LAFAYETTE.
TO THE COUNT DE FLORIDA BLANCA.
Translation.
Madrid, February 19th, 1783.
Sir,
Having had the honor to confer with your Excellency on the objects relative to the United States, and being soon to repair to the American Congress, I wish to be fully impressed with the result of our conversations. Instead of the indifference, and even of the divisions, which another nation would be glad to foresee, I am happy to have it in my power to inform the United States of your good dispositions. It is to you, Sir, I am indebted for this advantage, and in order to make it complete, and to make myself certain that I forget nothing, give me leave to submit to your Excellency the account which I intend to lay before Congress.
His Catholic Majesty desires, that a lasting confidence and harmony may subsist between him and the United States, and he is determined on his part to do everything that will be necessary to keep it up. The American Chargé d'Affaires is at this moment received as such, and your Excellency is going to treat of the interests of the two nations. As you wish to show Mr Jay every kind of regard, you wait only till the Count d'Aranda shall have notified your dispositions to him, before you present Mr Carmichael to his Majesty.
With respect to the limits, his Catholic Majesty has adopted those that are determined by the preliminaries of the 30th of November, between the United States and the Court of London. The fear of raising an object of dissension, is the only objection the King has to the free navigation of the river Mississippi. The Virginia tobacco, and the naval stores, may furnish matter for reciprocal conventions in the treaty, and by means of the productions of America, arrangements might be made which would be useful to her finances. When I had the honor to speak to you in favor of a diminution of the duties on codfish, you answered, that it would be necessary to give to France a similar advantage, and that by virtue of former treaties, the English might set up pretensions to the same; but that you will do in every respect all that will be in your power to satisfy America.
I would with very great pleasure touch upon every detail, which may enter into a connexion between Spain and the United States, but I am not to be concerned in this happy work. The Ministers of the United States, and the one whom you may send thither are to make it their business, and I content myself with reminding you of the general ideas you have given me. A word from you will satisfy me that I have not omitted anything. The dispositions of his Catholic Majesty, and the candor of your Excellency, will leave no pretexts for misrepresentations. The alliance of the House of Bourbon with the United States is founded on reciprocal interest; it will still acquire greater strength from the confidence which your Excellency wishes to establish.
Such, Sir, are the conclusions, which I have drawn from our conferences, and the account which I intend to give to Congress, without having any mission for that purpose. I am acquainted with the sentiments of Congress, and I am convinced they will set a just value upon your dispositions. In permitting me to acquaint them with these particulars, you will have a claim to my personal gratitude. To the assurance of this I join that of the respect, with which I have the honor, &c.