Madrid, 27th March 1848

Rev A Brandram  No.15

Madrid 27th March 1848

My Dear Friend,

I intimated to you in my letter of the 14th of February, that I had then use means for arranging our difficulties regarding the six cases of Books, and that I was in daily expectation of an answer on the subject. With such an intimation you must needs wonder that this answer has not long ago been communicated to you. I hope however you keep always in mind that I am in Spain, and that you do not calculate our meridian as if it were yours. We move slowly here, very slowly in the right way. Would that our movements were as sure and true as slow. But if they are not so now, they will be so sooner or later, and it may be soon.

I will not enter into the various circumstances causing delay, but shall only state, that I have had all along the way my eye steadily fixed on the object before me, and am not aware of neglecting any means required.

Finally, our petition for the entrance of the Books was rejected. This was not on the ground of their being Bibles, for that I never told them, but because the books are bound, and in the Spanish language, against which there are prohibiting clauses in the tariff. I had understood that this hinderance would have been avoided by the means which at the advice of my friends here I had taken, but it seems we have been mistaken.

Finding this door closed, and having some hopes of gaining our object through other means, and that I should soon know the yea or nay of that, I would not write you of the worst, till I should try the other plan.

I brought here when I came a letter of introduction from Lord Clarendon to our Plenipotentiary Mr Bulwer. But some how or other I was not led to use much freedom with Mr Bulwer, in asking any favour. All Embassadors here, as I believe in every country, have the privilege of introducing goods to a certain extent free of duty. It is understood that these are for their own use, but it is always considered that their friends are included. Our Books might have been introduced in this way. But from the reason above mentioned, and two others, I did not apply to Mr. Bulwer in the matter. The two others were, first that I know from a Custom House officer that he had brought in good previously to the full extent permitted, not to say more, which was the case. And secondly, I remembered influences of Downing Street, that as an incubus sits on all our British functionaries here. Nevertheless, having got better acquainted with Mr. Bulwer since my return from the South, I thought I would tell him my wish. He had once stated that his limit of liberties was exceeded, but at the same time showed a great readiness to meet my wishes, much more than I had expected. He said he would try to get my object accomplished through the Portuguese Ambassador who is his friend, and desired I would write a note on the subject of my request. I did so immediately, and after a rather Spanish delay I have had an answer. Mishap is our fortune, or rather misfortune, as it seems, on every hand. Mr. Bulwer after maturely considering the subject writes as follows: – "With respect to the books, I am sorry to say, that I find it impossible to oblige you. What you request is the introduction of an article forbidden by the laws, and the circulation of a book which the Government to which I am accredited forbids circulating, and though I condemn most strongly the narrow bigotry on which these regulations are founded, I could not consistently with my position clandestinely infringe them. In my desire to oblige you, and also to promote your object, I did in the first instance think some means might be found for doing so, but the mode I thought of would be objectionable on the same grounds that apply to my direct compliance with your request, and therefore I fear on the subject you must be disappointed."

That is still a sort of string or two which I wish to try to this our bow, but I will not longer delay telling you how we actually stand. I purpose writing you again soon. We are here at present all in the storm and whirlwind,[1] in the midst of "battle and murder and sudden death." Please to say, and pray, "Good Lord deliver us."[2]

            I am, Very Truly Yours,

                        James Thomson.

P.S. 28th March.

I did not post this letter yesterday, as I learned that the mails would most probably not be forwarded. More likely they will to day, and you may and should have this on Monday next. All was quiet last night, but I fear this is a mere lull and not a restoration of peace and order. is proclaimed in the city and over all the country. Our habeas corpus, if we ever had any here, has been suspended, and more than five persons are forbidden to stand in the streets together.

There was a rumour among the English here the other day, that I was in prison. What could be the cause of the rumour or for the imprisonment, I know not, but reasons and causes are not with us in the ascendancy. I am still at large.

[1] An uprising against the Narváez government took place in Madrid, beginning on the evening of 26 March. (BM)

[2]  From lightning and tempest; 

      from plague, pestilence and famine; 

      from battle and murder and from sudden death.

