Adams Papers
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From Thomas Barclay to the American Commissioners, 10 February 1787

Thomas Barclay to the American Commissioners

Alicante 10th. February 1787.

Gentlemen.

Since I wrote to you from hence the 6th. of last month1 I have been much aflicted with the Rheumatism in my Loins, which confin’d me to my bed with pains great beyond Description. I am now free of them, and Shall leave this place in a few Days. Upon further reflection, I thought it best not to abandon the Idea of meeting Mr. Lamb, and therefore I wrote to him, at Port Mahon, that I woud go to Valencia and from thence to Barcelona, if he wou’d embark for this last place and meet me there— I inform’d him that my orders from Congress were to make a Settlement with all the people in Europe who are employ’d, or who have been employ’d, in their Service—and that the Ministers at London and Paris wish that I may be able to comply with the desire which he communicated to them of having his account Settled here—and I desir’d him to answer me by one letter address’d for me at Valencia and another at Barcelona. If his buisness or health will not permit him to see me I will probably go to Madrid from Valencia—or perhaps to France from Barcelona— But my movements will in Some measure be govern’d by the necessity I Shall find myself under of going to Coruña.— The Gentlemen, with whom my buisness lyes there, have not by any means comply’d with my request. They acknowledge that there is some property belonging to the Prizes carried in by Captain Cunnyngham, in their hands, but they have applyed it towards the Discharge of expences incurred by the South Carolina frigate, commanded by Commodore Gillon, and with respect to the public effects left by him, little can be known by what they write,— I fear nothing will ever be recover’d of any consequence from these effects or from this Balance—yet having them pointed out as objects to be attended to, I am unwilling to leave anything undone on my part; In the mean time—I Shall communicate to the Secretary of foreign affairs what I have collected on these Subjects, and determine hereafter whether I Shall pass to Coruña or not.2

I receiv’d a letter from Mr. Jefferson Dated the 26th. of December,3 in which he Says he will write to Mr. Adams to join, him in desiring Mr. Lamb to Settle his accounts—a Circumstance that proves very agreeable to me—However willing Mr. Lamb may be to do it without Such a letter. I am Gentlemen with the greatest Respect and Esteem. / Your most obedt. Servant

Thos Barclay4

The Count D’Espilly &c. Sail’d from this Bay about ten Days ago for Algier.

RC in an unknown hand (Adams Papers); internal address: “Their Excellencies, / John Adams & Thomas Jefferson Esqrs:—”

1On 6 Jan., Barclay informed the commissioners that he had missed meeting with John Lamb, who was already en route to Minorca. Barclay made a one-day trip to Cartagena, Spain, to petition the Conde d’Expilly, Spanish envoy to Algiers, to extend aid to the American captives held there, but an outbreak of bubonic plague constrained all attempts at travel. Barclay recommended that the commissioners dispatch William Carmichael to resume negotiations with the dey, since there was “No American subject in Spain or France—Mr. Jefferson is out of the Question—So adequate to the Task” (Jefferson, Papers description begins The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, ed. Julian P. Boyd, Charles T. Cullen, John Catanzariti, Barbara B. Oberg, James P. McClure, and others, Princeton, N.J., 1950– . description ends , 11:21–22).

Barclay also wrote a second letter on 10 Feb. to JA, “Extremely anxious” to hear JA’s views on how he handled negotiations with Morocco (Adams Papers). JA replied on 3 April, below.

2Following up on a request made by Robert Morris in 1783, Barclay planned to recover American public goods and military supplies left in La Coruña, Spain, likely by the Rusé, a merchant ship chartered by Col. John Laurens in 1781. In addition, Barclay referred to the controversy over goods seized by Capt. Gustavus Conyngham, of the Continental cutter Revenge, and by Como. Alexander Gillon, of the South Carolina navy (vols. 6:40, 120; 12:index; 18:511; JA, D&A description begins Diary and Autobiography of John Adams, ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. description ends , 2:447).

3An inadvertence; Thomas Jefferson’s letter was of 27 Dec. 1786 (Jefferson, Papers description begins The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, ed. Julian P. Boyd, Charles T. Cullen, John Catanzariti, Barbara B. Oberg, James P. McClure, and others, Princeton, N.J., 1950– . description ends , 10:637–638).

4In Barclay’s hand.

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