The above 58 vessels carried with them fruit, salt, wine, and tea.

FROM JOHN ADAMS TO JOHN JAY.

London, June 27, 1786.

Sir,

The Chevalier del Pinto, the Envoy of Portugal, informed me, this day, that he had received instructions from his Court to inform me "that the Queen, his mistress, has sent a squadron to cruize in 'the mouth of the straits, with orders to protect all vessels belonging 'to the United States of America equally with those of her own 'subjects; and that she would continue those orders as long as they 'should be agreeable to Congress.

The reply was, that it could not be doubted that so signal a mark of her Majesty's friendly attention to the interest and safety of the citizens of America would be very agreeable to Congress, and that the first opportunity should be embraced to make the communication to them.

So much notice will probably be taken of this by Congress as to return the compliment; the least is thanks.

If the United States should ever think themselves able to pay taxes and begin a navy, this war of the Algerines would be a good opportunity. I have never dared, however, to recommend it, because that as negotiation, and customary presents, and redemption of captives, must finally terminate the war, whatever sums are spent in it, whatever time is spent, or lives lost in it, it has ever appeared to me that all this would be thrown away.

It would employ our shipwrights, and make various branches of business brisk, to order half a score of frigates of thirty-six guns to be built, and it would give us an eclat; but it would cost money. JOHN ADAMS.

With great regard, &c.,

FROM JOHN ADAMS TO JOHN JAY.

Grosvenor Square, February 27, 1786.

Sir, At the last conferences, (as they call here what is understood in Paris by Ambassadors' days,) the Marquis of Caermarthen was pleased to make an apology for not having yet answered the memorial requiring the evacuation of the posts: "It would sound 'oddly to say that he had delayed his answer to prevent delays, but 'it was true. He had drawn up his answer, but as he was obliged 'to say something concerning the old debts, he had been obliged to 'wait for a little further information, that he might state in one view 'all the acts of the Assemblies which had interposed impediments." As this is some kind of respect to the memorial, it ought to be communicated to Congress, as, no doubt, it was intended and expected that it should be.

The public prints will inform you that the Newfoundland bill and the American intercourse bill are revived. It would be sufficient to convince every American what the system is, to say that Mr. Jenkinson was the member of Administration and the House of Commons

selected to conduct this business. Comparing his well-known character with what he said, you will believe that the same men and the same principles which have governed this nation in their conduct towards America these twenty years, prevail to this hour, as far as the circumstances will admit; and that Mr. Pitt is either a convert to their sentiments, or is only an ostensible Minister.

It remains with the States to determine what measures they will take to discourage a commerce the most impoverishing and ruinous that can be imagined, to promote a more beneficial intercourse with the rest of Europe, and to support their own manufactures and navigation; for on such measures alone can they have any dependence in future.

With sincere esteem, &c.,

JOHN ADAMS.

FROM JOHN ADAMS TO LORD CAERMARTHEN.

My Lord,

Grosvenor Square, February 6, 1786.

I have the honor of transmitting to your Lordship a copy of a letter of the 21st of December last, from his Majesty's Consul Gene

ral in the United States to their Secretary of State for the Department of Foreign Affairs, which has been laid before Congress, who have been pleased to direct me to communicate it to his Majesty, with this information, that the complaint stated in it being in general terms, and unsupported by any particular facts or evidence, they do not think it necessary or proper to take any measures in consequence of it; and with this assurance, that, as it is their determination the treaty of peace shall be punctually observed by their citizens, and that his Majesty's subjects shall enjoy in the United States all the rights which friendly and civilized nations claim from each other, so they will always be ready to hear every complaint which may appear to be well founded, and to redress such of them as on an investigation shall prove to be so. Let me request your Lordship to lay this communication before his Majesty.

Your Lordship will permit me to avail myself of this opportunity of remarking, that the office of Consul General does not extend to matters of this kind, neither the rights of commerce nor of navigation being in question; and, therefore, that it was delicacy towards his Majesty, rather than a sense of the propriety of such an application from a Consul General, which induced Congress to treat it with this mark of attention.

