1To James Madison from James Leander Cathcart, 4 March 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
4 March 1802, Leghorn. No. 2. Has learned that the U.S. ship George Washington , which arrived 31 Jan. from Tunis and Naples and sailed a few days later with merchant vessels under convoy, reached Marseilles safely. The President was repaired at Toulon and has sailed for Gibraltar. Eaton arrived in Leghorn on the George Washington and remained until 28 Feb. He will stop at Naples “to determine...
2To James Madison from James Leander Cathcart, 5 March 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
5 March 1802, Leghorn. No. 3. States that “during Mr. Eaton’s delay at Leghorn he inform’d me that no consideration on earth could have sufficient weight to induce him to remain in Barbary a moment after our affairs were terminated with Tripoli…. I therefore request that I may be removed from Tripoli to Tunis as I presume I have a prior right to that appointment to any person in the United...
3To James Madison from James Leander Cathcart, 25 April 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
25 April 1802, Leghorn. No. 4. “The enclosed extracts from my correspondence & Mr. Eatons dispatches will inform you of our actual position, every thing seems to be in a train to promise apparently a satisfactory conclusion to this war which I assure you envolves serious consequences ’tho visibly it is of little moment. I have before observed that Tunis and Algiers have their eyes fix’d on...
4To James Madison from James Leander Cathcart, 9 May 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
9 May 1802, Leghorn. No. 5. Has not heard from “Barbary” but supposes Eaton persuaded Hamet to remain at Malta until the U.S. naval squadron arrives with instructions from the president. Has been informed that the Enterprize arrived “with dispatches at Gibraltar” and immediately went in search of the Boston , “who I presume is off Tripoli, but this is only conjecture as I have not been favor’d...
5To James Madison from James Leander Cathcart, 21 May 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
21 May 1802, Leghorn. No. 6. Acknowledges JM’s letter enclosing the 6 Feb. act for the protection of the commerce and seamen of the U.S. Encloses a copy of his dispatch no. 8 “& cannot imagine how it miscarried.” Has received no word from Barbary or about U.S. warships since his last dispatch. “I have kept myself in readiness to embark at a moments warning ever since the arrival of Comodore...
6To James Madison from James Leander Cathcart, 3 June 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
3 June 1802, Leghorn. No. 7. “Yesterday” he enclosed dispatches from Eaton through 4 May. Now encloses an extract of intelligence received from Tripoli “containing the most prominent transactions of that government from the 12th. of March to the 30th. of April,” to which he adds the following extracts from Eaton’s letter to him of 21 May. On the day before yesterday the Schooner Enterprize...
7To James Madison from James Leander Cathcart, 4 July 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
4 July 1802, Leghorn. No. 8. Enclosures A and B, along with his dispatch no. 7 which was forwarded by the Liberty on 3 June, relate all information of importance on U.S. affairs with Tripoli and Tunis. Tripolitan cruisers have been frequently at sea since the war began, and this at a time when the extent of American commerce “never was so valuable.” Has seen twenty-four American ships “in this...
8To James Madison from James Leander Cathcart, 15 July 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
15 July 1802, Leghorn. No. 9. Cannot find “words expressive of my feelings” about the capture of the brig Franklin by the Tripolitans. “It proves that we cannot evade the depredations of the most insignificant cruisers of the most insignificant Barbary State. What? after the pains that had been taken to defeat the projects of the Bashaw of Tripoli … had been attended with success … & we were...
9To James Madison from James Leander Cathcart, 6 August 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
6 August 1802, Leghorn. No. 10. Has received circulars from Gibraltar announcing the Moroccan declaration of war against the U.S. “By my Circular of the 11th. of Septr. 1801 copy’s of which were forwarded to the Department of State and to Comodore Dale I foresaw this event, & I hope I will not be thought presumptuous should I assert that it might have been prevented.” Encloses Simpson’s answer...
10To James Madison from James Leander Cathcart, 25 August 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
25 August 1802, Leghorn. No. 11. During his residence at Tripoli, transmitted to the State Department a history of the reign of Ali Pasha, father of the reigning sovereign, including the “different revolutions in that State,” the murder of Mohammed Bey, and the usurpation by Yusuf Pasha Qaramanli of the throne of his brother Hamet Pasha. Is convinced that the inhabitants of Tripoli hold the...
11To James Madison from James Leander Cathcart, 26 August 1802 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
26 August 1802, Leghorn. Submits for the president’s decision a plan to coerce Yusuf Pasha of Tripoli to agree to a permanent treaty with the U.S. and “perpetual protection” for his brother Hamet by threatening him with the “use of such means as God had already placed in our hands … join’d to our influence at the sublime Port.” Encloses William Eaton’s letter to him of 12 July “with my...
12To James Madison from James Leander Cathcart, 3 September 1802 (Madison Papers)
Enclosures No. 1: 2: 3, are letters which I have receiv’d since my last from Tripoli. No. 3 informs us of the Bashaws great desire to come upon terms which he may suppose to be favorable to us, but from the stile of the letter it is pretty evident that he still expects we will purchase our peace. I am really at a loss how to act for want of knowing the pleasure of government, not having...
13To James Madison from James Leander Cathcart, 4 September 1802 (Madison Papers)
Having found an assistant I am enabled by this Post to forward the enclosed letter, and my answer to and from Mr: Nissen at Tripoli with my answer to his letter of the 8th: of July. I refer you to my dispatch No: 12. of last year dated September the 27th. 1801, for the reason which induced the Danish Comodore to adopt this pusillanimous conduct, he thinks he has effected a great deal by...
14To James Madison from James Leander Cathcart, 8 September 1802 (Madison Papers)
I conceive it my duty to forward Copy’s of all my correspondence that conveys the least intelligence to the department of State; however disagreeable this line of conduct may be on several occasions, I prescribed the rule myself, & from it I am resolved not to swerve, ’tho I am convinced it will procure me many private enemies, but at the same time I flatter myself it will promote the general...