Some small circumstances persuade me that M. Gardoqui will shortly be despatched. He applies himself to the French language with much assiduity, and throws out hints that he shall soon pay a visit to his wife, whom he has not seen for two years and a half. I am also told by a lady much esteemed by M. Del Campo, that he means shortly to leave Spain, for he has promised her that, at his departure, he will give her a set of horses to which he is much attached. It is possible he may be sent to aid the Count d'Aranda to arrange the commercial articles of the peace, of which the preliminary articles are supposed by this time to be signed.

The two last mentioned gentlemen have frequently spoke to me of the disadvantages of their commercial connexions with England; and I have seized the opportunity of endeavoring to convince them that, by according certain advantages to our fisheries, and by contracting with us for tobacco, &c., instead of taking the latter article from Portugal, they may at the same time prejudice their natural enemies, and perpetuate a future good understanding with America. Similar representations have been made by me with respect to such articles furnished by the northern Powers, and which the States can supply. However, I trust more to the interest I have with the perpetual directors of the bank to obtain these advantages than to any influence of either of these gentlemen.

I have just been shown a copy of the proclamation of pardon and indemnity granted to those concerned in the insurrection of Santa Fé and the adjacent provinces; it was published the 12th of August, 1782. Although the Viceroy endeavors to preserve the dignity and honor of the Crown in the expressions of this peace, yet, in fact, it accords all the concessions demanded by the malcontents. These disturbances, and the expensive expeditions of the Galvez family, have not only consumed the revenues of the Crown in Spanish America received during the war, but mortgaged them for some years to come. I am also informed that the Court means soon to publish a new tariff on the imports to this country. I know that such a measure has been more than two years in agitation, and I believe it will bear hard on the commerce of other nations.

I refer you to former letters for particulars respecting the negociations for peace. I will only add that the Ministry now desire the conclusion of the war, and even are apprehensive of the duplicity of the British Cabinet, which apprehensions it is the interest of VOL. V.-8

others to excite and increase. I converse often with those who have their confidence; I know their wants and their fears of not having resources for the continuance of the war, and I am confident they desire peace, and fear the reverse. The expedition from Cadiz would not be ready until towards the end of the month, if it were found necessary to despatch it. Forty-eight sail of the line, and from eighteen to twenty thousand men, and not from ten to twelve thousand, as mentioned in my last, are to be employed in this expedition. The siege of Gibraltar is obstinately and unprofitably continued, and the King is made to believe that in the course of the year it will be taken by sap.

I have received letters from Paris which advise me that bills for my salary had been mentioned by you to have been sent, but that they had not come to hand. Your letters, and one I received from Mr. Morris, give me the same information. I could wish that my salary should be transmitted directly to me from your Department; but as it does not appear convenient, I have directed Mr. John Ross to receive it; and I hope you will have the goodness to facilitate him the means of doing it. A mistake, which is not yet corrected, by Messrs. Drouilliet, our bankers here, in the account they delivered me some time ago, prevents me from transmitting the public accounts with this letter; but in the course of a few days I hope they will be complete, when I will do myself the honor of forwarding them, together with my account against the public. I am in much distress for the arrears. I conclude with fervent wishes that every future year may present the affairs of the United States in the same favorable point of view in which they appear at the commencement of the present; and with sincere thanks for your indulgence hitherto, I have the honor to be, &c.,

I had the honor to address you on the 31st of December, and the 18th and 30th of January, to which letters I beg leave to refer you for the particular occurrences during that period.

I have now the pleasure to inform you that the Court of Spain has at length thought proper to receive me formally as the Charge d'Affaires of the United States. The letters abovementioned will have advised you of the political motives which induced me to wish the presence of the Marquis de la Fayette. They will also have informed you of the means I employed, and which his correspondence enabled me to employ more efficaciously to impress this Court with an idea of the necessity of immediately acknowledging the independence of the United States.* Since they were written the Count de Montmorin had a long conversation on the subject of our affairs with the King, and afterwards with the Count de Florida Blanca. The King's answer to the Ambassador's representations was, We shall see. The Minister appeared still desirous of procrastinating.

On the instant the Marquis de la Fayette arrived, and with that zeal and ardor which ever influenced him when the interests of the United States were in question, immediately consulted with me on the steps to be taken with the Minister. I informed him of what I had done.

