PARIS, February 18, 1787.
DEAR SIR,--I am now to acknowledge your separate favors of December
4th, and January 6th, and the joint one to Mr. Adams and myself of
January 6th; this last has been communicated to Congress, and to Mr.
Adams. You have my full and hearty approbation of the treaty you
obtained from Morocco, which is better and on better terms than I
expected. Mr. Adams and myself have annexed our confirmation to two of
the copies, one of which is gone to Congress; the other, with a joint
letter to Fennish, I now enclose to Mr. Carmichael, apprehending you
are not in Madrid. I concur clearly with you in opinion that, for many
reasons, Mr. Carmichael would be a proper person to negotiate our
business with Algiers, if it be negotiable with such means as we
possess. I have expressed, this opinion in my letters to America, but I
am sure we cannot raise the money necessary. Colonel Franks was gone to
London before I received your letter. He returned and embarked in the
packet for Havre, but nothing was done on the subject of accounts or
money. I was unlucky enough to dislocate my right wrist five months
ago, and though it was well set, I can yet make no use of it but to
write. I am advised to try mineral waters, and those of Aix in
Provence, being as much recommended as any others, I am induced to go
to them by the desire of making the tour of the ports with which we
trade, Marseilles, Bordeaux, Nantes, &c. I set out in two days and
shall be absent three months. The packets are finally fixed at Havre.
They sail every six weeks. Honfleur will, I think, certainly be made a
free port; and I flatter myself will become the centre for much of our
trade, and particularly that of rice. The death of Count de Vergennes,
and appointment of Monsieur de Montmorin, will reach you before this
letter does. I have letters, &c., from America as late as the 15th of
December. The insurgents of Massachusetts had prayed pardon for
themselves and their leaders in jail, and on these terms had offered to
retire and live peaceably at home. Mrs. Barclay and your family are
well, except they are somewhat apprehensive of a film growing over the
eye of your youngest daughter; but should it do so, it will be easily
removed. I have the honor to be, with much esteem and respect, dear
Sir, your most obedient, and most humble servant.