Court of Naples to De Pio, 4 July 1786
Court of Naples to De Pio
Napoli 4 Luglio 1786
Non vi è dubbio che il progetto di Mr. Jefferson sarebbe l’unico per mettere gli Algerini alla ragione, ma per eseguirlo vi si richiederebbe il concorso e il consenso di altre Potenze. Il Re Nostro Signore non sarebbe lontano dal far causa comune, quando vi fossero degli altri. Per ora però non può entrare in veruno impegno, giacchè trovasi di avere spedito un negoziatore per trattare la Pace con quella Reggenza.
RC (MoSHi); without signature or name of addressee; endorsed in TJ’s hand: “letter to Monsr. del Pio from his court.”
Translation: There is no doubt that Mr. Jefferson’s project would be the only one to bring the Algerians to terms, but in order to put it into effect there would be required the cooperation and consent of other Powers. Our Lord the King would not be far from joining in the common cause, provided there were others. For the present, however, he cannot assume any obligation since he happens to have sent a negotiator to discuss Peace with that Regency. For il progetto di Mr. Jefferson—his proposals for concerted operations among European powers at war with the Barbary states—see under 1 Dec. 1786. No letter from TJ transmitting the proposals to De Pio has been found, and none from De Pio to TJ enclosing the present communication; these preliminary negotiations, therefore, must have been carried on informally and in person.