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

Appendix 17
The American Commissioners to the Dey of Algiers (1816)
The undersigned have the honour to transmit herewith to his Highness the Dey
of Algiers, a letter addressed to him from the President of the United States,
and to inform him that they have been appointed by the President
Commissioners to treat of the renewal of the relations of peace and amity
between the United States and Algiers.
Pursuant to these instructions, they have lost no time in proceeding to this bay,
in the hope of adjusting the differences subsisting between the two countries by
a treaty of peace, subject to the ratification of the President, by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate.
As the promise of Commodore Decatur, to restore the ships captured from the
Regency by the squadron under his command, previous to the negotiations for
peace in June, 1815, has been fulfilled by the delivery of the vessels in question
into the possession of officers of the Regency sent to Carthagena for that
purpose, and by the actual return of those vessels to Algiers, the undersigned
are instructed not to admit the unfounded claim, which has been brought
forward by the Regency of Algiers upon that question, to a discussion. But, in
order to demonstrate to his Highness that the American government has not
been remiss in effecting the fulfilment of that promise of their naval
commander in a manner the most scrupulously punctual, they herewith transmit
copies of a correspondence between the Secretary of State, and the Minister of
his Majesty the King of Spain, in America, upon that subject. This preliminary
being agreed to, they are instructed to propose to his Highness the renewal of
the relations of peace and amity between the two States, upon the following
conditions, viz.
1st. The renewal of the treaty of peace of June, 1815, in the exact form and
terms in which the same was concluded with the Regency by the Consul
General, and Commodore Decatur; but as a proof of the conciliatory policy of
the President, they are instructed to propose gratuitously to his Highness a
modification of the eighteenth article of that treaty by adding the following,
explanatory of it; viz. “The United States of America, in order to give the Dey
of Algiers a proof of their desire to maintain the relations of peace and amity
between the two powers, upon a footing the most liberal, and in order to
withdraw any obstacle which might embarrass him in his relations with other
States, agree to annul so much of the eighteenth article of the foregoing treaty,
as gives to the United States any advantage, in the ports of Algiers, over the
most favoured nations having treaties with the Regency.”
2d. The Regency of Algiers having misunderstood the liberal principles upon
which the treaty of June, 1815, was concluded, and, contrary to a distinct
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