Robert Smith to Thomas Jefferson, 9 September 1805
From Robert Smith
Balt. Sep. 9. 1805
Sir,
You will herewith receive the despatches lately received by me from the Medn.
To gratify publick anxiety and to give publick opinion the proper direction I have conceived it expedient to publish certain parts of these despatches. Not having seen the communications from Col Lear I would not form an Opinion upon the Treaty. But I must say I had expected a Treaty of a different Character. And informed as I now am, I wish that such a peace had not been made. However it is possible their better knowledge of the Condition of our Captive Countrymen may have induced them to accede to such terms.
Respectfully
Rt Smith
RC (DLC); at foot of text: “The President”; endorsed by TJ as received 16 Sep. and “Tripoli” and so recorded in SJL. Enclosures: see below.
the despatches: on 11 Sep., the National Intelligencer reported that dispatches had been received from John Rodgers announcing that a preliminary peace had been signed with Tripoli, from William Eaton and Isaac Hull detailing the successful attack on the city of Derna, and from Robert Denison, Samuel Barron’s secretary, announcing peace and the release of the Philadelphia prisoners. Smith’s enclosures to TJ thus likely included Hull to Barron, 28 and 29 Apr., and two letters from Eaton to Barron, both dated 29 Apr., all of which described the combined arms operations and the immediate outcome of the battle at Derna (, 5:547-8, 550-6). Smith also likely enclosed a letter from Rodgers, dated Malta, 8 June, in which he forwarded the preliminary Treaty between the United States and Tripoli. Rodgers also stated his opinion that the navy’s next attack would almost certainly have been successful and that the prisoners were never in any danger of being executed (same, 6:98). The letter by Denison has not been identified.