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MONROE, JAMES

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MONROE, JAMES
(1758 - 1831) Fifth President of the United States who negotiated the Louisiana Purchase and promulgated the Monroe Doctrine. Uncommon A.L.S. ""Jas. Monroe"" as U.S. Minister to France, 1p. 4to., Paris, Oct. 13, 1794, to Citizen [LeRay de] Chaumont regarding a treaty with Algiers. In part: ""...I was lately advised by the Secy. of State that the negotiation of a treaty with Algiers had been committed by Col. [David] Humphreys, our minister at Lisbon, and...that every movement having that object in view must be conducted under his care. Your agency therefore if carried into effect must be in that line. I have given you this information in case you wish to tender yr. Services for that purpose to the United States, you may communicate it to Col. Humphreys...I...have the pleasure to inform you that the President has approved if the measure taken by Mr. Morris...of the confidence exposed [?] in you upon that occasion by him..."". At the time of this letter, David Humphreys was not, as Monroe writes, acting as Minister to Spain; rather, according to the DAB, he had been chosen to act as a secret agent to obtain information for the American government in London, Lisbon, and Madrid. Out of his mission came his appointment, in 1793, as the sole commissioner in Algerian affairs. The Algerian troubles were not solved until the end of the War of the Barbary States, in 1805, but one of Humphrey's triumphs was the signing of the treaty mentioned, which freed American prisoners in Algeria. Boldly written, a bit of ink erosion in a few spots and light offsetting from prior display. Overall very good, and worthy of further research. Along with a handsome steel engraving of Monroe, perfect for framing.