I received in its time the Letter your Excellency did me the Honour of writing to me the 30th past, and immediately laid the same before the Council, who sent for the Officers of the Customs, and enquired into the Affair. Your Excellency will see by the enclos’d Paper, what they had to say respecting the offensive Treatment of Mr. Leamy, who, they affirm, never signified his acting by your Orders, nor had they the least Knowledge of any Falshood in the Passport.

The Officers were however reprehended, and admonished to behave hereafter with more Circumspection and Respect in Affairs that may interest the Spanish Government and Nation, to whom the United States were under great Obligations. To me it appeared, nevertheless, that the Offensiveness of their Conduct had probably been exaggerated to your Excellency, and that Disappointment in Matters of private Interest, rather than Zeal for the Interest of his Catholic Majesty (whom God long preserve) had inspired the Information and Complaint made on this Occasion to your Excellency.

This Government, your Excellency may be assured, will afford no Protection to the Practise of Smuggling. But the People concern’d in such Practices are so dextrous, that it is hardly possible for any Government to prevent them entirely. Our own Laws are daily evaded and transgress’d by them, as yours are sometimes by your People. And when such come hither from your Ports, to purchase Provisions, no Compact or Treaty subsisting that forbids supplying them, our Traders do not readily conceive that the Commerce with them here is not allowable. I have the honor to be with the greatest Respect and Consideration Sir, Your Excellency’s