I am sincerely sorry to be obliged to trouble your Excellency with any Kind of complaint, but confident that your Excellency’s great wisdom will consider my official situation I beg leave to state the case, doubting not of such measures as will in future prevent the like and the fatal consequences that may follow to the honest Merchants of the United States.

Upon advise that I received of a Spanish schooner being arriv’d at your City, and finding the Captain had neglectted to inform me as was his duty, I wrote him a few lines ordering to send me his papers or bring them to me. This letter I forwarded to a Mr. John Leamy to be deliver’d to the captain. I can assure your Excellency that Mr. Leamy knew nothing of the contents nor was he charged with any thing else but the delivery, which being done, the Captain owned his neglectt and said that he wou’d send me his permission but that it was in the custom house and that as he cou’d not make them understood, he wou’d be glad that Mr. Leamy shou’d aply for it and send it to me. This Gentleman did so and I have received it but I am extreamly surpriz’d to hear now, that a very unmannerly message was sent to Mr. Leamy the next day from the Custom house demanding said permission, and that even my letter to the Captain was publickly read and translated in the Custom house with several very unbecoming expressions.

This beheaviour and the threats of one of the principal officers of the custom house to a man who was quite inocent, must be atributed to the more cause of being employ’d by me to convey the letter.

The above and the protection shewn to a lawless sett of infamous smuglers, such as said Captain, is what I beg leave to complain to your Excellency, as it must necessarely tend to very serious and dissagreable consequences expecially to the fair and honest traders of those States with Spain.

Your Excellency’s great Knowledge and justness will eassely perceive what they may be and that the generous protection of my Royal Master to the Navigation of the United States as well as the Peace recently obtained with the Emperor of Marroco thro’ the sole intercession of his Majesty does not deserve such treatment.

In order therefore to prevent future complaints and from a particular attachment I entertain towards the United States I lay this case before your Excellency in hopes that no directt or indirectt obstacles may be putt to my right with the subjectts of his Majesty that shou’d arrive in Philadelphia, as otherwise they will putt me under the disagreable neccessity of taking other measures which will be severely felt by the honest Merchants.

Your Excellency will be pleased to observe that the permission in question is a false one and that it does not do honor to protectt such villains. Your Excellency will excuse my troubling with this detail as I have no other view but that of keeping the two countries in perfectt harmony to the mutual advantage of the honest people.

I have the honor to be with the highest consideration and respect. Sir Your Excellency’s most obedient humble servant