Writing on the Page

Handwriting in 1785 Delapierre portrait.

The 1785 Delapierre portrait shows a man sitting at a desk beginning to write on a sheet of paper. The writing appears to include an abstract depiction of the word "Morocco," and possibly "Jefferson."

One of the principal diplomatic goals of Thomas Jefferson in 1785 was to formulate a strategy for dealing with North African pirates threatening American ships. Prior to the Declaration of Independence in 1776, British treaties with the states of Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli protected Americans from these corsairs. And for more than eight years after proclaiming independence, America's ships suffered no seizures.

But on 11 October 1784, pirates from Morocco—which in 1777 had been the first independent nation to publicly recognize the United States—captured the American brig Betsey with its crew of 10, sailing from Spain to Philadelphia. The act was not intended to reflect hostility, but rather to prompt the United States to respond to the Emperor of Morocco's previous friendly overtures seeking a treaty with the new country.1 After the ship was taken to Tangier, the Emperor announced that he would release the men, ship, and cargo once a treaty with the United States was concluded.

This prompted the United States to take diplomatic action. On 1 March 1785, Congress authorized the American commissioners in Paris to delegate to some suitable agent the authority to negotiate treaties with the Barbary states, setting in motion a series of preparatory steps.

Three documents drafted by Jefferson in Paris on 4 September 1785 were crucial—Heads for a letter to the Emperor of Marocco [sic], Instructions to Thomas Barclay Esqr. [the chosen agent], and Heads of enquiry for Mr. Barclay, as to Marocco [sic].2 3

Opening lines of Thomas Jefferson's "Heads for a letter to the Emperor of Marocco [sic]," 4 September 1785. (Courtesy of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, Massachusetts.)

Jefferson sent these documents, along with an accompanying letter, to John Adams, who had served with Jefferson in Paris but in September was Minister to England and living in London.4 Their work culminated in a treaty with Morocco that was ratified by Congress on 18 July 1787 and is still in force today, making it the longest unbroken treaty relationship in U.S. history.5

The action depicted in the 1785 Delapierre painting may be Jefferson's first step in the crafting of the 4 September 1785 documents, which are now possessed by the Massachusetts Historical Society.6

Supporting this postulate is a portrait of John Adams that mirrors in some respects the 1785 Delapierre portrait and may depict Adams' work on the same documents. The Adams portrait was painted in London, delivered to Jefferson in Paris on 10 September 1788,7 and is now at the Boston Athenæum.

References and notes

[1] See letter from Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, dated 1 September 1785: "The court of Madrid has obtained the delivery of the crew of the brig Betsy [Betsey] taken by the Emperor of Marocco. The Emperor had treated them kindly, new-cloathed them, and delivered them to the Spanish minister who sent them to Cadiz. This is the only American vessel ever taken by the Barbary states. The Emperor continues to give proofs of his desire to be in friendship with us, or in other words, of receiving us into the number of his tributaries. Nothing further need be feared from him." (The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 8, edited by Julian P. Boyd, Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, 1953, p. 460.)

[2] The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 8, edited by Julian P. Boyd, Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, 1953, pp. 610-624.

[3] Jefferson used the spelling "Marocco" in the documents he sent to Adams in London, whereas the spelling of the word on the sheet of paper in the 1785 Delapierre portrait looks more like "Morocco." But the abstract nature of the writing on the paper may have given the artist some license regarding how to depict and spell the words. It appears to be intentionally obscure—not meant to be easily readable. In contrast, the title of the book in the portrait—De la Caisse d'Escompte—is distinct and clearly legible. Both writing styles likely were deliberate on the part of the artist or the person who commissioned the portrait, because other aspects of the work (including the physical appearance of the book, which matches known copies published in 1785) appear to have been carefully crafted.

[4] The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 8, edited by Julian P. Boyd, Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, 1953, pp. 473-475.

[5] A separate attempt in early 1786 by Jefferson and Adams to reach an agreement on the North African piracy issue—by dealing directly with Tripoli's minister to England—was fruitless. For details on these negotiations, see note 4, Evidence for an Early Unidentified Portrait of Thomas Jefferson.

[6] The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 8, edited by Julian P. Boyd, Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, 1953, pp. 610-624.

[7] Ibid., Volume 13, 1956, p. 597.