endeavor to inspire of the Emperor's intentions. That Prince
continues to make the most formidable preparations, while at the same
time he endeavors to persuade others, particularly the Court of
France, that he does not enter into the designs of Russia. Your
information from Paris will be much more accurate than any that I can
give you on this subject. If the Court of Versailles was not well
satisfied with the dispositions of this Court, the Count de Montmorin
would not be permitted to return to France at this crisis. He talks of
leaving Spain in the month of September, or sooner, should the
definitive treaty be concluded. A courier is daily expected with the
news of the signature.
This intelligence will be the more agreeable, as doubts have been
entertained of the intentions of the English cabinet. The frequent
conferences of Mr Fox and the Russian Minister at London, and the
permission given to Russian Commissaries to prepare for the reception
of the fleets of that nation, may have excited these doubts. Mr Fox,
in the course of the negotiations of the definitive treaty, has
cavilled on every point, and raised difficulties and delays on every
occasion. It would, perhaps, have facilitated the conclusion of our
treaty with this country, if we could have adjusted the articles of it
before theirs with Great Britain is signed. I am afraid it will be
difficult to obtain permission to cut wood in the bays of Campeachy
and Honduras. This point, as I informed you in my last, was a subject
of long discussion at London. The limits occasioned the obstacles on
the part of Spain. I have insinuated from time to time to the Count de
Florida Blanca, the good effects the grant of this permission to the
citizens of the United States would have in America. But M. Galvez, as
Minister of the Indies, will be consulted on this point, as well as on
that of the free navigation of the Mississippi, and I believe will
obstruct as much as possible the cessions we desire. He is obstinate
to the last degree, and rarely swerves from the system he has once
adopted. Perseverance and steadiness on our part must from the nature
of things probably prevail.
There is no appearance of material changes in the Ministry here. It is
said, the King is not satisfied with the new Minister of Marine. The
friends of the Count d'Oreilly flattered themselves that he would be
named Minister of war. But his return to his government of Andalusia,
after a shorter stay than he intended, dissipated the expectations
formed on this head. I paid him my court during the time he was here,
in order to secure his influence in favor of our commerce at Cadiz.
The appointment of a consul is very necessary at that port, and
certainly no person will ever perform the functions of that office
with more credit to himself and country than Mr Richard Harrison, who
for three years past has gratuitously done all our business here.
The time of the Count de Florida Blanca is so much occupied by
projects of reform in the administration of the revenues, &c. and by
the negotiations before mentioned, that it is difficult if not
impracticable to see him, particularly while the Court is in the
capital. He promised at Aranjues to give me a positive answer here
with regard to my presentation to the King and royal family, but I
have been so accustomed to promises and delays, that I have little
expectations he will keep his word. I attend the answer of Congress to
my letter of the 23d of May, in which I recapitulated the difficulties
started on this subject.
The expedition against Algiers sailed on the 2d instant. Enclosed I
have the honor to send you a list of its force. The religious
ceremonies observed previous to the departure of this armament, recall
to mind those practised in the time of the crusades. A pompous
procession, composed of the clergy of all orders, and of the civil and
military officers at Carthagena, attended a miraculous image of the
virgin of Mount Carmel, from the church to the port. There, with great
ceremony, it was placed in the barge of Barcello, the chief of the
expedition, who himself took the helm, and conducted it on board the
Admiral's ship, parading through the fleet, which displayed its
colors, and saluted with firing and music during the time the ceremony
lasted. The image was reconducted to the altar from which it had been
taken with the same pomp, and no doubt that many of the spectators and
assistants are convinced, that this honor paid to the virgin will
insure the success of the expedition. I take the liberty of giving you
this detail, as it marks the character of a part of the nation.
Sensible people smile when the circumstance happens to be mentioned.
