TO MR. PALESKE.

Monticello, August 19,1792.

Sir,

I have received at this place your favor of the 9th instant, wherein
you request, that agreeably to the treaty of commerce between the United
States and his Prussian Majesty, his Consul General be acknowledged as
belonging to a most favored nation; that the privileges and immunities
due to a Consul General of the most favored nation be granted to his
Consul General, and that commissioners be appointed to regulate, by
particular convention the functions of the Consuls and Vice-Consuls of
the respective nations.

Treaties of the United States duly made and ratified, as is that with
his Prussian Majesty, constitute a part of the law of the land, and need
only promulgation to oblige all persons to obey them, and to entitle all
to those privileges which such treaties confer. That promulgation having
taken place, no other act is necessary or proper on the part of our
government, according to our rules of proceeding, to give effect to
the treaty. This treaty, however, has not specified the privileges or
functions of Consuls; it has only provided that these shall be regulated
by particular agreement. To the proposition to proceed as speedily as
possible to regulate these functions by a convention, my absence from
the seat of government does not allow me to give a definitive answer.
I know, in general, that it would be agreeable to our government, on
account of the recent changes in its form, to suspend for a while the
contracting specific engagements with foreign nations, until something
more shall be seen of the direction it will take, and of its mode of
operation, in order that our engagements may be so moulded to that, as
to insure the exact performance of them, which we are desirous ever to
observe. Should this be the sentiment of our government on the present
occasion, the friendship of his Prussian Majesty is a sufficient
reliance to us for that delay which our affairs might require for the
present: and the rather, as his vessels are not yet in the habit of
seeking our ports, and for the few cases which may occur for some
time, our own laws, copied mostly in this respect from those of a very
commercial nation, have made the most material of those provisions
which could be admitted into a special convention for the protection
of vessels, their crews, and cargoes, coming hither. We shall on this,
however, and every other occasion, do every thing we can to manifest our