Bassa, Hamuda (fl. 1803-1807) to Tobias Lear: acknowledging receipt of letters, recognizes Lear's authority
High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02794.081 Author/Creator: Bassa, Hamuda (fl. 1803-1807) Place Written: Tunis Type: Manuscript document Date: 1805/08/07 Pagination: 1 p. 19.7 x 8 cm Order a Copy
Manuscript copy of letter in a clerk's hand. The Bey of Tunis writes: "as you are authorized by the President I am entirely disposed to hear from you an explanation of your wishes . . . ."
The Bashaw Bey of Tunis, the City well guarded the Residence of the Felicity.-
To Mr. Tobias Lear, Consul general of the U States of America, attached to the Regency of Algiers, & at present on board the frigate Constitution, in the roads of Goletta.-
Sir
At this moment I receiv'd your second letter, of the day before yesterday, which was sent to me by a Captain of a frigate of your nation, who said he had commission to speak with me, by orders of your Commodore, but I did not see him.-
Hearing now that the above mentioned Captain in Company with the messinger [sic] George Davis, has departed this morning to go on board; I send you direct by the had of Davis my answer, & I include you a Copy of what I wrote to you the day before yesterday repeating again as you are authorized by the President I am entirely disposed to hear from you an explanation of your wishes, and in consequence I expect you with pleasure, I repeat I wish to speak with you;-
Be so good make my compliments to Commodore Rodgers & inform him that I also wrote to him the day before yesterday, & have no doubt but that the Messinger [sic] has consigned to him my answer.-
I Salute you & I wish you all good
/Sign'd/ Hamuda Bassaw Bey
Dal Bardo di Tunis
7th Augt. 1805. 9 O'Clk AM
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.