From Thomas Jefferson
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[Philadelphia] Oct. 26. 92. Th: Jefferson has the honor to send for the perusal of the President the inclosed letters just received from mister Barclay.* |
AL, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters; LB, DNA: RG 59, George Washington's Correspondence with His Secretaries of State; LB (photocopy), DLC:GW.
Notes
Jefferson received two letters from Thomas Barclay, U.S. consul to Morocco, on 26 October. Both letters were written from Gibraltar, the first one on 31 July and the second one on 22 Aug. 1792. In both letters Barclay reported on recent events in the Moroccan civil war, and in the 31 July letter he wrote: "The Americans at Algiers had not, in the beginning of this Month, received any part of the relief that was held out to them, their deplorable situation is Confirmed by a letter which I received open from the British Consul at Algiers to the British Consul at Philadelphia, requesting hi<m> to lay their sufferings before the legislatures of the United States, accompanied with one to my self partly on the same subject. Major Grey of the Queens regiment who was a Witness to thei<r> wants, and I belive Contributed to relive them as far as prudently he Could do, Consulted me about the propriety of his writing to the President to procu<re> them some attention from their Country, but I gave My opinion that it would not be necessary" (both letters are in DNA: RG 59, Consular Dispatches: Gibraltar; extracts are in Jefferson Papers, 24:269-70, 312-13).
Extract: Thomas Barclay to Thomas Jefferson
| Gibraltar, 31 July 1792. He has received TJ'S letter of 9 Apr. with the newspapers, which latter enabled him to make agreeable communications to others who are highly interested in the prosperity of the United States. He hopes he will shortly be able to settle the business committed to him. The situation in Morocco must change after the celebration of Mahomet's birth. Since the harvest Muley Suliman has collected many troops, while Muley Ischem has lost adherents. After he was proclaimed Emperor, Ischem swore to execute no one without a fair trial, to take no female into his harem involuntarily, and to respect the law of the Koran on liquors, but he has violated the first obligation by executing the governor of the city of Morocco without charging him with a crime and the third by becoming intoxicated every day. It seems likely that Suliman will remain sole Emperor, "in which case I doubt not of my success." Although he does not know whether his old friend Fenis will have any influence, at present he is sure Francisco Chiappe has gone. He encloses a translation of Suliman's letter to the governor of Tangier in answer to Chiappe's request for leave to visit Gibraltar, another proof of Suliman's moderation. Should there be one king of Fez and another of Morocco, it will complicate his mission because he is not authorized to treat with both, though he will attempt it. Ischem's ambassador to Spain, though treated well in Cadiz, was not permitted to go to Madrid and has returned to Morocco. The deplorable condition of the Americans at Algiers, who as of early July had not received any of the relief held out to them, is indicated by a letter from the British consul at Algiers to the British consul at Philadelphia requesting that their suffering be laid before "the legislatures of the United States" which came open with another addressed to him. He has advised Major Gray of the Queen's Regiment, who contributed prudently to relieve the captives, that it would be unnecessary for him to write to the President about them. The Venetians have withdrawn their fleet from the bay of Tunis and paid 53,000 zequins, an annual supply of warlike stores worth 12,000, and every two years a consular present of 5,000. The Algerine zequin or sequin is worth 22 rials, 12 of which equal a Mexican dollar, and the sums mentioned are "the prices of the treaties, and do not include the Considerable presents made to individuals to procure them." |
Printed in Jefferson Papers, 24: 269-70.
Extract: Thomas Barclay to Thomas Jefferson
| Gibraltar, 22 August 1792. He encloses a copy of his 31 July letter, but is no longer confident that by the end of September Suliman or Ischem will be sole sovereign of Morocco. For the last three weeks "our Eyes have been anxiously turned towards Barbary in expectation of the result of a Very Novel experiement which has been made in that Country." According to accounts received yesterday, some of the leading people in the kingdom of Morocco, including the governors of Abda, Duguela, and Eramna, invited a number of people from neighboring provinces to attend a convention in order to settle the succession conflict. Opposed alike to Ischem and Suliman, the members of the convention proposed to set aside the Sharif family, but they were unable to agree on an acceptable person and could do no more than swear to preserve peace and suppress banditry. He will forward communications promised by a writer from Mogador if they are worth TJ's attention. Notwithstanding the opposition of the British consul at Morocco, three captains in Suliman's service who came here from Tangier purchased three brigantines. He believes they are intended for commercial purposes, but will be a little apprehensive if affairs in Morocco remain unsettled. |
Printed in Jefferson Papers, 24:312-13.