goodness
to write by the first post to the captain, in such terms as to induce
him to surrender the deserters; it shall be understood, that they
shall not be punished, and shall finish their engagements in their own
corps, or in some other better paid.

"Mr Jay is too reasonable not to grant that it would be unjust for a
vessel to appear in a port, solely to require and receive all sorts of
attentions and marks of respect, (without any previous claim or
engagement) and at the same time to refuse and deliver up any
subjects, which it should have on board, of the sovereign of the
country in whose name all these tokens of respect have been rendered.

"_October 8, 1781._"

ANSWER TO THE ABOVE.

"Madrid, October 9th, 1781.

"Sir,

"The letter which your Excellency did me the honor to write on the 8th
instant arrived this morning. I consider myself much obliged by the
communication of the facts mentioned in it, especially as it affords
me an opportunity of manifesting to his Majesty and to Congress my
attention to his rights and to their orders.

"I perfectly agree in sentiment with your Excellency respecting the
impropriety of detaining on board the American frigate at Corunna, the
two men claimed by the commandant there, as deserters from one of his
Majesty's regiments.

"Your Excellency's remarks on this subject are no less delicate than
just; and your assurance that these men shall not be punished renders
a compliance with the requisition to deliver them up no less
consistent with humanity than with justice.

"It gives me pleasure to confess, that the hospitable reception given
to American vessels in the ports of Spain gives his Majesty a double
right to expect, that their conduct should at least be inoffensive. In
the present case, (as stated in your Excellency's letter) I am fully
convinced of the justice of this demand, that I should not hesitate to
comply with it, even though made on a similar occasion by the Court of
Portugal, from whose affected neutrality we suffer more evils, than we
should experience from any open hospitality she is capable of
executing.

"Agreeably to your Excellency's desire, I have written a letter (of
which the enclosed is a copy) to the commanding officer of the frigate
in question; and as the manner in which your Excellency's letter to me
treats this subject cannot fail making agreeable impressions on
Amer