TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
Philadelphia, May 16, 1792.
Dear Sir,—The day after your departure, I received from a Mr. Green, a merchant now at New York, through a third person, the following communication: "that he had had very late advices from Spain, by way of the Spanish islands, to this effect, that war with France was inevitable, that troops were marching from all quarters of the kingdom to the frontiers, and that fifty sail of the line had been commissioned." This was permitted to be mentioned to me, but, for particular reasons, to no other persons. I suppose the particular reasons were some mercantile speculation founded on the intelligence; perhaps it may be to buy up all our flour. We have London news from the 1st of April, and nothing of this is mentioned. I have a letter from Colonel Humphreys of March 18, which says nothing of it. I am in hopes, therefore, the only effect will be to get us a good price for our flour or fish; this being our look out, while the success of the speculation is that of the adventurer. You will recollect that we had learned the death of the Emperor of Morocco, after a battle in which he was victorious. The brother opposed to him, it seems, was killed in the same action, and the one—Muley Islema—who had been so long in the sanctuary, is proclaimed Emperor. He was the best character of the three, and is likely to be peaceable. This information is from Colonel Humphreys. The Queen of Portugal is still in the same state. Wyllys does not pronounce her curable, though he says there is nothing which indicates the contrary. He has removed from her all her former physicians. Mr. Madison has favored me with some corrections for my letter to Mr. H. It is now in the hands of the Attorney General, and shall then be submitted to Colonel Hamilton. I find that these examinations will retard the delivery of it considerably. However, delay is preferable to error. Mr. Pinckney is engaged in going over such papers of my office as may put him in possession of whatever has passed between us and the court he is going to. I have one hundred olive trees, and some caper plants, arrived here from Marseilles, which I am sending on to Charleston, where, Mr. Pinckney tells me, they have already that number living of those I had before sent them. I have the honor to be, with sentiments of the most perfect respect and attachment, dear Sir, your most obedient, and most humble servant.