James Madison Papers

To James Madison from William Jarvis, 3 August 1802 (Abstract)

§ From William Jarvis

3 August 1802, Lisbon. Reports that he arrived on 1 Aug. and wrote the enclosed letter to the minister of foreign affairs the next day.1 Acknowledges JM’s letter of 6 May, which he received on his arrival; will “pay particular attention to the several claims against this Government for the Vessels siezed in the Brazils.” Notes that the quarantine “laid last winter” has been taken off. Has just received a letter from John J. Clark of Providence, who “acquaints me of the siezeure of his schoon⟨er⟩ Pilgrim, Saml. Staples Master, in Rio Janiero upon suspicion of intending to carry on an illicit Trade, & has requested me to pu⟨r⟩sue the business.” Both the Pilgrim and the Samuel “have been condemned for a breach of the Law of the realm.” Encloses a copy of the condemnation in the Samuel case.2 “I am much mortified at the situation of our Affairs with the powers of Barbary, which appear from the inclosed papers to be in the most disagreeable posture; Mr Bulkeley has to day put them into my hands; part of which he informed me he had communicated to you, but … I thought it most desireable to Copy & forward the whole,3 well knowing from the interest Government takes in those affairs, how desireable is the most speedy & correct information on the subject. I shall not make any remarks on any of the letters except that from Bonaventura ⟨on⟩ page 12, which it is possible might not have been any thing but a friendly Vessel.… I have agreeable to your wishes been particularly careful that Mr Bulkeley shall have no cause to complain of a want of delicacy on the part of Government or myself, of which he appears to be fully sensible.” In a postscript, notes that he is forwarding a letter just received from James Simpson.

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