Ottoman Algeria in Western Diplomatic History with ... - Bibliothèque

On the whole, even though the so much dreaded and sought treaty was
concluded, Donaldson made a poor impression on the Regency’s officials,
American captives, and foreign consuls alike. On the conclusion of the treaty,
the Dey offered Donaldson to release his countrymen from work at the Marine,
pending the arrival of the ransom money, on the condition that he had to
guarantee their conduct— drunkenness, insults, and violence against Turks.
Curious as it was, Donaldson declined taking responsibility for his countrymen
specifying that “he did not wish to take them from the Marine,” and added that
“he did not care if they all turned Moors.” 68 The American captives were
infuriated by his conduct and besieged his residence, implored him to change
his mind; when he would not, they “cursed him for a hard-hearted, hickoryfaced
old devil.” 69 On a second occasion, they took possession of his residence
saying that it was public property and “that they had as much right to stay in it
as he had, and absolutely refused to go any more to work in the Marine.” 70
Donaldson asked for the help of the Turks who succeeded in making the
maddened seamen go away.
A common explanation for Donaldson’s objection to release American
captives immediately was that he was reluctant to pay extra money for their
maintenance. So, like Jefferson, what counted more for him was expense. The
‘sufferings of enslaved captives’ were only destined for domestic consumption
68 Cathcart, The Captives, p. 187.
69 Barnby, Prisoners of Algiers, p. 189-190 based on the account of John Foss, one of the captives, A
Journal of the Captivity and Sufferings of John Foss several Years a Prisoner in Algiers, (1798);
Cathcart, The Captives, pp. 233, 241
70 Ibid.
315