To James Madison from George W. Erving, 7 October 1806 (Abstract)
From George W. Erving, 7 October 1806 (Abstract)
§ From George W. Erving. 7 October 1806, Madrid. No. 16. “Count D’Ega the portugal embassa[d]or with whom I have the pleasure of being rather intimeately acquainted informed me some days since of an explanation which he had received from the Prince of Peace upon questions which he made as to the present warlike preparations. The Prince gave him to understand that he had no hostile project against Portugal but that he was preparing to profit of such circumstances as might be favorable to his resisting France. It is probable that much more passed between them but this is all I could learn. At the time I ridiculed this pretension, and the count joind me in doubting its sencerity. What passed between us on that occasion probably induced him to shew me yesterday a letter which he had just rec’d from the Prince of Peace. It was very short but in a very familiar and freindly stile nearly to this effect. ‘My esteemed friend I have received the letter transmitted by yours to which you may reply fully in my sense,1 if you will be so good as to take that trouble upon you. most sinceerly yours (Prince of Peace).[’] The letter therein referred to transmitted to him by the count was undoubtedly from the prince regent. I did not ask the question but it was clearly to be inferred from wh2 he said indeed it coud not have been from any other quarter. I observed that I presummed in his scnse3 referred to the explanations which the Prince of Peace had given the other day. He said yes4 and he acquiesced in the propriety of his not committing himself to writeing. The embassador5 seemed to have derived perfect security and satisfaction from this letter. It may be in connection with this that the Russian minister about ten days since had a particular conference after which he dispatched a courier6 to London.7
Adds in an 8 Oct. postscript: “I have had an opportunity to ascertain that the letter referred to was from the portugal Secretary of State but it is Considered to be in Effect the same thing as what I first supposed it to be.”
RC (DNA: RG 59, DD, Spain, vol. 10); RC (MHi: Winthrop Family Papers). First RC 3 pp.; marked “Private”; docketed by John Graham. Second RC marked “Duplicate.” Italicized words in the first RC are those encoded by Erving and decoded here by the editors. For the code, see 4:352 n. 1.
1. Erving underscored the values for “my sense.”
2. Erving may have intended to write “1172,” the value for “what,” rather than “1171,” the value for “wh.”
3. Erving presumably intended to write “1075,” the value for “se,” rather that “1073,” the value for “sc.” As above, he underscored this phrase.
4. Erving underscored the values for “yes.”
5. Encoded “embassadistressr.” Erving presumably intended to write “854,” the value for “do,” rather than “852,” the value for “distress.”
6. Encoded “coureter.” Erving presumably intended to write “1464,” the value for “ri,” rather than “1462,” the value for “ret.”
7. Erving underscored the value for “London.”