From John Jay to Floridablanca, 9 October 1781
To Floridablanca
Madrid 9 October 1781
Sir
The Letter which your Excellency did me the Honor to write on the 8th Instant, arrived this Morning.1 I consider myself much obliged by the Communication of the Facts mentioned in it, especially as it affords me an opportunity of manifesting to his majesty and to Congress, my attention to his Rights, and to their orders.2
I perfectly agree in Sentiment with your Excellency respecting the Impropriety of detaining on Board the american Frigate at Corunna, The two men claimed by the Commandant there as Deserters from one of his Majesty’s Regiments
Your Excellency’s Remarks on this Subject are no less delicate than just, and your assurance that these men shall not be punished, renders a Compliance with the Requisition to deliver them up no less consistent with Humanity than with Justice
It gives me Pleasure to confess, that the hospitable Reception afforded to american Vessels in the Ports of Spain gives his Majesty a double Right to expect that their Conduct should at least be inoffensive. In the present Case as stated in your Excellency’s Letter, I am so fully convinced of the Justice of this Demand, that I should not hesitate to comply with it, even tho’ made, on a similar occasion, by the Court of Portugal;3 from whose affected Neutrality we suffer more Evils, than we should experience from any open Hostilities, it is capable of executing—
Agreable to your Excellency’s Desire I have written a Letter, of which the enclosed is a Copy, to the commanding officer of the Frigate in question.4 And as the Manner in which your Excellency’s Letter to me treats this Subject, can not fail of making agreable Impression on Americans, I shall take the Liberty of sending a Copy of it to Congress as well as to the abovementioned Officer.
I cannot omit this opportunity of expressing my Acknowledgements for your Excellency’s Promise to write to me from the Escurial, as soon as you shall be in a Capacity to speak positively on the Subject of my late Letter.5 Permit ^me^ only to remark that the Season wears away fast, and that Congress must be extremely anxious to hear that the Delays, which have so long kept them in a disagreable State of Suspense, are finally and happily terminated. I have the Honor to be with perfect Consideration & Respect Your Excellency’s most obedient & most h’ble Servant
John Jay
His Excellency The Count De Florida Blanca &c. &c.
ALS, SpMaAHN: Estado, leg. 3884, exp. 16, doc. 5 (EJ: 12118). Endorsed. Dft, NNC (EJ: 8214). LbkCs, embedded in JJ to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, 28 Apr., below, DNA: PCC, item 110, 2: 15–17 (EJ: 4189); NNC: JJ Lbks. 1 and 6; CSmH (EJ: 3438).
1. Floridablanca to JJ, 8 Oct., above.
2. JJ embedded a copy of the present letter and of Floridablanca’s letter of 8 Oct., above, in his letter to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs of 28 Apr. 1782, below.
3. This incident has not been identified; however, on 4 July 1776, the Portuguese had closed their ports to English rebel ships. They reaffirmed this decree on 30 Aug. 1780. By contrast, both Spain and France admitted American ships. See JA to JJ, 15 May 1789, printed in Dauril Alden, “The Marquis de Pombal and the American Revolution,” Americas 17 (April 1961): 376; and , 2: 161, 307; 3: 283; 4: 54, 83–84; 5: 68.
4. JJ to Alexander Gillon of this date, below.
5. JJ to Floridablanca, 22 Sept. 1781, above, of which JJ had sent a reminder on 5 Oct., above. In his letter to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs of 28 Apr. 1782, below, JJ noted that he had consulted Montmorin about making another inquiry as to whether discussions about the treaty might be initiated and had been advised to wait.