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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --SATURDAY, JULY 2, 1785.
Congress assembled. Present, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia.
According to Order, Don Diego Gardoqui, Encargado de Negocios of Spain, was admitted to an Audience.
Being introduced by the Secretary for foreign affairs, and announced to Congress, he delivered a letter of Credence from his Catholic Majesty, a translation of which was read as follows:
To our great and well beloved friends the United States of North America.
Great and well beloved friends,--Desiring to give you proofs of the good will and consideration with which we regard you, and to provide that our respective subjects should enjoy from their mutual intercourse and commerce, all the benefit which can be produced thereby, I have named the commissary of my royal Armies, Don Diego Gardoqui, to go and reside near you in quality of my Encargado de Negocios, on account of the satisfaction I have in his good conduct. I hope he will avail himself of it, to render himself acceptable, and that you will give entire faith and credit to all that in my name he shall say to you; and that you will admit and treat him in a manner consistent with your good correspondence. I pray God, Great and well beloved friends, to preserve you in his holy keeping.
Your good friend,
(Signed) Carlos.
And underneath, Joseph Monino.
St. Ildefonso, 27 September, 1784.
He also delivered a commission from his Catholic Majesty, giving him the said Don Diego Gardoqui, encargado de Negocios near Congress, full power to treat with the person or persons whom the Congress shall equally authorize, and to adjust and sign whatever articles, compacts and conventions may be conducive to the regulation of the points therein alluded to, and of others which shall be conducive to the
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enjoyment of those important and beneficial Objects; and that there may always be and subsist a good understanding, friendship and Union, between the crown of Spain and the United States of North America, with a promise to approve, ratify and fulfil whatsoever shall be by him stipulated and signed.
The translation of this being read to Congress, the Encargado de Negocios addressed Congress as follows:
Mr. President--it gives me very sensible pleasure, from the manner by which I am honored, that the same disposition prevails here which induced my royal Master to send me hither.
Permit me to assure you, Sir, that my best endeavours shall not be wanting, to render the continuance and issue of my mission as satisfactory to both countries, as this commencement will, I hope, give pleasure to the King, my Master, and is agreeable to me.1
[Note 1: 1 The proceedings of the day to this point were entered both in the Public Journal and in the Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs, No. 5, and also in Secret Journal No. 4. A copy is in Secret Journal No. 6, Vol. III.]
2This Speech being referred to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs to report an answer, on the 6th July he reported the following answer, to be given by him.
[Note 2: 2 From this point to the end of Gardoqui's letter the proceedings are entered only in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs, No. 5, in the writing of Benjamin Bankson, and in Secret Journal No. 4. A copy is in Secret Journal No. 6, Vol. III. The two letters though dated as above are entered in the Secret Journal before the entry for July 5. The various letters and translations are in No. 81, I, folios 255--273.
On this day also, according to indorsement, was read a letter from the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, dated June 2, enclosing a letter to him from Marquis de Lafayette containing interesting information regarding Europe and America and the introduction of flour in the West Indies. "July 13 The enclosed letter from the Marquis returned to the office for foreign Affairs." Jay's letter is in No. 80, I, folio 205; Lafayette's is in No. 156, folio 408.]
Office for Foreign Affairs, July 4, 1785.
Sir, In obedience to the Commands of Congress, I have the honour to assure you, that they consider the Character of the Gentleman whom His Catholick Majesty
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has charged with his affairs here, as evincive of his Majesty's friendly disposition towards the United States; that they entertain a similar disposition, and will on every occasion unite with you in endeavouring to render the continuance and issue of your Mission satisfactory to both Countries and agreeable to yourself.
I have the honour to be, &c.
Ordered, That the said answer be referred to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs to take order.
On the 8th July the Encargado de Negocios of Spain returned the following answer to the Secretary for the Department of Foreign Affairs.
New York, July 8th, 1785.
Sir, I have received with pleasure the Letter which you were pleased to write me the 7th instant, in which by order of Congress, you assure me of the satisfaction they derive from the friendly disposition of the King, my Master, towards the United States, and that the same will induce them to contribute to render the result satisfactory to both Countries; with respect to which I am authorized by full powers to treat and agree upon the points necessary to be adjusted as being neighbouring powers, and who must have common interests and constant inducements to communication and intercourse. Of this commendable work I am ready to make a beginning. I shall thank you to communicate this to Congress, in order that if it appear proper, they may [make] such arrangements on their part as they may think convenient, and communicate them to me.
I have the honour, &c.
(Signed) Diego de Gardoqui.
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