1. James Simpson currently served as U.S. consul at Gibraltar (see GW to U.S. Senate, 28 May 1794). Even though a civil war continued in Morocco following the death of Sidi Muhammad in March 1790, GW had sent a letter of greeting to the successor on 31 Dec. 1794. By the time his letter reached Morocco, Mawlay Sulayman Ibn Muhammed had defeated his rivals and established himself as the new emperor.

Instructions dated 28 March to David Humphreys from Secretary of State Edmund Randolph had stipulated: “With respect to Morocco, it is proposed to obtain from the Prince Muley Soliman, a recognition of the Treaty between the United States, and his father the former Emperor. This you will endeavor to effect, if possible for twenty thousand dollars; but if you shall find that it cannot be accomplished under 25,000 Dollars, you are authorized to go to that amount. This negotiation you may either accomplish yourself, or by such Agency as you shall deem best calculated for the purpose, according as you shall find the state of affairs in Morocco, upon your arrival in Europe” (DNA: RG 46, Records of the U.S. Senate, Records of Executive Proceedings, President’s Messages—Foreign Relations, Morocco, 21 Dec. 1795).

Once Humphreys had reached Gibraltar, he wrote Simpson’s appointment on 21 May. Describing himself as “duly empowered & instructed, on the part of the President of the United States of America, to negotiate & conclude a treaty of amity & commerce between the United States of America and His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Morocco, or to renew with his said Imperial Majesty Muley Soliman, the treaty established at the Court of Morocco between the late Emperor Side Mahomet … and the United States of America,” he appointed Simpson “Agent in the business aforesaid.” Simpson was to certify and sign an agreement “reserving the same … when concluded, to be transmitted by me to the President of the United States for his final ratification, by & with the advice & consent of the Senate of the said United States” (DNA: RG 46, Records of the U.S. Senate, Records of Executive Proceedings, President’s Messages—Foreign Relations, Morocco, 21 Dec. 1795).

2. See Simpson’s letters to the secretary of state dated 22 June; 25 and 30 July; 13, 18, and 22 Aug.; and 14 and 18 Sept. (DNA: RG 59, Consular Despatches, Gibraltar).

3. Two translations of the letter of agreement from the emperor of Morocco, dated 18 Aug., are in DNA: RG 59, Consular Dispatches, Gibraltar, each bearing Simpson’s certificate, dated 14 Sept., that the document is “a true Copy ⟨o⟩f the translation done from the Arabic, by Sidy Mohamet Emfadel.” One translation was enclosed with Simpson’s letter to the State Department of 14 Sept., and the other with his letter of 18 September. The original letter in Arabic, now in DNA: RG 46, Records of the U.S. Senate, Records of Executive Proceedings, President’s Messages—Foreign Relations, Morocco, 21 Dec. 1795, presumably was enclosed with this letter to GW; but if a translation was included, it has not been found. With the original in DNA: RG 46 is a copy of a translation and a copy of Simpson’s certification, each certified as a true copy by State Department clerk George Taylor, Jr. (GW enclosed the original and this copy with his message to the U.S. Senate of 21 Dec.). A copy in Arabic with a translation is in DNA: RG 84, Tangier.

The emperor informed GW: “we have received the letter, where you mention your Ambassador at Lisbon, whom you had appointed to come to us, and also we have received your said Ambassadors Power to your Consul, Simpson who resides at Gibraltar, by which he gives him Power to act in every particular, as he himself was authorised to do, at our Imperial Court (which God have in his keeping) had he come to meet with us.

“By the Present you sent us, and your Letter, we know you still esteem us, and that you have regard for every thing concerns us. Your care to preserve our Friendship, is very agreeable to us: and you will experience the like from us, or more, because you were faithful to our Father who is in Glory.

“Your Messenger, whom we esteem, we have received in a manner worthy of the Friendship subsists between you and us, and also we have received the Present at his hands with satisfaction, and we have mentioned to him those Articles of your Present which were in particular acceptable, and to our liking.

“Continue writing letters to us, at our Court, that Our present Friendship may be made the more secure, and still increased. And we are at Peace, Tranquillity and Friendship with you, in the same manner as you were with our Father who is in Glory. Peace. Sealed at Rhabat the second of the Moon Zafar in the year 1210” (from the translation enclosed on 14 Sept.).

4. The Federal Intelligencer, and Baltimore Daily Gazette on 9 Nov. announced the arrival on 8 Nov. of the brig Rover after a six weeks’ voyage from Gibraltar. In addition to this letter, the vessel brought “the important and long wished for intelligence of a PEACE between the United States and the regency of Algiers” as well as dispatches for the president “containing an official account of the negociation.” On 5 Sept., U.S. agents Joel Barlow and Joseph Donaldson, Jr., with the help of American captives Richard O’Brien and James Leander Cathcart, concluded a treaty with the dey of Algiers. In exchange for the peace, the United States would pay the dey $642,500 in cash along with presents and a yearly tribute in naval stores.

5. The letters from Donaldson and Michael Morphy have not been identified.