To James Madison from George W. Erving, 10 January 1807
From George W. Erving
Madrid Jany 10th 1807
Dear Sir
In reference to the correspondence between Mr Kirkpatrick & myself which is inclosed with the accompanying official letter (No. 20)1 I herewith transmit for your private information copy of a letter from Hy Grevignée Junr dated Algesiras Oct. 10th. 1806 to R. W. Meade,2 which I have accidentally laid my hands on: You will observe by several Expressions in this, viz, “one of the vessels loaded with this vintage by my house for Tonningen & a Market” more particularly; that there can be no doubt of the Cargo of the Romulus having been shipped by the house of Grevignée & Co of Malaga in fact for London, & undoubtedly upon English Accounts; in this house Mr Kirkpatrick is a partner, he also as well as Mr Neuman the ostensible shipper is a brother in law of Henry Grevignee, & old Mr Grevignée the father of their wives is also a partner in the house.
The Romulus so loaded with property for English account was carried into Algesiras, where after the commencement of a process, by a compromise made with Captors in which there is not the least question but that the Judge was concerned, on the payment of 5500 dollars she was released: The commandant of the gun boat station (apostadero) Mr Truxillo, knowing of this corrupt transaction, seised the Vessel after her release, but upon application to the government this second detention was considered illegal, & she was finally discharged.
You will best determine what degree of culpability attaches to Mr Kirkpatrick from his connection with these transactions. As it has appeared to me, the very evasion & disloyalty which characterize his correspondence on this occasion, rendering him unfit for the public service, it is my duty to submit the affair to your consideration: that if you also shoud be of that opinion, you may employ in his post (which is considered to be a very valuable one), some American Citizen whose character is known to you. As for this gentleman I am told that he never was in the United States. I am Dear Sir with true respect & esteem Your very obliged & obt St
George W Erving
I pray you to be so good as to Excuse the great haste in which I have been obliged to write this.
RC and enclosure (DNA: RG 59, DD, Spain, vol. 10). RC docketed by Forrest. For enclosure, see n. 2.
1. See Erving to JM, 7 Jan. 1807, and n. 8.
2. Erving enclosed a copy (4 pp.) of Henry Grevignée Jr. to Richard W. Meade, 10 Oct. 1806, in which Grevignée reported that a Spanish privateer had seized the Romulus, which had been loaded for Tönning. The captain of the Romulus tried to burn papers relating to previous voyages to London, but the privateers saved the documents. Grevignée ransomed the cargo and settled the matter at the Tribunal of Marine. However, the officers of the Spanish naval station threatened to apprehend the vessel and demand another ransom despite the neutrality of the voyage’s cargo and destination. Grevignée feared that French privateers or ships of the Spanish naval station would capture his vessel and requested “in the name of my house & of Mr Kirkpatrick” that Meade ask Capt. Hugh G. Campbell of the Constitution to sail to Algeciras to protect the Romulus. At the end of the enclosure, Erving wrote: “Notes The word ‘market’ is underscored in the Original / L. is put for London / The Apostadero is the Marine (gun boat) department at that station / Autos means process. GWE.”