1. The enclosed letter from Le Sénéchal de Kercado to Bingham, 7 Sept. 1795, is in French, but only the last of three paragraphs was translated. The second paragraph quotes Jean Sabin Michel Mathieu’s characterization of himself as a merchant who was born in Naples and wishes to return. He claims connections useful for U.S. negotiations with Algiers and asserts that he speaks French, Italian, and Spanish like a native and English well enough to do business. The translated paragraph reads: “Mr Matthieu has always enjoyed the best reputation during his residence in St Domingo, as well as the confidence of the inhabitants. I assure you sir that in recommending Mr Matthieu, you will have no cause to regret being employed to obtain for the father of a family an employment, of which I engage that he will fulfil the duties with the dignity Which becomes a representative of the U. States; and that in all respects he will answer to the confidence which the Government shall have reposed in him, & to the idea which the colony of St Domingo has always entertained of his integrity and his talents” (DLC:GW).

In a letter of 14 Jan. to an unknown recipient, Mathieu gives a similar report of his qualifications (DLC:GW). Two letters from James Vanuxem to Secretary of State Timothy Pickering, 5 Oct. and 16 Dec. 1795, also supported Mathieu for the post (DLC:GW). On 19 May, GW nominated Mathieu to be consul at Naples. He remained as consul until 1805, when Thomas Jefferson replaced him in the wake of complaints that Mathieu was doing an unsatisfactory job of representing American interests.