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Of the other subjects of discussion with Spain, which may require your official notice, you will be informed by Mr. John James Appleton, remaining there charged with the affairs of the legation after the departure of Mr. Forsyth, and by the archives of the legation, which he will deliver over to you. The laws relating to commerce since the restoration of the Cortes have been rather restrictive than favorable to the relations between the United States and Spain. You will be specially attentive to all negotiations, whether commercial or political, in which Spain may be concerned, during the continuance of your mission; transmit to this Department two copies of every treaty, printed by authority, immediately after its publication, and copies by duplicate of all conventions, treaties, separate articles, or other diplomatic communications, of which you may acquire the knowledge, and which you can obtain without expense or charge.

An object of considerable importance will be to obtain the admission of consuls from the United States in the ports of the colonies, specially in the islands of Cuba and of Porto Rico. It was incidental to the old colonial system of Spain, which excluded all commerce of foreign nations with her colonies, to admit in their ports no foreign consuls. The special duties and functions of those officers, consisting in the protection of the commerce, navigation, and seamen of their respective countries in the ports where they reside, it was a natural and necessary consequence of the exclusive colonial principle, that where no commerce was allowed to foreign nations, there could be no duties for a foreign consul to perform, and no occasion for the acknowledgment of such an officer. But when the colonial ports were opened to foreign trade, all the reasons which recommend, and all the necessities which urge the appointment and admission of foreign consuls to reside in them, apply as forcibly to those

ports as to any others. The commerce between the United States and the Havana is of greater amount and value than with all the Spanish dominions in Europe. The number of American vessels which enter there is annually several hundreds. Their seamen from the unhealthiness of the climate are peculiarly exposed to need there the assistance which it is a primary purpose of the consular office to supply; nor is there any conceivable motive for continuing to maintain the pretension to exclude them, and to refuse the formal acknowledgment of consuls. Informal commercial agents have in many of the ports been allowed to reside, and partially to perform the consular duties; but as they are thus left much dependent on the will of the local government, and subject to control at its pleasure, they have neither the dignity nor authority which properly belongs to the office. There has already been much correspondence between Mr. Forsyth and the Spanish Department of Foreign Affairs on this subject. You will follow it up as there may be opportunity, till a definitive answer shall be obtained. . . .

DEAR SIR:

TO THE PRESIDENT

[JAMES MONROE]

WASHINGTON, 4 May, 1823.

I enclose herewith the private letter from Mr. Erving, noticed in your note of this morning. The public dispatch I will bring or send you tomorrow.1

The answer to Mr. Salmon's note shall be made conformable to your suggestion. I have resumed the subject

1 On his intention to resign.

in the draft of Instructions to Mr. Nelson, and shall submit for your consideration what I have thought it would be proper to say of it in them.

I thank you for the notice that you have understood Mr. Meade has some document from Mr. Onis, and also from Mr. De Neuville to show that his case was in the contemplation of the negotiations, pending the negotiation connected in some form with the navigation of the Mississippi, and ask the further favor of knowing from whom you received the information, and what the purport of these documents is alleged to have been? 1

I have not heard from Colonel Preston but will write to him tomorrow. Inclosed is a letter also for you from Mr. Rush this day received.

Faithfully and respectfully yours.

DEAR SIR:

TO THE PRESIDENT

[JAMES MONROE]

WASHINGTON, 10th May, 1823.

I enclose herewith for your consideration and revisal the draft of general instructions to Mr. Rodney as Minister to Buenos Ayres. I shall now proceed to prepare those for Mr. Anderson destined to the Republic of Colombia, in which I propose to take the review of the conduct of this government in relation to the contest between Spain and her American Colonies recommended in your note of the 30th of April. I had the honor of suggesting to you the reasons for omitting it from the instructions to Mr. Rodney.

1 No reply to this question is on file.

The foundations of the future permanent intercourse political and commercial between the United States and the new Spanish American nations must be laid in the instructions for these diplomatic missions, and they will form in the history of this union a prominent feature in the character of your administration. I am exceedingly anxious therefore not only that they should meet your approbation but that they should fill up entirely to your satisfaction the outline of your own ideas and intentions. I ask the favor therefore of such observations as may occur to you on the perusal of the drafts and of every suggestion of addition or omission which you may think advisable. I am, etc.

DEAR SIR:

TO HUGH NELSON

WASHINGTON, 16 May, 1823.

The uniform which has usually been worn by the Minister of the United States at royal courts in Europe is in no wise essential and has never been so considered.

By the established rules of all the monarchical European governments persons presented to the sovereign must appear in a court dress, and the uniform was adopted for the convenience of using the same dress on all such occasions and at any of the courts. But should you on your arrival in Spain find any difficulty in procuring immediately a coat of the uniform according to the sample, there is not a tailor at Madrid or wherever you may find the King of Spain but would furnish you at twelve hours' warning a court dress with which you will be admitted to the king's presence to deliver your credentials just as freely as if you were attired in the uniform. Should you find any inconvenience what

ever in procuring an uniform, embroidered like the sample, there will be no sort of necessity for you even to trouble yourself about it. Any court dress will answer the purpose just as well, and at any other place except at court either the uniform or the court dress would be as strange and as ludicrous as a Turkish caftan or a Roman toga.

As to the gentlemen going to the South American republics I should hope the uniform or any other court dress will be as unnecessary, if not as useless, as they are here. Should it however be expected according to the usages of the country that they appear in gaudy attire, the tailors of the respective places will be the only diplomatists whom they will have occasion to consult for the appropriate garb, and all the enquiries they will need to make will be for a dress in which they can be received.

I am, etc.

SIR:

TO CAESAR AUGUSTUS RODNEY 1

Department of State, WASHINGTON, 17 May, 1823.

The establishment of independent nations and governments in South America forms a remarkable era in the history of the world, and the formal interchange of diplomatic missions with them is a memorable event in that of our own country. The interest which you have taken in the progress

1 "The sketch of instructions which I have received from you today for Mr. Rodney, I have carefully examined, and now return with my entire approbation. I think that it meets the object of marking an epoch in our relations with the new independent governments south of the United States in a manner worthy of our own. I have no alteration to make." Monroe to John Quincy Adams, May 11, 1823. Ms.

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