Joseph Wharton, Jr., to the American Commissioners
ALS: American Philosophical Society
<Paris, September 26, 1778: In order to lessen the scarcity of
salt in America and to benefit myself I propose to send several
cargoes of it from Portugal this coming winter. As you informed
me there is no congressional resolution against direct
trade from Portugal to the United States, I ask passports for
the vessels I may load there. Because of the supposed unfriendliness
between the two countries these passports will be
highly necessary both to remove the suspicions of Portuguese
merchants and masters and to secure protection from American
warships and privateers.>
630683 = 027-463b.html