autobiography-第14部分

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cations　of　our　commercial　intercourse　as　would　voluntarily　flow　from　amicable　dispositions。　　Without　urging；　we　sounded　the　ministers　of　the　several　European　nations　at　the　court　of　Versailles；　on　their　dispositions　towards　mutual　commerce；　and　the　expediency　of　encouraging　it　by　the　protection　of　a　treaty。　　Old　Frederic　of　Prussia　met　us　cordially　and　without　hesitation；　and　appointing　the　Baron　de　Thulemeyer；　his　minister　at　the　Hague；　to　negotiate　with　us；　we　communicated　to　him　our　Project；　which　with　little　alteration　by　the　King；　was　soon　concluded。　　Denmark　and　Tuscany　entered　also　into　negotiations　with　us。　　Other　powers　appearing　indifferent　we　did　not　think　it　proper　to　press　them。　　They　seemed　in　fact　to　know　little　about　us；　but　as　rebels　who　had　been　successful　in　throwing　off　the　yoke　of　the　mother　country。　　They　were　ignorant　of　our　commerce；　which　had　been　always　monopolized　by　England；　and　of　the　exchange　of　articles　it　might　offer　advantageously　to　both　parties。　　They　were　inclined　therefore　to　stand　aloof　until　they　could　see　better　what　relations　might　be　usefully　instituted　with　us。　　The　negotiations　therefore　begun　with　Denmark　&　Tuscany　we　protracted　designedly　until　our　powers　had　expired；　and　abstained　from　making　new　propositions　to　others　having　no　colonies；　because　our　commerce　being　an　exchange　of　raw　for　wrought　materials；　is　a　competent　price　for　admission　into　the　colonies　of　those　possessing　them：　but　were　we　to　give　it；　without　price；　to　others；　all　would　claim　it　without　price　on　the　ordinary　ground　of　gentis　amicissimae。

　　　　　　　　Mr。　Adams　being　appointed　Min。　Pleny。　of　the　U　S。　to　London；　left　us　in　June；　and　in　July　1785。　Dr。　Franklin　returned　to　America；　and　I　was　appointed　his　successor　at　Paris。　　In　Feb。　1786。　Mr。　Adams　wrote　to　me　pressingly　to　join　him　in　London　immediately；　as　he　thought　he　discovered　there　some　symptoms　of　better　disposition　towards　us。　　Colo。　Smith；　his　Secretary　of　legation；　was　the　bearer　of　his　urgencies　for　my　immediate　attendance。　　I　accordingly　left　Paris　on　the　1st。　of　March；　and　on　my　arrival　in　London　we　agreed　on　a　very　summary　form　of　treaty；　proposing　an　exchange　of　citizenship　for　our　citizens；　our　ships；　and　our　productions　generally；　except　as　to　office。　　On　my　presentation　as　usual　to　the　King　and　Queen　at　their　levees；　it　was　impossible　for　anything　to　be　more　ungracious　than　their　notice　of　Mr。　Adams　&　myself。　　I　saw　at　once　that　the　ulcerations　in　the　narrow　mind　of　that　mulish　being　left　nothing　to　be　expected　on　the　subject　of　my　attendance；　and　on　the　first　conference　with　the　Marquis　of　Caermarthen；　his　Minister　of　foreign　affairs；　the　distance　and　disinclination　which　he　betrayed　in　his　conversation；　the　vagueness　&　evasions　of　his　answers　to　us；　confirmed　me　in　the　belief　of　their　aversion　to　have　anything　to　do　with　us。　　We　delivered　him　however　our　Projet；　Mr。　Adams　not　despairing　as　much　as　I　did　of　it's　effect。　　We　afterwards；　by　one　or　more　notes；　requested　his　appointment　of　an　interview　and　conference；　which；　without　directly　declining；　he　evaded　by　pretences　of　other　pressing　occupations　for　the　moment。　　After　staying　there　seven　weeks；　till　within　a　few　days　of　the　expiration　of　our　commission；　I　informed　the　minister　by　note　that　my　duties　at　Paris　required　my　return　to　that　place；　and　that　I　should　with　pleasure　be　the　bearer　of　any　commands　to　his　Ambassador　there。　　He　answered　that　he　had　none；　and　wishing　me　a　pleasant　journey；　I　left　London　the　26th。　arrived　at　Paris　on　the　30th。　of　April。

