this vacancy, should it take place, will perhaps be
performed by the present one.

Mr. Barclay has probably informed you of his having been arrested
in Bordeaux, for a debt contracted in the way of his commerce. He
immediately applied to the parliament of that place, who ordered his
discharge. This took place after five days' actual imprisonment. I
arrived at Bordeaux a few days after his liberation. As the Procureur
General of the King had interested himself to obtain it, with uncommon
zeal, and that too on public principles, I thought it my duty to wait
on him and return him my thanks. I did the same to the President of the
parliament, for the body over which he presided; what would have been an
insult in America, being an indispensable duty here. You will see by the
enclosed printed paper, on what grounds the Procureur insisted on Mr.
Barclay's liberation. Those on which the parliament ordered it, are not
expressed. On my arrival here, I spoke with the minister on the subject.
He observed, that the character of Consul is no protection in this
country, against process for debt: that as to the character with
which Mr. Barclay had been invested at the court of Morocco, it was
questionable whether it would be placed on the diplomatic line, as it
had not been derived immediately from Congress; that if it were,
it would have covered him to Paris only, where he had received his
commission, had he proceeded directly thither, but that his long stay at
Bordeaux, must be considered as terminating it there. I observed to him,
that Mr. Barclay had been arrested almost immediately on his arrival at
Bordeaux. But, says he, the arrest was made void by the parliament, and
still he has continued there several weeks. True, I replied, but his
adversaries declared they would arrest him again, the moment he should
be out of the jurisdiction of the parliament of Bordeaux, and have
actually engaged the _Marechausee_ on the road, to do it. This seemed
to impress him. He said he could obtain a letter of safe conduct which
would protect him to Paris, but that immediately on his arrival here,
he would be liable to arrest. I asked him, if such a letter could not
be obtained to protect him to Paris, and back to Bordeaux, and even to
America? He said, that for that, the consent of the greater part of his
creditors would be necessary; and even with this, it was very doubtful
whether it could be obtained: still, if I would furnish him with that
cons