To Thomas Jefferson from David Humphreys, 8 February 1793
From David Humphreys
Gibraltar, 8 Feb. 1793. His letter No. 64, a duplicate of which went by a second conveyance, described Barclay’s sudden death and the reasons he felt it necessary to come here to take care of the public property. Upon his arrival last Sunday he found the packages Barclay had brought from Lisbon safely in the hands of the Russian consul, James Simpson, who promptly told all he could about them but does not appear to have given any receipt to Barclay. After examining with Simpson all the papers relating to Barclay’s mission and making a list, he enclosed the papers under his seal stating they were to be opened by the person appointed to take charge of Barclay’s effects and left them in Simpson’s custody. He sends six enclosures pertaining to the expenditure of the 32,175 current guilders that were obtained from the bills of exchange he had drawn on our Amsterdam bankers and were received by Barclay. He has had the boxes with the most perishable items opened in his presence and found the velvets and muslins in good condition but the broadcloths and silks in various states of disrepair. Since damaged articles will be useless as presents in Morocco, they should be aired immediately and put under someone’s care. P.S. He has taken from Barclay’s papers only two ciphers, which he holds pending TJ’s orders.
Tr (Lb in DNA: RG 59, DD); 3 p.; at head of text: “No. 66.”; in the margin: “The Secretary of State.” Recorded in SJL as received 18 Mch. 1793. Enclosures: (1) Account of funds paid to Thomas Barclay by John Bulkeley & Son through bills of exchange drawn by Humphreys on Willink, Van Staphorst & Hubbard, 11–27 Oct. 1791 (same; in the margin: “No. 1. Copy from Mr. Bulkeley’s Books”). (2) James Simpson, “Account of sundry Articles purchased and disbursements made by order of Thomas Barclay Esqr.” for the period 26 Dec. 1791–14 June 1792, Gibraltar, 26 Sep. 1792 (same; in the margin: “No 2. Invoice sundry articles provided by order of Mr. Barclay for public service”). (3) Simpson, “Inventory of sundry Articles remaining in my possession, which by certain written Memorandums found among the late Thos. Barclay Esqr’s papers, appear to have been destined for public Service,” Gibraltar, 7 Feb. 1793 (same; in the margin: “No. 3. Inventory of Articles provided at Gibraltar, and found in Mr. Barclay’s small Leather Trunk for public service”). (4) Simpson, List of Purchases “Extracted from Mr. Thomas Barclay’s Book Lisbon 5th. November 1791,” Gibraltar, 7 Feb. 1793 (same; in the margin: “No. 4. Receipt for Packages brought from Lisbon”). (5) Simpson, “Statement of Expenditure of Four thousand Mexican Dollars delivered to me by the late Thomas Barclay Esqr. on the 26th. December 1791,” Gibraltar, 7 Feb. 1793 (same; in the margin: “No. 5.”). (6) “Copy of a Memorandum found among Mr. Barclay’s papers—in his own hand writing—no date, or signature,” listing expenditure of money received from John Bulkeley & Son, with attestation by Humphreys and Simpson, Gibraltar, 8 Feb. 1793 (same; in the margin: “No. 6.”).
TJ submitted this letter and its enclosures and the next letter from Humphreys to the President on 18 Mch. 1793, and Washington returned them the next day (, 93–4).