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Franklin, to execute such treaties for this purpose, as should be agreed on by such nations, with us, or any two of us.
That Dr. Franklin having found it necessary to return to Ame rica, the execution of these several commissions had devolved on us.
That being placed as Ministers Plenipotentiary for the United States at the courts of England and France ; this circumstance, with the commissions with which we are charged for entering into treaties with various other nations, puts it out of our power to at tend at the other courts in person, and obliges us to negotiate by the intervention of confidential persons.
That, respecting the friendly dispositions shewn by his Majesty, the Emperor of Morocco, towards the United States, and indulg ing the desire of forming a connection with a sovereign, so re nowned for his power, his wisdom, and his justice, we had embraced the first moment possible, of assuring him of these the sentiments of our country and of ourselves, and of expressing to him our wishes to enter into a connection of friendship and commerce with him.
That for this purpose, we had commissioned the bearer hereof, Thomas Barclay, a person in the highest confidence of the Con gress of the United States, and as such, having been several years, and still being their consul general with our great and good friend and ally, the King of France, to arrange with his Majesty the Em peror, those conditions which it might be advantageous for both nations to adopt, for the regulation of their commerce, and their mutual conduct towards each other.
That we deliver to him a copy of the full powers with which we are invested, to conclude a treaty with his Majesty, which copy he is instructed to present to his Majesty.
That though by these, we are not authorised to delegate to him the power of ultimately signing the treaty, yet such is our reliance on his wisdom, his integrity, and his attention to the instructions with which he is charged, that we assure his Majesty, the con- ditions which he shall arrange and send to us, shall be returned with our signature, in order to receive that of the person whom his Majesty shall commission for the same purpose.
Heads of instructions to Mr. Barclay.
Congress having been pleased to invest us with full powers for entering into a treaty of amity and alliance with the Emperor of Morocco, and it being impracticable for us to attend his court in person, and equally impracticable, on account of our separate sta tions, to receive a minister from him, we have concluded to effect our object by the intervention of a confidential person. We concur VOL. i. 39
