John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, October 2, 1785

Grosvenor Square Oct r. 2. 1785

Dear Sir

Coll Franks arrived Yesterday afternoon, with your Favour of Sept r. 24.— 1 I have Signed all the Papers as you Sent them, not perceiving any Alteration necessary.— 2 I am afraid, that our Agent to Algiers going without any military Power will not Succeed: as the Danger of having their Town bombarded, or their Vessells taken, is the Principal Argument which the Dey has to use with the People, to reconcile them to a Peace. however We must try the Experiment.— I have rec d. a Letter from M r Stephen Sayre, dated N. York 25. Aug. inclosing, another of 23. of Aug. Signed by Mess rs Gerry, King, Hardy, Monroe, & Grayson recommending Strongly M r Sayre to you and me, to be employed as Agent to Morocco, Algiers and the other Powers, and inclosing another Letter to you, probably to the Same Effect. This Letter I now inclose to you. it is but a day or two that these Letters have been rec d by me.— 3 Franks is gone to See if M r Randolph 4 can be prevailed on to go. if he cannot, will you join Sayre with Lamb? if you will, insert his Name in the Papers.— M r Lamb will meet M r Sayre at Madrid, where I Suppose he now is. But if he is not, Lamb must not wait for him a Moment. I Should very readily undertake the Trouble, of having Bills drawn upon me, both by M r Barclay and M r Lamb, if the good of the Service could be promoted by it. But you are Sensible there must be a Loss, in transferring Money, from Amsterdam to London: Yet the Advantage may ballance it.

You are diffident of Interpositions: but it is possible We may carry this too far. I think M r Barclay and M r Lamb would do well, to visit all the foreign Consulls, every one of whom will I am persuaded, Shew them Civilities, and do nothing at all to obstruct their negotiations. They will not dare to do it, without Orders, and no Cabinet in Europe I verily believe, would venture to give Such orders. it will not be from Governments, that We shall receive Opposition. Agents of Insurance Offices in London, or of Merchants trading in Fish &c in the Mediterranean, may Stimulate the Corsairs by exaggerated Representations of our Wealth and the Riches of our Prizes, but that is all. As nothing can be more hostile to the United States, than any Endeavours to embarrass, obstruct or counteract them in their Endeavours to form Treaties of Peace with the Barbary Powers, I wish you would impress it upon M r Barclay and M r Lamb, to be attentive to this, and obtain Proofs; and if the Consul or Agent of any foreign Power should be found and proved to do any Thing against Us, that they transmit to Us the earliest Account of it, with the Evidence; Congress would no doubt order a formal Complaint to be made against him to his Court, and in this Way he would be held up publicly to the Execrations of all Mankind, and probably be punished by his Master.