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occasion shall offer. A sincere affection between the two people, is the broadest basis on which their peace can be built.
It will always be among the most pleasing functions of my of fice, to be made the channel of communicating the friendly sen timents of the two governments. It is additionally so, as it gives me an opportunity of assuring your Excellency of the high re spect and esteem, with which I have the honor to be, your Excellency s
most obedient and
most humble servant,
TH: JEFFERSON.
LETTER CXXIV. TO JOHN JAY.
Paris, October 11, 1785. SIR,
In my letter of August the 14th, I had the honor of expressing to you the uneasiness I felt, at the delay of the instructions on the subject of the Barbary treaties, of which Mr. Lambe was the bearer, and of informing you that I had proposed to Mr. Adams, that if he did not arrive either in the French or English packets, then expected, we should send some person to negotiate these treaties. As he did not arrive in those packets, and I found Mr. Barclay was willing to undertake the negotiations, I wrote to Mr. Adams, (who had concurred in the proposition made him) inform ing him that Mr. Barclay would go, and proposing papers for our immediate signature. The day before the return of the courier, Mr. Lambe arrived with our instructions, the letters of credence, &;c. enclosed in yours of March the llth, 1785. Just about the same time, came to hand the letter No. 1, informing me, that two American vessels were actually taken and carried into Algiers, and leaving no further doubt that that power was exercising hosti lities against us, in the Atlantic. The conduct of the Emperor of Morocco had been such, as forbade us to postpone his treaty to that with Algiers. But the commencement of hostilities by the latter, and their known activity, pressed the necessity of immediate propositions to them. It was therefore thought best, while Mr. Barclay should be proceeding with the Emperor of Morocco, that some other agent should go to Algiers. We had few subjects to choose out of. Mr. Lambe s knowledge of the country, of its inhabitants, of their manner of transacting business, the recommen-