　　　　　　　　While　in　London　we　entered　into　negotiations　with　the　Chevalier　Pinto；　Ambassador　of　Portugal　at　that　place。　　The　only　article　of　difficulty　between　us　was　a　stipulation　that　our　bread　stuff　should　be　received　in　Portugal　in　the　form　of　flour　as　well　as　of　grain。　　He　approved　of　it　himself；　but　observed　that　several　Nobles；　of　great　influence　at　their　court；　were　the　owners　of　wind　mills　in　the　neighborhood　of　Lisbon　which　depended　much　for　their　profits　on　manufacturing　our　wheat；　and　that　this　stipulation　would　endanger　the　whole　treaty。　　He　signed　it　however；　&　it's　fate　was　what　he　had　candidly　portended。

　　　　　　　　My　duties　at　Paris　were　confined　to　a　few　objects；　the　receipt　of　our　whale…oils；　salted　fish；　and　salted　meats　on　favorable　terms；　the　admission　of　our　rice　on　equal　terms　with　that　of　Piedmont；　Egypt　&　the　Levant；　a　mitigation　of　the　monopolies　of　our　tobacco　by　the　Farmers…general；　and　a　free　admission　of　our　productions　into　their　islands；　were　the　principal　commercial　objects　which　required　attention；　and　on　these　occasions　I　was　powerfully　aided　by　all　the　influence　and　the　energies　of　the　Marquis　de　La　Fayette；　who　proved　himself　equally　zealous　for　the　friendship　and　welfare　of　both　nations；　and　in　justice　I　must　also　say　that　I　found　the　government　entirely　disposed　to　befriend　us　on　all　occasions；　and　to　yield　us　every　indulgence　not　absolutely　injurious　to　themselves。　　The　Count　de　Vergennes　had　the　reputation　with　the　diplomatic　corps　of　being　wary　&　slippery　in　his　diplomatic　intercourse；　and　so　he　might　be　with　those　whom　he　knew　to　be　slippery　and　double…faced　themselves。　As　he　saw　that　I　had　no　indirect　views；　practised　no　subtleties；　meddled　in　no　intrigues；　pursued　no　concealed　object；　I　found　him　as　frank；　as　honorable；　as　easy　of　access　to　reason　as　any　man　with　whom　I　had　ever　done　business；　and　I　must　say　the　same　for　his　successor　Montmorin；　one　of　the　most　honest　and　worthy　of　human　beings。

　　　　　　　　Our　commerce　in　the　Mediterranean　was　placed　under　early　alarm　by　the　capture　of　two　of　our　vessels　and　crews　by　the　Barbary　cruisers。　　I　was　very　unwilling　that　we　should　acquiesce　in　the　European　humiliation　of　paying　a　tribute　to　those　lawless　pirates；　and　endeavored　to　form　an　association　of　the　powers　subject　to　habitual　depredations　from　them。　　I　accordingly　prepared　and　proposed　to　their　ministers　at　Paris；　for　consultation　with　their　governments；　articles　of　a　special　confederation　in　the　following　form。

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　　　　　　　　〃Proposals　for　concerted　operation　among　the　powers　at　war　with　the　Piratical　States　of　Barbary。

　　　　　　　　1。　　It　is　proposed　that　the　several　powers　at　war　with　the　Piratical　States　of　Barbary；　or　any　two　or　more　of　them　who　shall　be　willing；　shall　enter　into　a　convention　to　carry　on　their　operations　against　those　states；　in　concert；　beginning　with　the　Algerines。

　　　　　　　　2。　　This　convention　shall　remain　open　to　any　other　power　who　shall　at　any　future　time　wish　to　accede　to　it；　the　parties　reserving　a　right　to　prescribe　the　conditions　of　such　accession；　according　to　the　circumstances　existing　at　the　time　it　shall　be　proposed。

　　　　　　　　3。　　The　object　of　the　convention　shall　be　to　compel　the　piratical　states　to　perpetual　peace；　without　price；　&　to　guarantee　that　peace　to　each　other。

