To George Washington from Gerardo Joseph de Souza, 22 November 1796
From Gerardo Joseph de Souza
Tripoly de Berberia
22. de Noviembre de 1796.
Ex[celentísi]mo Senor
Dandome motivo el Dey de Argel con su Carta de “8” de octubre proximo pasado que me fue entregada en primero del de la fecha por el Capitan Obrien, que d[ic]ho dia fundió en este Puerto, para que Cooperase Con mis Oficios afin de persuadir a este Baxá combiniese en otorgar la Paz con los Illes Estados Americanos, segun las proposiciones de a quel Principe;1 la felicidad de haverse Concluido este importante Asunto segun aquel detalle, y conforme los deseos del Comisionado Obrien; parece que tambien melo dá para dar A V[uestra] Ex[celenci]a la Enhora buena de esta satisfacion, seguro de que la tendrá muy Completa por el resultado beneficio que Como Padre Comun de sus Patricios Ve sobre sus intereces. Proporcionalmte merece Contoda Justicia el mas digno louvor la Conducta, providad, y Patriotismo de Ricardo Obrien: que conducido del paternal Amor de su Patria, nos deja memorias perpetuas de las mas sanas Virtudes, en servicio de su Pais.2
En consequencia detodo, devendose apoyar con la posible estos honrados sentimtos me pregustoso aque quedase en mi compañia el EnCargado interinamte delos Negocios de V[uestra]. Nacion, el Capitan Ingraham que me r⟨e⟩comendo Mr Joel Barlou Consul de los Illes Estados en Argel, Con su carta de igual fecha de “8” de 8bre pasado.3
A la penetracion de V[uestra] Ex[celenci]a no seoculta que tanto se necesita la consension de esta Paz, quanto fue Ardua la empresa de conseguirla: a cuyo grande concepto tendra el correspondiente lugar la instruccion adjunta que se encamina a quellos fines, y el sobre d[ic]ho obrien me asegura recogió de persona inteligente, como en verdad de ella sede muestra.4 Conesta lisongera Causa tengo el honor de ofrecerme a las ordenes de V[uestra] Ex[celenci]a, Certificandole, que en quanto se sirva des pensarmelas, seran exactamente obedecidas, conforme a los deseos de obtenerlas. Mientras Ruego a Dios que A V[uestra] Ex[celenci]a con los mayores felicidades. Ex[celentísi]mo Senor, B[esa] L[a] M[ano] de V[uestra] Ex[celenci]a
Gerardo Joseph de Souza
ALS, DNA: RG 59, Consular Despatches, Algiers. No reply to Souza from GW has been found.
Souza, the Spanish consul at Tripoli, writes GW from that place informing him of the arrival there on 1 Nov. of Richard O’Bryen. Souza praises O’Bryen for his role in concluding a peace between the United States and Yusuf Karamanli (Qaramanli), bey of Tripoli. Souza also offers assistance in negotiations between Tripoli and America, and ends the letter by asking God to grant GW great happiness.
Gerardo Joseph (José) de Souza Betancourt served as Spain’s consul general to Tripoli from February 1796 to around November 1813, with some periods of absence. Souza was present at O’Bryen’s first conferences with the bey of Tripoli and assisted in treaty negotiations. For more on Souza’s involvement in those negotiations, see , 84–85.
1. The letter of 8 Oct. from Hassan Bashaw, dey of Algiers, has not been identified. However, it likely was related to a letter that the dey had written to Yusuf Karamanli, bey of Tripoli, advising him to make peace with the United States for $40,000. Written at the request of Joel Barlow, the acting U.S. consul at Algiers, the dey’s missive to Karamanli also was prompted by the capture by Tripolitan corsairs of the brig Sophia, with O’Bryen aboard, and another U.S. ship. After the brig’s release, O’Bryen sailed for Tripoli on 10 Oct. and arrived there on 1 Nov. with the dey’s letters and $40,000. According to Barlow, the dey had provided the $40,000 from his “treasury” and requested that the United States repay him at its convenience (Barlow to Timothy Pickering, 18 Oct. 1796, in DNA: RG 59, Consular Despatches, Algiers).
Yusuf Karamanli (Qaramanli; 1766–1838) reigned as bey of Tripoli from 1795 to 1832.
2. With the assistance of Souza and O’Bryen, the United States concluded a treaty with the bey of Tripoli on 4 Nov. 1796. The treaty contained twelve articles, declared the commerce between Tripoli and the United States “to be on the same footing with those of the most favoured nations respectively,” instituted a system of passports, and named the dey of Algiers as both the guarantor of the treaty and arbiter of disputes between the two powers. On 21 Nov., the bey signed a document acknowledging receipt from the Americans of 40,000 “Spanish dollars,” gold watches, and other articles “on account of the peace.” The United States was to further deliver to the bey an additional $12,000, cables, barrels of tar and pitch, masts, and other items. It was agreed, however, that “no farther demand of tributes, presents or payments” would be made. The treaty was signed by the dey of Algiers on 3 Jan. 1797 and was ratified by the United States on 10 June 1797 (, 2:349–85).
3. The letter of 8 Oct. from Barlow to Souza recommending Joseph Ingraham has not been identified. However, on 18 Oct., Barlow had written Pickering from Algiers with a recommendation of Ingraham as consul at Tripoli (DNA: RG 59, Consular Despatches, Algiers). In a letter of 18 Aug. 1797, Barlow informed Pickering of Souza’s contributions to the establishment of peace between Tripoli and the United States. Barlow added that he had “written several times” to Souza “to thank him for his friendship to Capt. Ingraham & to our cause, and to assure him that our government will not forget its obligations to him” (DNA: RG 59, Consular Despatches, Algiers).
Joseph Ingraham, a ship captain, merchant, and former prisoner at Algiers, served as U.S. chargé d’affaires and acting consul at Tripoli from late 1796 to 1799, and briefly again in 1801 (see , 91; see also , 1:217, 566).
4. The attached instruction has not been found.