FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, RELATIVE TO THE BARBARY POWERS, COMMUNICATED TO CONGRESS MARCH 2, 1802. GENTLEMEN OF THE SENATE, AND GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 1 TRANSMIT for the information of Congress, letters recently received from our consuls at Gibraltar and Algiers, presenting the latest view of the state of our affairs with the Barbary powers. The sums due to the government of Algiers are now fully paid up; and of the gratuity which had been promised to that of Tunis, and was in a course of preparation, a small portion only remains still to be furnished and delivered. TH: JEFFERSON. March 1st 1802. [The letters, accompanying the above message, we believe, have never been printed, and must, therefore, remain among the secrets of the government.] MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, TRANSMITTING SUNDRY DOCUMENTS RESPECTING THE FRENCH CORVETTE BERCEAU, IN PURSUANCE OF A RESOLUTION OF THE HOUSE OF THE SIXTH INST. GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, I Now transmit the papers desired in your resolution of the 6th inst. Those respecting the Berceau will sufficiently explain themselves. The officer charged with her repairs states, in his letter received August 27th, 1801, that he had been led by circumstances, which he explains, to go considerably beyond his orders. In questions between nations who have no common umpire but reason, something must often be yielded of mutual opinion, to enable them to meet in a common point. The allowance which had been proposed to the officers of that vessel being represented as too small for their daily necessities, and still more so as the means of paying, before their departure, debts contracted with our citizens for subsistence, it was requested on their behalf that the daily pay of each might be the measure of their allowance. This being solicited, and reimbursement assumed by the agent of their nation, I deemed that the indulgence would have a propitious effect in the moment of returning friendship. The sum of eight hundred and seventy dollars and eighty-three cents was accordingly furnished them for the five months of past captivity, and a proportional allowance authorized until their embarkation. April 15, 1802. TH: JEFFERSON. Extract of a Letter from Messrs. Stephen Higginson and Co. to the Secretary of the Navy, dated Nov. 19, 1800. “CAPT. LITTLE wishes to have his prisoners landed, and his prize cleared of them, and Capt. Gates thinks he can make out to receive and guard them on Castle Island, having a guard of marines from the Boston and Herald; and this mode we shall probably adopt to-morrow, to serve till we receive your orders." From the same to the same-dated Dec. 5, 1800. "THE prisoners from Le Berceau are now all landed on Castle Island, and have very comfortable accommodations. We have furnished them with clothing and firewood, and they are now so well fixed and guarded that it is perhaps best that they should remain there, and not be sent into the interiour. We have paroled the officers of that ship, and they are in town, under obligation to remain here until the trial of their ship. Many complaints are made to us by these poor fellows. We afford them all the accommodation in our power, and go all the lengths our orders will admit." Extract of a Letter from Messrs. S. Higginson and Co. to the Secretary of the Navy, dated Dec. 12, 1800. "OUR district court has condemned the prize ship Le Berceau and her app.; and the marshal has advertised her for sale by auction the first of next month. She yet remains below. We have not seen her; but Capt. Talbot thinks her a very good cruiser, well constructed, and with excellent cover. The French officers believe that when in trim she is equal to the Boston in sailing; and had she not been too deep, they say she would have escaped. She is seven years old, was built at L'Orient in the best manner, and was esteemed the best corvette ever seen there. copper is worn out, her sails and rigging cut to pieces, her masts all gone; and she appears a wreck; but her hull is very good; she has an abundance of maritime stores, a new suit of sails below; part of her rigging may again answer, perhaps some of the old sails, &c." Her The Secretary of the Navy to S. Higginson and Co. Dec. 19, 1800. "I HAVE the honour to request that you will cause the French ship Le Berceau to be purchased for the United States, and afterwards have her placed where she will be secure, with just as many men on board as will be necessary to take care of her. Make no repairs. "The British government generally buy the national ships captured by their own; but at very low prices. Be pleased so to conduct the purchase now directed, as to prevent its being known that it is on account of government. Then gentlemen who might feel delicacy in interfering with the views of government, will not be restrained from bidding, nor will others bid merely to swell the price for the benefit of the captors. I have the honour, &c." Extracts of a Letter from Messrs. S. Higginson and Co. to the Secretary of the Navy, Dec. 22, 1800. "DR. WELSH, the physician to the marine hospital, has taken care of the French prisoners when sick, and now wishes to have his account settled, and inquires in what form he shall make it out. He proposes charging the same as he is allowed for the garrison, which will be reasonable enough, as the average number of the prisoners is equal, at least, to that of the garrison, and probably more of them have been under his care, from their confinement on board ships, and in the prison.” "The marshal has concluded to defer the sale of the Boston's prize Le Berceau beyond the time set, the first of next month, to afford time to receive any orders you shall please to forward respecting her.” Extract Messrs. S. Higginson and Co. to the Secretary of the Navy, dated January 16, 1801. "YESTERDAY the prize ship Le Berceau was sold at auction; the ship and app. were sold first at eight thousand dollars, afterwards her guns and maritime stores, &c. in different lots. We employed a person to buy in the whole for government, in a manner that gave a fair chance to make the most of her. The amount we yet know not, as the marshal has not made out the account; probably about twelve thousand in all.” [COPY.] The Secretary of the Navy to Messrs. S. Higginson and Co. Boston, dated February 17, 1801. SIR, I HAVE the honour to request that you will deliver to the order of Mr. Letombe, all the French prisoners in your custody. You will take a receipt for them, which, with a list of their names, you will be pleased to enclose to me. If any have been released upon their parole of honour, I request that you will discharge them from the obligations of their parole. I have the honour, &c. [COPY.] The Secretary of the Navy to Mr. Letombe, dated February 17, 1801. SIR, I HAVE the honour to inform you that I have directed Messrs. S. Higginson and Co. Boston; Mr. William Peck, marshal of Rhode Island; Philip B. Bradley, Esq. marshal of Connecticut; Aquila Giles, Esq. marshal of New York; Montjoy Bailey, Esq. Fredericktown, Maryland; and William Crafts, Esq. Charleston, South Carolina; to deliver to your order the French prisoners in their custody. There are 150 at Boston, 25 at Providence, R. I. 100 Connecticut, 8 blacks at New York, 90 do. Fredericktown, 8 Charleston, South Carolina. I request that you will, as speedily as possible, make your arrangements to remove them from the United States. I have the honour, &c. Extract of a Letter from Mr. Letombe, Commercial Agent of France, to the Secretary of State, dated Philadelphia, 10th Ventose, 9th year of the French Republick, one and indivisible, (1st March, 1801, 0. S.) "CITIZEN CLEMENT (commander of the Berceau) and his companions in misfortune, wish to return to France by the cartel Olive, which you have furnished with a passport; but every thing has been taken from them; they are without money or clothes, and they are indebted in Boston for their daily subsistence, having received nothing for this purpose from the government of the United States. Under these circumstances, as it is impossible for the agents of the republick to procure for them money (those agents besides not being qualified to act as commissaries of prisoners) and no funds having been provided for this purpose from France; so that the money to be furnished them for their subsistence in quality of prisoners, can come from no quarter but from the government of the |