DOCUMENTS RESPECTING BARBARY,

ACCOMPANYING THE PRESIDENT'S COMMUNICATIONS TO CONGRESS, DECEMBER 8, 1801.

Extract of a Letter from the Secretary of State, to William Eaton, Esq. Consul of the United States at Tunis, dated

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

WASHINGTON, MAY 20, 1801.

"THE proofs which have been given by the Bashaw of Tripoli, of hostile designs against the United States, have, as you will learn from commodore Dale, determined the President to send into the Mediterranean a squadron of three frigates and a sloop of war, under the command of that officer. Should war have been declared, or hostilities commenced, this force will be immediately employed in the defence and protection of our commerce against the piracies of that regency. It is hoped that the contagion will not have spread to Tunis or Algiers; but should one or both of them have followed the perfidious example, their corsairs will be equally repelled and punished.

"The policy of exhibiting a naval force on the coast of Barbary, has long been urged by yourself and the other consuls. The present moment is peculiarly favourable for the experiment, not only as it is a provision against an immediate danger, but as we are now at peace and amity with all the rest of the world, and as the force employed would, if at home, be at nearly the same expense, with less advantage to our mariners. The President has therefore every reason to expect the utmost exertions of your prudence and address, in giving the measure an impression

most advantageous to the character and interests of the United States. In effecting this object, the means must be left in a great degree to your knowledge of the local and other circumstances, which cannot be understood at this distance. You will of course take due pains to satisfy the Bey, that the United States are desirous of maintaining peace with all nations, who are willing to live in peace, that they have given abundant evidence of their disposition to cultivate the friendship of the Barbary regencies and of himself in particular, and that if the flag of the United States should be engaged in war with either of them, it will be a war of defence and necessity, not of choice or provocation. You will also give every friendly explanation and assurance on this occasion, which may be requisite for the consuls and agents of other powers residing at Tunis.

"You are authorized to inform the Bey of Tunis, that a vessel is now preparing to take in the cargo, which will complete the regalia due to him, and that no time will be lost in getting her on her voyage.

Note.-The same was written to Mr. O'Brien, except the last paragraph, with the following addition :

"You will of course take due pains to satisfy the Dey, that the United States are desirous of maintaining peace with all nations who are willing to live in peace, that they have given abundant evidence of their disposition to cultivate the friendship of the Barbary regencies, and of himself in particular; that they expect from his good faith an efficacious interposition, according to our treaty with him, for guaranteeing the treaty with the Bashaw of Tripoli.

"The United States, it appears, will, before you receive this, be three years in arrears to the Dey. Towards making up the deficiency, the "George Washington" is under active preparation to carry timber and other stores for at least one annuity. Commodore Dale is charged with thirty thousand dollars, which the President hopes the Dey may have been induced to accept as a commutation for the stores due for another. He has also in charge four hundred yards of cloth, and thirty pieces of linen, for the bien* Vol. I.

nial present. Should you not have prevailed on the Dey, and should find it still impossible to prevail on him, to ac cept the thirty thousand dollars in lieu of the stores, without the application of four, five, or six thousand dollars, you will be supplied with that sum, and the sum of thirty thousand dollars will then be made up out of other moneys in the commodore's hands. Should there be no possibility of inducing the Dey to the measure, even with this aid, the whole sum of thirty thousand dollars is to be retained by the commodore. The balance for the remaining, or third year, will be sent as soon as it can be done, either in stores or money as may be agreed. You are already aware how much both the conveniency and interest of the United States will be promoted by substituting money for stores, rating the latter at thirty thousand dollars, as a permanent regulation, and will take due pains to bring about such a change. You may find it perhaps an argument of some weight with the Dey for preferring money to stores, that the former can always be remitted with more punctuality; and that in times of war such of the latter as are held to be contraband by the European law of nations, may be exposed to captures by which he must be affected as well as the United States. In case you should succeed in the pecuniary commutation proposed, it will be proper in defining the sum of thirty thousand dollars to refer to some standard of weight and fineness in the metal, that will secure the United States against arbitrary regulations of the Dey, and quiet his jealousy, if he should have any, of imposition on the part of the United States. The Spanish dollars now in circulation may, for example, answer this purpose.

"The pretensions set up against the United States in the case of the ship Fortune, for indemnification to the owners of the merchandize, with which she was laden, shews the disadvantage of employing our vessels in the freight of Algerine property. You will, therefore, as far as you can, discourage that branch of trade; and as far as it cannot be done, will take care to repress all expectation or claim whatsoever, to throw on the United States the losses by capture under their flag.

"One subject of equal importance and delicacy still remains. The sending to Constantinople, the national ship of war, the George Washington, by force, under the Algerine flag, and for such a purpose, has deeply affected the sensibility, not only of the President, but of the people of the United States. Whatever temporary effects it may have had favourable to our interests, the indignity is of so serious a nature, that it is not impossible that it may be deemed necessary, on a fit occasion, to revive the subject. Viewing it in this light, the President wishes that nothing may be said or done by you, that may unnecessarily preclude the competent authority from animadverting on that transaction in any way that a vindication of the national honour may be thought to prescribe.”

Extract of a Letter from the same to James L. Cathcart, Esq. Consul at Tripoli, dated

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

WASHINGTON, MAY 21, 1801.

"THE threat of hostilities against the trade of the United States by the Bashaw, certified in your communications, and issuing immediately from the Bashaw himself in a translation of his letter of 25 May last, certified by his interpreter Farfara, has determined the President to send into the Mediterranean a squadron of frigates and a sloop of war, under commodore Dale, by whom this is written. You will also receive from him a letter to the Bashaw from the President.

"Should war have been declared, or hostilities commenced, before the arrival of this squadron, it will be immediately employed in the defence and protection of our commerce, against the piratical attacks of the Bashaw's corsairs. Should war have been neither declared nor commenced, it is expected by the President that you will exert all your prudence and address in rendering the appearance of the squadron and the letter from the President sub

servient to the preservation of peace, and to such impressions on the Bashaw as will be most favourable to the dig nity and interests of the United States. The President relies the more on the zeal and success of these exertions, as the policy of exhibiting a naval force on the coast of Barbary, has long been urged by you and the other consuls. To aid your exertions on this occasion, you will be supplied by commodore Dale, with a sum if necessary which will be communicated by him. In a letter which I have written by the present opportunity to Mr. O'Brien, he is instructed to cultivate the good will of the Dey of Algiers, and to call on him for his stipulated interposition as guarantee of the treaty between the United States and the Bashaw. You will not fail to make the best use you can of the interposition if it be afforded.”

THOMAS JEFFERSON, President of the United States of America. To the illustrious and honoured Bey of Tripoli of Barbary, whom God preserve.

GREAT AND RESPECTED FRIEND,

"THE assurances of friendship which our consul has given you, and of our sincere desire to cultivate peace and commerce with your subjects, are faithful expressions of our dispositions, and you will continue to find proofs of them in all those acts of respect and friendly intercourse which are due between nations standing as we do in the relations of peace and amity with each other.

"At the conclusion of our treaty with you, we endeavoured to prove our respect for yourself, and satisfaction at that event, by such demonstrations as gave you then entire content and we are disposed to believe that in rendering into another language those expressions in your letter of the 25th of May last. which seem to imply purposes inconsistent with the faith of that transaction, your intentions have been misconstrued. On this supposition we renew to you sincerely assurances of our constant friendship, and that our desire to cultivate peace and commerce with you remains firm and unabated.