[20] See M. de Rosencrone's letter, and the other papers here mentioned, p. 115 et seqq. The Prince de Deuxponts was lately at Paris, and applied to me for information, respecting a commerce which is desired between the Electorate of Bavaria and America. I have it also from a good hand at the Court of Vienna, that the Emperor is desirous of establishing a commerce with us from Trieste, as well as Flanders, and would make a treaty with us if proposed to him. Since our trade is laid open, and no longer a monopoly to England, all Europe seems desirous of sharing in it, and for that purpose to cultivate our friendship. That it may be better known everywhere, what sort of people, and what kind of government they will have to treat with, I prevailed with our friend, the Duc de la Rochefoucault, to translate our book of Constitutions into French, and I presented copies to all the Foreign Ministers. I send you one herewith. They are much admired by the politicians here, and it is thought will induce considerable emigrations of substantial people from different parts of Europe to America. It is particularly a matter of wonder, that in the midst of a cruel war, raging in the bowels of our country, our sages should have the firmness of mind to sit down calmly and form such complete plans of government. They add considerably to the reputation of the United States. I have mentioned above the port of Trieste, with which we may possibly have a commerce, and I am told that many useful productions and manufactures of Hungary may be had extremely cheap there. But it becomes necessary first to consider how our Mediterranean trade is to be protected from the corsairs of Barbary. You will see by the enclosed copy of a letter[21] I received from Algiers, the danger two of our ships escaped last winter. I think it not improbable, that those rovers may be privately encouraged by the English to fall upon us, and to prevent our interference in the carrying trade; for I have in London heard it is a maxim among the merchants, that if _there were no Algiers, it would be worth England's while to build one_. I wonder, however, that the rest of Europe do not combine to destroy those nests, and secure commerce from their future piracies. FOOTNOTE: [21] See p. 96.