ters, began a conversation in Arabic. At length, turning to the eleventh article, he asked if there were any other article to be altered besides these. Answer, no. "What alteration do you want in this ??? Strike out the barrel of powder for each gun, and reduce the number to fifteen.' He peremptorily refused. Said he would insert an alteration in the Turkish original, and render the terms of the article reciprocal, by imposing the same duty on Tunisian vessels in American ports. We told him the translation had it so. "But the original has not," said he : and, ordering his Secretary to make the addition, asked if we agreed to it now. We told him we did not; it did not alter our understanding of it: though the terms had a nominal reciprocity, they were otherwise in effect; because there was no probability that his ships of war would frequent our ports; whereas the very conditions of our peace with him obliged us to send our armed vessels into his. The article considered in relation to the expense was a trifle; but as it was unprecedented in any of his treaties with other nations, it would be humiliating in us to agree to it, and not very honorable in him to demand it we trusted therefore, he would not insist on so singular a demand for so trifling a consideration. "However trifling," said he, " it may appear to you, to me it is important. Fifteen barrels of powder will furnish a cruiser which may capture a prize and net me one hundred thousand dollars.”

We told him the concession was so degrading that our nation would not yield to it: both justice and honor forbade ; and we did not doubt but the world would view the demand as they would the conces

sion.

"You consult your honor," said he, "I my inter est; but if you wish to save your honor in this instance, give me fifty barrels of powder annually, and I will agree to the alteration." We replied, that we should not expend a thought upon a proposition which aimed at making us tributary. We would a

gree to pay him for the powder he burned in the salute. He turned to the Sapitapa, and said, in Turk ish; "These people are Cheribeenas; they are so hard there is no dealing with them." (Cheribeenas are merchants from the confines of Persia.)

.: Mr. Cathcart translated this to me so loud that the Sapitapa heard him, and, grasping his hand,. repeated the same in Italian.

We observed to him that we had made great sacrifices to obtain a peace, which was likely to produce nothing. He said it was customary for friends to accompany their professions with good offices, to demonstrate their sincerity. We answered, genuine friendship is generally reciprocal in these offices. But friendship is, in business of this nature, pretty much out of the question. If we were to talk of eq uity, it would be pretty difficult for him to justify his claims upon us we have never done him any injury, nor received a favor from him; and though we have been treated as enemies, we have never been at war with him. "You will be pleased to consider, also, that you have never been at peace; and if it were no favor to have a free navigation into the Mediterranean, why do you ask it ?" said the Bash

aw.

We proposed to expunge the eleventh article altogether. He acceded. Or" said he "I'll agree that you shall not be saluted except you demand it; and of course you will not be obliged to pay for a salute: it is no object with me to be firing away my ammunition to salute strangers; but if you demand it you must pay for it." He got up and left the gulf without ceremony. Going out, he was asked if he had determined on any thing respecting the 14th article. "I'll think of it," said he ; "there are other people to be consulted. You will call the day after tomorrow."

The Sapitapa, who remained, took Mr. Cathcart by the arm and whispered him. "If you would agree to make the Bey a private present, it might in

duce him to alter the 14th article; but the article relative to the powder must stand." Mr. Cathcart asked my opinion on the propriety of agreeing to the proposal. I desired him to answer the Sapitapa, that in case of a favorable issue to the negociation, it was probable a gratuity of this nature might be expected, but no stipulation of the kind would be entered into. He did so. The minister seemed disappointed : said nothing. We told him the government of the United States had been taught to entertain a very respectable opinion of the abilities and integrity of the Bey of Tunis and we hoped to have an opportunity to confirm this opinion: intimated to him that we were assured his influence would do much with the Bey; and gave him to understand that his friendly offices would not be forgotten.

He said the Bey was very little under the influence of any man; all his business of importance he transacted himself; but, as the Americans had never been an active enemy, he had always been disposed to render them every assistance in his power; he believed he had done much for them, and was still disposed to use the little influence he had in their favor; (and lied.) Left the palace, 2 o'clock, P. M.

Thursday, 21st, eleven, A. M. waited at the palace an hour. The Bey engaged with letters from the east. Bid us comé tomorrow at half past eight in the morning. It was proposed to me to wait on the Sapitapa. Supposing the maneuvre planned to give him an opportunity to demand money, I refused to see him. We returned to the city.

Friday, 22d, 10, A. M. at the palace. The Bey, after some introductory conversation, asked what was our determinations relative to his proposed alterations in the treaty? We told him we had already given him our determination, and now waited his answer, in order to dispatch the brigantine. He introduced the 14th article; said, again, if we would fix the duty at ten, twenty, or an hundred per cent, advalorem, reciprocally, he would have no objection to

:

were

the alteration or if he were informed what duties were paid by other nations in our ports, he should be able to determine whether it would or not be consistent with the interest of his subjects to admit of our terms. We answered that the duties in America fluctuating some articles of importation paid more, some less; but to talk any more upon this subject was an unavailing consumption of time we offered to put the Tunissians on the footing of the most favored nations for the time being, and only asked the same in return. The terms he insisted on could not be very interesting to him; it was possible the Tunissian merchants will never send goods to America, and probable their vessels would never go there; it could not therefore effect his subjects.

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"True," said he, " my subjects have never yet been to America; but why do you hence conclude they never will ?" Because they have no intercourse with us, their interest does not appear to promote it, and, if it did, they do not know the way. "Hitherto," said he, "they have not known the way; but mankind are now becoming more enlightened and more enterprizing, and I hope ere long to have many vessels go there."

This we believed was not probable; but, if it were, it would not alter the case; no reason had been advanced, why the Tunissians should be ad. mitted to privileges not granted to other nations, even the most favored; the idea might at once be abandoned; it could not be admitted, if war should be the consequence; we were prepared for this event; and although it would place both him and us in an awkward situation, to be destroying each other at the same time that our arms should be united against a common enemy, this, nevertheless, would be preferable to the concessions he demanded. But because mankind are placed on different parts of the globe, in such a manner as to produce contrasting interests, they should not, on every trifling occasion, make this destructive appeal: they should rather,

like members of the same great family, study a gen. eral good, even at the expense of individual interest. "True," said he, " but this will never be the case, so long as there are great and small among men. I have, however, no intention of a war with the United States; if so I should not have permitted their colors to be hoisted, although I might have found occasion in the failure of your government to forward the regalia,"

1

We asked him if any inducement would prevail on him to make the alterations we demanded in the treaty. He answered, "No: I will agree to any thing you please, which shall be reciprocal; but I tell you as you have told me, you may as well abandon your terms." He then proposed the following substitute in substance.

"The citizens and inhabitants of the United States of America, shall have liberty to enter all the ports of the kingdom of Tunis, and freely trade, on paying a duty which shall countervail the duty paid by Tunissian merchants, in the ports of the United States, allowing nine months for obtaining the proper information; mean time, the Americans shall pay three per cent only, in the Tunissian ports. In like manner, the subjects and inhabitants of the kingdom of Tunis shall have free commerce in all the ports of the United States, on paying the duty usually paid by the most favored nation."

"Send this," said he, "to your government; if they do not like it, they may send it back.'

وو

We returned to the eleventh article, went over the ground of yesterday; insisted on a mutual salute, we paying the expense of the salute in his ports, he in ours rejected. We told him, if he calculated on making a speculation by this article, he was in an error; he would not get a cartridge by it in an hundred years no American Consul will ever demand a salute. Yet we were unwilling to dispense with this friendly compliment, if it could be exchanged on friendly terms. Have you, we interrogated, an