　　　　　　　　4。　　The　operations　for　obtaining　this　peace　shall　be　constant　cruises　on　their　coast　with　a　naval　force　now　to　be　agreed　on。　　It　is　not　proposed　that　this　force　shall　be　so　considerable　as　to　be　inconvenient　to　any　party。　　It　is　believed　that　half　a　dozen　frigates；　with　as　many　Tenders　or　Xebecs；　one　half　of　which　shall　be　in　cruise；　while　the　other　half　is　at　rest；　will　suffice。

　　　　　　　　5。　　The　force　agreed　to　be　necessary　shall　be　furnished　by　the　parties　in　certain　quotas　now　to　be　fixed；　it　being　expected　that　each　will　be　willing　to　contribute　in　such　proportion　as　circumstance　may　render　reasonable。

　　　　　　　　6。　　As　miscarriages　often　proceed　from　the　want　of　harmony　among　officers　of　different　nations；　the　parties　shall　now　consider　&　decide　whether　it　will　not　be　better　to　contribute　their　quotas　in　money　to　be　employed　in　fitting　out；　and　keeping　on　duty；　a　single　fleet　of　the　force　agreed　on。

　　　　　　　　7。　　The　difficulties　and　delays　too　which　will　attend　the　management　of　these　operations；　if　conducted　by　the　parties　themselves　separately；　distant　as　their　courts　may　be　from　one　another；　and　incapable　of　meeting　in　consultation；　suggest　a　question　whether　it　will　not　be　better　for　them　to　give　full　powers　for　that　purpose　to　their　Ambassadors　or　other　ministers　resident　at　some　one　court　of　Europe；　who　shall　form　a　Committee　or　Council　for　carrying　this　convention　into　effect；　wherein　the　vote　of　each　member　shall　be　computed　in　proportion　to　the　quota　of　his　sovereign；　and　the　majority　so　computed　shall　prevail　in　all　questions　within　the　view　of　this　convention。　　The　court　of　Versailles　is　proposed；　on　account　of　it's　neighborhood　to　the　Mediterranean；　and　because　all　those　powers　are　represented　there；　who　are　likely　to　become　parties　to　this　convention。

　　　　　　　　8。　　To　save　to　that　council　the　embarrassment　of　personal　solicitations　for　office；　and　to　assure　the　parties　that　their　contributions　will　be　applied　solely　to　the　object　for　which　they　are　destined；　there　shall　be　no　establishment　of　officers　for　the　said　Council；　such　as　Commis；　Secretaries；　or　any　other　kind；　with　either　salaries　or　perquisites；　nor　any　other　lucrative　appointments　but　such　whose　functions　are　to　be　exercised　on　board　the　sd　vessels。

　　　　　　　　9。　　Should　war　arise　between　any　two　of　the　parties　to　this　convention　it　shall　not　extend　to　this　enterprise；　nor　interrupt　it；　but　as　to　this　they　shall　be　reputed　at　peace。

　　　　　　　　10。　　When　Algiers　shall　be　reduced　to　peace；　the　other　pyratical　states；　if　they　refuse　to　discontinue　their　pyracies　shall　become　the　objects　of　this　convention；　either　successively　or　together　as　shall　seem　best。

　　　　　　　　11。　　Where　this　convention　would　interfere　with　treaties　actually　existing　between　any　of　the　parties　and　the　sd　states　of　Barbary；　the　treaty　shall　prevail；　and　such　party　shall　be　allowed　to　withdraw　from　the　operations　against　that　state。〃

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　　　　　　　　Spain　had　just　concluded　a　treaty　with　Algiers　at　the　expense　of　3。　millions　of　dollars；　and　did　not　like　to　relinquish　the　benefit　of　that　until　the　other　party　should　fail　in　their　observance　of　it。　Portugal；　Naples；　the　two　Sicilies；　Venice；　Malta；　Denmark　and　Sweden　were　favorably　disposed　to　such　an　association；　but　their　representatives　at　Paris　expressed　apprehensions　that　France　would　interfere；　and；　either　openly　or　secretly　support　the　Barbary　powers；　and　th