We were of the same opinion, viz., that he should seize the first opportunity of speaking to the Count de Florida Blanca on the subject of our affairs. He did so, communicating to me the particulars of the conversation. As the Marquis proposes to address you by the same vessel, by which you will receive this letter, I refer you to his circumstantial relation of his conferences. My reception in a public character has been the result; and last night the Marquis accompanied me to an audience of the Minister. He was content with my reception, and personally I had no reason to be dissatisfied. The Count de Florida Blanca remarked to me, smiling, that he thought that I had left Madrid. I did not choose, as things were in so good a train, to enter into a discussion of the reasons which induced me to forbear my visits to him, and therefore only replied, that I never found myself so well at Madrid as at present. It is unnecessary to repeat such parts of the conversation as were merely personal. His expressions of friendship for the Marquis were unbounded, and the latter omitted no opportunity of pressing in the

See the letters here referred to in M. de la Fayette's Correspondence, in the present work.

strongest manner the Minister to take speedy and effectual measures to convince the States of the desire of his Catholic Majesty to cultivate their amity.

The Marquis informs me that he sent you a copy of the letter he wrote to the Minister, in order to obtain a written answer, conceding points to which he had agreed in conversation. He pressed an answer to this letter, and was assured by the Count de Florida Blanca that he should have it on the Saturday morning following, and that it would be satisfactory. The Count invited me to dine with him on that day as Chargé d'Affaires of America, and as I had suggested to the Marquis that I should choose a written invitation in the customary form, the Marquis took the Count aside. and spoke to him of it in the Ambassador's name. The latter admitted the propriety of the proposal, and promised to send it. There is but one circumstance which occasions a difficulty with respect to my presentation, it has hitherto been the etiquette to present no Chargé d'Affaires to the King and royal family, except those from France and Vienna. The Count mentioned this to us, but at the same time said I should be received in the most honorable manner. Personally these distinctions will never influence my conduct, but nationally I should wish to obtain every mark of honor possible for the representatives of the United States. For this reason I gave it as my opinion to the Marquis, that I ought not to go to Court until this point was settled. His sentiments were the same.

There are, however, difficulties to be apprehended in the attainment of this object. The short stay of the Marquis here, the necessity of my being constantly with him, the desire he has shown to treat me on all occasions, and in the most public manner as the representative of the country he serves, and to be introduced by me. every where; all these circumstances have engaged so much of my attention and time, as to preclude me from entering into further details; details which will be unnecessary after those you will assuredly receive from himself. It is the happiest circumstance of my life, that the man whose services I was instrumental in procuring to my country, should be the one to whom in a great measure I owe my first public appearance at the Court of Spain.

The precipitate departure of the Marquis prevents me from copying, in time for this conveyance, the public accounts. In ten days they will all be complete, and I hope I shall be enabled, by

our Minister in France, to pay the balances, which are not considerable, and by that means commence our political career here with the credit and reputation which we have hitherto preserved. I have the honor to be, sir, &c.,

WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.

TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

Madrid, March 13th, 1783.

Sir,

I had the honor to address you on the 18th and 30th of January, and the 21st ultimo. In the last I advised you that this Court had consented to receive me in a public character, and as such I had been formally invited to dine with the corps diplomatique, at the Count de Florida Blanca's table. On the 22d ultimo, accompanied by the Marquis de la Fayette, I went to the Pardo, the present residence of the royal family, where we dined together, a circumstance which not a little surprised several of the foreign Ministers, who knew that I had for some time neglected to pay my court there. Those of Russia and Vienna were particularly curious. From their conduct then and since, I am persuaded they are mortified in having led their respective Courts to believe that a connexion between the United States and Spain was more distant than it appears to be at present.

The not having as yet been presented, occasioned many conjectures, and subjects me to many questions. I have been asked by several of the foreign Ministers if I meant to pay the usual visits, and to make the customary notifications of this event to the corps diplomatique here. I have in general replied, that I had not determined as yet what would be my conduct on the occasion, but that certainly, if presented in the absence of Mr. Jay, I should visit none, however great my personal respect might be for them, without being previously informed that they would return my visit. It is my opinion, I ought to wait on none but those of France, Holland, and Prussia; the latter, because on his presentation to the royal family, he paid the same compliment to me as to others. I presume that my presentation will not take place until the Count de Florida Blanca receives an answer from the Count d'Aranda, whom he