sold at any price. Still he entered on the business with an assurance of doing the best in his power; and he was authorized to offer as far as three thousand livres, or five hundred and fifty-five dollars a man. He wrote immediately to consult a confidential agent at Marseilles, on the best mode of carrying this business into effect; from whom he received the answer No. 2. hereto annexed.

Nothing further was known of his progress or prospects when the House of Representatives were pleased, at their last session, to refer the petition of our captives at Algiers to the Secretary of State. The preceding narrative shows that no report could have then been made without risking the object, of which some hopes were still entertained. Later advices, however, from the charge des affaires of the United. States, at Paris, inform us, that these measures, though not yet desperate, are not to be counted on. Besides the exorbitance of price, before feared, the late transfer of the lands and revenues of the clergy in France to the publick, by withdrawing the means, seems to have suspended the proceedings of the Mathurins in the purposes of their institution.

It is time, therefore, to look about for something more promising, without relinquishing, in the mean while, the chance of success through them. Endeavours to collect information, which have been continued a considerable time, as to the ransoms which would probably be demanded from us, and those actually paid by other nations, enable the Secretary of State to lay before the President the following short view, collected from original papers now in his pos session, or from information delivered to him personally. Passing over the ransoms of the Mathurins, which are kept far below the common level by special circumstances:

In 1786, the dey of Algiers demanded from our agent 59,496 dollars for 21 captives, which was 2833 dollars a man. The agent flattered himself they could be ransomed for 1200 dollars apiece. His secretary informed us, at the same time, that Spain had paid 1600 dollars.

In 1787, the Russians redeemed at 1546 dollars a man. In 1788, a well informed inhabitant of Algiers assured the minister plenipotentiary of the United States at Paris, that no nation had redeemed since the Spanish treaty, at less than from 250 to 300 pounds sterling, the medium of which is 1237 dollars. Captain O'Brien, at the same date, thinks we must pay 1800 dollars, and mentions a Savoy captain, just redeemed at 4074 dollars.

In 1789, Mr. Logie, the English consul at Algiers, informed a person who wished to ransom one of our common sailors, that he would cost from 450 to 500 pounds sterling, the mean of which is 2137 dollars. In December of the same year, captain O'Brien thinks our men will now cost 2920 dollars each, though a Jew merchant believes he could get them for 2264 dollars.

In 1790, July 9th, a Mr. Simpson, of Gibraltar, who, at some particular request, had taken pains to find for what sum our captives could be redeemed, finds that the fourteen will cost 34,702 dollars, which is 2485 dollars a man. At the same date, one of them, a Scotch boy, a common mariner, was actually redeemed at 8000 livres, equal to 1481 dollars, which is within 19 dollars of the price Simpson states for common men: and the charge des affaires of the United States at Paris is informed that the whole may be redeemed at that rate, adding fifty per cent. on the captains, which would bring it to 1571 dollars a man.

It is found then that the prices are 1200, 1237, 1481, 1546, 1571, 1600, 1800, 2137, 2264, 2485, 2833, and 2920 dollars a man, not noticing that of 4074 dollars, because it was for a captain.

In 1786, there were 2200 captives in Algiers, which in 1789, had been reduced by death or ransom to 655. Of ours, six have died, and one has been ransomed by his friends.

From these facts and opinions some conjecture may be formed of the terms on which the liberty of our citizens may be obtained.

But should it be thought better to repress force by force, another expedient for their liberation may perhaps offer. Captures made on the enemy may perhaps put us into possession of some of their mariners, and exchange be substituted for ransom. It is not indeed a fixed usage with them to exchange prisoners. It is rather their custom to refuse it. However such 'exchanges are sometimes effected, by allowing them more or less of advantage. They have sometimes accepted of two Moors for a christian, at others they have refused five or six for one. Perhaps Turkish captives may be objects of greater partiality with them, as their government is entirely in the hands of Turks, who are treated in every instance as a superior order of beings. Exchange too, will be more practicable in our case, as our captives have not been sold to private individuals, but are retained in 'the hands of the government.

The liberation of our citizens has an intimate connexion with the liberation of our commerce in the Mediterranean, now under the consideration of Congress. The distresses of both proceed from the same cause, and the measures which shall be adopted for the relief of the one, may, very probably, involve the relief of the other.

Dec. 28, 1790.

TH: JEFFERSON, Secretary of State.

Extract of a Letter from Mr. John Lamb. May 20, 1786.

"I HERE give your excellency an account of the prices of our unfortunate people, and it is as follows, viz.