As the United States, my Lord, have a Minister Plenipotentiary residing at this Court, in consequence of a proposition to that purpose made by his Britannic Majesty's Minister, through his Grace the Duke of Dorset, his Ambassador at Paris, your Lordship will permit me to propose to the consideration of your Majesty's Ministers the expediency, as well as propriety, of sending a Minister Plenipotentiary from his Majesty to the United States of America. I am authorized, my Lord, to give assurances that Congress expect such a Minister, and are ready to receive and treat him in a manner consistent with the respect due to his sovereign.

With great respect, &c.,

JOHN ADAMS,

FROM JOHN ADAMS TO JOHN JAY.

Grosvenor Square, March 4, 1786.

Sir,

I have the honor to enclose to you copies of the Secretary of State's answer, dated the 28th of February, to the memorial dated

the 30th of November, and presented to him on the 8th of December last, and of a state of grievances of British merchants and others. I shall make no reply to his Lordship until I receive the orders of Congress.

With great respect, &c.,

JOHN ADAMS.

Sir,

FROM LORD CAERMARTHEN TO JOHN ADAMS.

St. James's, February 28, 1786.

In answer to the memorial you did me the honor to deliver to me on the 8th December, I have to observe to you, sir, that it is his Majesty's fixed determination upon the present as well as every other occasion to act in perfect conformity to the strictest principles of justice and good faith.

The seventh article, both of the provisional and of the definitive treaties between his Majesty and the United States, clearly stipulates the withdrawing, with all convenient speed, his Majesty's armies, garrisons, and fleets, from the said United States, and from every port, place, and harbor, within the same; and no doubt can possibly arise respecting either the letter or spirit of such an engagement.

The fourth article of the same treaties as clearly stipulates that creditors, on either side, shall meet with no lawful impediment to the recovery of the full value in sterling money of all bona fide debts heretofore contracted.

The little attention paid to the fulfilling this engagement on the part of the subjects of the United States in general, and the direct breach of it in many particular instances, have already reduced many of the King's subjects to the utmost degree of difficulty and distress; nor have their applications for redress, to those whose situations in America naturally pointed them out as the guardians of public faith, been as yet successful in obtaining them that justice to which, on every principle of law as well as of humanity, they were clearly and indisputably entitled.

The engagements entered into by treaty ought to be mutual, and equally binding on the respective contracting parties. It would, therefore, be the height of folly as well as injustice to suppose one party alone obliged to a strict observance of the public faith, while

the other might remain free to deviate from its own engagements as often as convenience might render such deviation necessary, though at the expense of its own national credit and importance.

I flatter myself, however, sir, that justice will speedily be done to British creditors; and I can assure you, sir, that whenever America shall manifest a real determination to fulfil her part of the treaty, Great Britain will not hesitate to prove her sincerity to coöperate in whatever points depend upon her for carrying every article of it into real and complete effect.

The enclosed paper contains a state of the grievances complained of by merchants and other British subjects having estates, property, and debts due to them in the several States of America.

I am, sir, &c.,

CAERMARTHEN.

State of the Grievances complained of by Merchants and other British Subjects having estates, property, and debts due to them in the several States of America.

MASSACHUSETTS BAY.

By an act of this State, passed the 9th of November, 1784, the justices of the courts of judicature were directed, severally, to suspend rendering judgment for any interest that might have accrued between the 19th of April, 1775, and the 20th of January, 1783, on debts due to British subjects.

This act is peculiarly severe on British subjects, against whom it is expressly pointed. The demand of interest is called inequitable and unjust, and the Legislature of this State conceive it to be repugnant to the spirit and intention of the fourth article of the treaty of peace, which they say provides only for bona fide debts. The act states that the Legislature have taken measures to obtain the sense of Congress upon this article; but the committee have not heard that any opinion has been given thereon.

NEW YORK.

By an act passed in this State the 12th of July, 1782, British creditors are precluded from the claim of interest on all debts contracted before the 1st of January, 1776, until after the 1st of