[Feb. 2. 1799] [undecipherable] 12 Lisbon, Feb'y. 22. 99. After your letter which I last answered I did not flatter myself with so early a further proof of your friendship as I rec'd by yours of 30 [undecipherable] late, in with you gave me a pleasing anticipation of the Speech. Since reading that, I have read the Speech itself & the answers of the two Houses; they are just what they ought to be on the hypothesis that war ought not to be declared, for which I presume good reason [undecipherable] exist, tho I confess the policy of it is not so obvious to me. It has occurred to me, in contemplating the subject that we sh'd be placed, by a declaration of war, in a much more eligible situation than we are now in; 1^st the gov't. would carry into full operation the law concerning Alien Enemies, 2^d the measures of defence would be more vigorous, concentrated & united & the national spirit more devoted to one great object, abandoning domestic disputation, 3^dly the Commerce of the U.S. wo'd be more protected – at present, our Vessels sail about the European Seas with little or no protection & multitudes of them are captured or condemned; not being in a state of war, our merchants & captains vainly flatter themselves that neutral rules & registers will protect them, & atho' the U.S. have the examples before their eyes, the delusion continues; they catch at every silly story, a paragraph in a letter or newspaper & are perpetually cajoled by the delusive promises of peace agents. [undecipherable] in the Southern States afford much consolation for [undecipherable] sorrowful events. I see you are likely to have some trouble with Kentucky & Virginia, which the agents of the Directory write to convert into an American La Vandée, & when their schemes are ripe to make the medium of their attack on our liberties. In this mode they began with Switzerland, exciting rebellion in the Valais & then marching troops to assist the friends of liberty – they I have no doubt of their designs, I don't fear the result – you have wisdom & foresight in the gov't. & a spirit of independence in the people which will frustrate their infamous scheme. The agents of France, finding that now for that 'country is no longer the order of the day in the U.S.', change their conduct – preserving their ambition, the cloaked under exterior professions of friendship, they will excite sedition & rebellion, under pretence of oppression, as in Ireland, & when they have inspired a portion of the people with a hatred of their own gov't. then deeply bitterly offer their aid. I hope these views are now well understood in America. There will be no fear of an invasion, unless the above plan succeeds, & so the discontents spread along the western frontiers, without doubt an attack will be made in that quarter: with these apprehensions, an army of regulars is necessary – nay, indispensable, but the [undecipherable] of the Session & other causes will, I fear, have [undecipherable] requisite [undecipherable] very incomplete. In order to make the Tale go down in France & impose on their Vassal Allies, they fabricate intelligence from America, which is inserted in their papers, some specimens of which I send by this conveyance to the Sec'y of State. — They are also told to be convinced that they can do us no injury & that their cause is daily losing ground in the U. States, but they are stupidly taking the very course the most likely to irritate & arouse the heart, deceived by their intolerable vanity & the false intelligence of their partisans they still assert that the opposition to them is merely that of a party, headed by J. A.; & latterly their Gaz[ette] has begun to hold the same language about Turkey; they say that the G. Seignor has been duped by the intrigues of Pitt & has been forced into a declaration of war against them, of which he will soon repent, & then they gravely tell a ridiculous story, that the English Amb'r. at Constant'le set fire to the City [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] which it is customary for the Grand S'r. to go about & ride about the Streets on horseback, & then a mob prepared for the purpose with [undecipherable] commenced a short war with the French, that the G.S. was frightened & promised the populace he w'd. declare War ag't. the French. It is extremely curious to see them abusing John Adams & the Grand Seignor at the same time & nearly in the same manner, the fact is that abuse is the principal weapon they can wield ag't. Turkey & the U.S. they fear a war with both, knowing they can't hurt them; thus, at the time that they insult the constituted authorities, they profess great love for the two Nations; in that true spirit of momentary & folly, which characterizes all their proceed[undecipherable], while their Gazette inserted under the eye of the Directory contain sarcasms & lampoons about the G. Seignor, they have assured his Ambassador at Paris that he & his Suite shall continue to be respected tho the French Ministre & all their family are imprisoned in Turkey: this is a proof of their fear, how differently would they have acted tow'd. the smaller neighbouring powers? Thus, in the same spirit, notwithst'g. all our hostile measures, their [undecipherable] conduct is placid & gentle towards us (except continuing to capture our Vessels,) at last in language – they took off the Embargo, to shew their reluctance for war, & it's said, have sent a proposal to our gov't. to renew the negotiations in some neutral country – had they not [undecipherable] a serious rupture with us, how they would have boasted on hearing of any the mildest of our acts against them? The destruction of their Toulon fleet was a severe blow – five of the prizes are here, & (by way of compliment to me I presume) the [underline: Franklin] is anchored almost before my house: She is a very fine Ship, but dreadfully battered. They have since lost the Hoche, line of battle Ship & some frigates on their way to Ireland, & say they go on losing in the same way till they learn to do Justice to the rest of the world – partic'ly our Country, is the prayer of Yours very sin'ly.