6,000 dolls. each per head,

3 Captains,

2 Mates,

18,000

21

amounts to the enormous sum of 53,600 Eleven per cent. to be added, according to custom, 5,896

Is Spanish milled dollars 59,496 So that your excellency sees how far beyond your expectation the sum amounts, which renders me incapable of acting until further orders. The price the Spaniards are giving for their people is little short of what is charged us; and they have eleven hundred men and some upwards in Algiers. It will cost Spain more than one million and one half of dollars for their slaves only. The peace of Spain and their slaves will amount to more than three millions of dollars."

No. 2.

Answer of the Agent of the Mathurins to his General. Aix, Aug. 19, 1789.

MY LORD,-Being at Aix for some time in order to make use of the baths, I there received the letter which you did me the honour to write me. I find some great difficulties in the way of executing the redemption about which you speak. It does not appear to me possible to give such colour to our proceedings with the Algerines as to make them believe that the United States take no part in the negotiation, while their

subjects only should be redeemed. As to the price of 2500 livres per head, it will not suffice for the voracity of these covetous people,either because they have more need of slaves than money, since the general redemption of the French and Spanish captives, or that having humiliated Spain, and fearing little from France, they have arbitrarily raised the rate of the slaves; and notwithstanding the tenour of the treaties with France, the office at Marseilles was, the last year, obliged to pay for one slave 4000 livres. It is true that the number redeemed by France in 1785 did not amount to 100 louis per head, but the king made the agreement in his own name, and in a favourable moment he obtained a piece of politeness from the dey ; a politeness which we cannot flatter ourselves with seeing again renewed, especially at a time when the regency carries its pretensions so highly against France, as to lead us to fear lest some rupture should follow, which can perhaps be avoided only by new sacrifices. Supposing these difficulties removed, you cannot take upon yourselves the said redemption without a permission from the court, especially if you wish to appear as acting by virtue of the order for the redemption. I am persuaded that the ministry being first informed will not refuse you the said permission.

It will then be necessary to have a confidential person on the spot to act secretly, so as not to irritate the French slaves, who might rise against the nation, and sound the intentions of the regency with respect to the price. The Pere Terillo governour of the hospital is a Spaniard, and unfit for this negotiation. M. Paret, the only French merchant and manager of the house of Messrs. Gimen at Algiers might execute the commission, but this house will always create a suspicion that the United States are about agreeing for the redemption.

I hardly venture to propose an idea which strikes me, but it is the best I have. Could you not send a religious person, not as a redemptioner, but only as chaplain of the hospital of slaves, for which he might perform the necessary func tions? M. Gache appears to me the most proper and best calculated to conduct an affair, the success of which I so much desire as well on account of the interest you take in it as for the satisfaction of Mr. Jefferson. I would not wish to put myself in the way on account of my age, though I speak Italian and Spanish, which is used at Algiers, and especially in the hospital. However if you should not find a better person, I shall still undertake this voyage in order to

give you some marks of my submission, and the desire which I have to concur in your zeal for the love of redemption and good of humanity.

The voyage of a religious person would occasion some expense, but it cannot be considerable, because he might lodge in the hospital, and there would be no commission fees to pay in case of success. Not being near enough to confer with M. Gache, I address the present to him that he may transmit it to you with the observations he may make upon it. PERRINE, Dep. Gnal.

No. 3.

Extract from a Letter of June 4, 1790, from William Short, Esq. Charge des Affaires for the United States at the Court of France, to the Secretary of State.

"THE affair of our captives, I fear, will never be arranged in the present channel. Immediately on the receipt of your letter I wrote to the general of the Mathurins to let him know how much you had this affair at heart, and to beg he would inform me how it stood at present. He was gone into the country, but I suppose I shall hear from him in a few days.".

Extract of a Letter from the Same to the Same. June 25,

1790.

"SINCE my last I have seen the general of the Mathurins, who gives little hopes of any thing being done for our captives through his channel, although he continues assurances of his zeal in case of any opportunity presenting itself; and I am persuaded he may be counted on as to these assurances. He had begun by transmitting a small sum of money to a person of confidence at Algiers to relieve the more pressing necessities of the captives. The person who was charged with this commission found on inquiry that the captives received a daily allowance, which rendered this relief unnecessary, and therefore returned the money. He found also that the opinion at Algiers was, that the allowance of the prisoners was made by the United States; an opinion which would necessarily augment the difficulty of their redemption. The general added, that the critical situation in which the religious orders had been for some time had rendered it impossible for him to take any step in this business; that he hoped however some arrangement would be soon made which