To Thomas Jefferson from Stephen Cathalan, Jr., 10 April 1801
From Stephen Cathalan, Jr.
Marseilles the 10th. april 1801.
Sir
I take the Liberty of handing you a Copy of my Respects of the 8th. Inst.
I will only add now, that I have, and am Still acknowledged by the Governt. of France, as Consul of the united States, that tho’ I have deffended with Constancy & energy, the American Vessels Captured Since the arreté of the 12th. Ventose, and obtained in the most Critical Periods the restitution of Some of them, I have been protected, & acted in a manner of not displeasing to the French autorities.
The American Ministers Plenipotentiary who made the Convention with France, with whom I had the honour of being acquainted during three Months at Paris, have granted me their Esteem, & have been Witnessess of the Consideration, I obtained from Citizen Joseph Bonaparte, who by his wife is a Relation to Missess. Cathalan, & the whole Bonaparte’s family; Missess. Cathn. and my whole Family begs you, Sir, to accept the assurance of their best Respects & congratulations.
I have the honour to be with Great Respect Sir Your most obedient humble & Devoted Servant
Stephen Cathalan Junr.
RC (DLC); at foot of text: “the Right honorable Thos. Jefferson Esqr. President of the united States of america City of Washington”; with Dupl of Cathalan’s letter of 8 Apr. conjoined; endorsed by TJ. Recorded in SJL as received 17 July.
The French Directory’s arrêté of 12 Ventose Year 5 (2 Mch. 1797) had made American ships subject to capture as lawful prizes (, 9:315–18; Vol. 29:486n; Vol. 31:13n).
The wife of Joseph Bonaparte, née Julie Clary, was from a prosperous commercial family of Marseilles (, 8:1370–1, 1374; , 425).