In the month of July, 1780, I gave to Mr Jay in writing, a general
account of the disposition of the Court; the state of the finances of
this country, &c. &c. I know not whether it has ever been transmitted
to Congress. I have from time to time since been employed in
correcting and enlarging it. I have hopes of obtaining an accurate
account of the revenues and debts of this nation. The person, through
whose means I hope to procure it for the time necessary to copy it, is
now absent. Should I be successful, I must entreat the greatest
secrecy, on account of the person who I expect will favor me on this
point. In 1781, I transmitted to the Philosophical Society of
Philadelphia, a relation of the measures taken in this country for the
encouragement of arts and agriculture, particularly by societies
established with the title of _Amigos del Pais_, (friends of the
country) these societies owe their existence to the celebrated Count
de Campomanes; from him I drew my information on this subject, and I
must add in justice to his liberality of thinking, that I have found
him on all occasions disposed to contribute to my instruction; for
this and other reasons heretofore mentioned, I pressed his nomination
as honorary member of our philosophical society. You will pardon me
for reminding you of this circumstance.
Urged by necessity, I have been constrained to draw on Dr Franklin; I
never have been advised by him of the reception of bills of exchange
for my salary. Mr Temple Franklin wrote me many months ago, that
advice had been received that bills had been drawn for that purpose,
but that they had not come to hand. In the course of this summer, he
informed me, that six months of my salary had been remitted by your
department, and that I had been credited with that sum in my account
with Dr Franklin. I have heard nothing on the subject since. You will
please, therefore, direct its being transmitted in future through the
hands of Mr John Ross.
I have just been informed, that an envoy is arrived at Cadiz from
Morocco, charged with powers to treat in behalf of the Emperor with
our Commissioners at Paris. I beg leave to recall to your attention,
that I had the honor to commence our first negotiations with Sweden,
Denmark, and Saxony, and that others have been authorised to conclude
them, to the great mortification of the Ministers of those Courts
employed here. I shall be perfectly satisfied if the Congress remains
persuaded of the zeal which has animated me, and will ever animate me,
to contribute my feeble efforts to promote the interest and glory of
the States, and to merit the confidence reposed in me.
I have the honor to be, &c.
WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.
* * * * *
TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
Madrid, July 22d, 1783.
Sir,
Since closing my letter of the 19th instant, a courier arrived from
Alicant, brings advice that the armament against Algiers, which sailed
the 2d, has been dispersed by bad weather, and obliged to take shelter
in that port and others on the coast. If I can procure the details of
this disaster, I will forward them by this opportunity. This
dispersion will afford more time for the Algerines to prepare for
their defence. The fleet from the Havana is daily expected; some
vessels have already arrived.
Great hopes are conceived of the influence which this treasure, and
the produce embarked in the convoy, will have in enlivening the
commerce of this country, and appreciating the paper money in
circulation. In this capital that paper loses five per cent, in the
sea-ports, three and a half per cent. The operations of the bank have
not been attended hitherto with the success expected from them.
Solano, who commanded the maritime forces of Spain in the West Indies,
subject to the order of General Galvez, has excited the indignation of
the King and Ministry, by refusing to receive on board the vessels
under his command, the general officers and troops destined to return
to Spain. It is said here, that his refusal proceeded from a desire to
turn to his private advantage and that of his officers, this occasion
of lading the ships of war with the produce of Spanish America. This
has been too much the custom in this country. He will find a powerful
enemy in the Minister of the Indies, whose nephew is obliged by this
manoeuvre to embark in a merchant-man.
We have yet no news of the signature of the definitive treaty. Mr
Adams did me the honor to write me in a letter, which I have just
received by a private hand, "that they were moving on with the same
sluggish pace in the conferences for the definitive treaty, and could
by no means foresee the end." This letter is dated the 18th of June.
The Court and the French Ambassador give out that they expect the news
of its signature in eight days. If it was not imprudent to hazard
conjecture against such authority, I should be induced by other
motives, to think that this event will not take place, until
despatches carried from hence last week arrive in London. I have
additional reason to suppose that the convention mentioned in my last,
to exclude from the ports of Portugal the Russian ships of war, has
been, or is on the point of being concluded. The Prince de Masseran,
who charges himself with the delivery of this to my correspondent at
Bordeaux, being about to set out, I am obliged to conclude.
I have the honor to be, &c.
WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.
* * * * *
FROM THE SAXON MINISTER IN SPAIN TO WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.
Translation.