      Good Lord, deliver us.                                             Book of Common Prayer. (BM)

Madrid, 24th April 1848

Rev A Brandram No.17

Madrid 24th April 1848

My Dear Friend,

In my letter of  the 27th March, I mentioned to you my application to Mr. Bulwer about our six cases, with the hopes at first excited, and the disappointment in which this, as previous efforts, had ended. I added, that I had another resource or two that I would try for the gaining of our object. One of these I immediately tried, but it failed. In succession I tried the other, and perhaps it will result favourably, but they must see such result before we can rejoice in it. The attempt I made first was, the requesting a letter from Mr. Bulwer to the Foreign Office here, that I might try to get an order from thence for the Spanish Consul in London, that he might give the proper certificate. Mr. Bulwer readily gave me this letter, and from my first reception, I had good hopes; but the Foreign Minister would needs first consult with his brother of the Exchequer, and as our matter had been there before, and was rejected, it was so again.

My next application was to the American Minister here, and with whom previously I had spoken on the subject generally, but there were reasons for my not specifically making a request to him then concerning it. But failing on all hands, I ventured formally to ask him for the favour in question. He has granted it, but the doubt in the matter as to success is this, that on a former occasion of said Minister getting books from London, the Spanish Consul refused this certificate until he should get an order from the government here, because some of the books as in our case, where prohibited articles, being bound or in Spanish. This order was applied for here and of course obtained. Now General Saunders, for that is the American Minister's name, said he could not well apply for a second order so soon after the previous one. But in this refusal of the Consul, he was demurring where he ought not, though he had right, I believe, on his side in our case. There is a specific statute, as he ought to know, of the government here, allowing Ambassadors to bring among other things important prohibited articles. I have applied for a copy of this and if it come before I seal my letter I shall enclose it. But in the meantime I forward you the printed instructions regarding the liberties granted to Foreign Ministers grounded on the statute mentioned. At the place of the top of the second page where I have made a pencil mark, you will see that such liberty in importing prohibited articles is clearly allowed, and the provision made for it, namely, that of charging duties on them, whereas other articles to them are duty free. This should be shown to the Consul if he hesitates, as well as the statute I have referred to if enclosed. – John Miller, 26 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden is General Saunders's agent for books and other things he gets from London. I do not know whether it would be better for you to act through him or not, but give you his name and address in case of need. Again, perhaps you had better employ another Broker than the one spoken to before, and that the shipment be made to Bilbao instead of Santander. The address should be "Al Sr. General Saunders, Ministro Plenipotentiario de los Estados Unidos, Madrid", and the letter should be sent to the American Consul at Bilbao, whose address is "Sr. D. Mariano de Aguirre". The last notice I have to make is, that it will suit better to send four cases instead of six. When these are done Providence will open another door for more. I would say, drop all the 8vo Testaments as they are bulky. Let there be an equal number of large and small Bibles, and equal numbers of the 12mo and 32mo new Testaments. If you have still the Four Books, send us a proper supply of them. Of course you will send all Usoz's books ordered.

I here notice (to conclude the year just before your annual meeting) some things which might or should have been noticed earlier. – I duly received Mr. Jackson's letter of the 17th January, with Invoice of the four cases I had expected when it Gibraltar. By letter from Mr. Dove of the 11th March, I learned, that these had arrived a few days before he wrote. I also received Mr. Jackson's letter of the 12th February, with Invoice of the Books voted for Tangier and Tetuan on the 24th December. The Hebrew Bibles in that Invoice are marked in 12mo I suppose my mistake, for it is Duncan's Bible in 8vo that is mentioned in the Resolution.

Soon after receiving the Invoice of the Books for Barbary, I wrote a letter to my Jew friends there, and enclosed it to Mr. Dove, with directions as to forwarding the Books when they came, and also the letter. On the 11th March they had not arrived, nor could they have arrived so late as the 18th instant, as Mr. Dove promised to write me as soon as they came, and his letter of that date would have been here this morning.

Have you heard from Mr. Tiddy in reply to your inquiries about the 12mo Hebrew Pentateuch? In your letter of the 4th January you inquire if I know to what extent the Jews in Barbary understand the Hebrew. To a considerable extent, I should think, judging from the readiness I observed in reading and translating passages from the Hebrew Bible, and Coriat is translating direct from it. – As to the services of the Jews, about which you dealt, after my leaving them, I would say, that, added to some degree of friendship, I took the measure most likely to secure interest in Jews, if common report speaks correctly, namely, the money one. They are to have a commission on what they sell.

With regard to the Arabic dialects spoken in Marocco, I think the judgment pronounced on it by your young friend has some correctness in it, as it corresponds a good deal with the view given me by Mr. Drummond Hay, the British chargé d'affaires in Tangier to whom I wrote on the subject. But this view hardly accords with what he said to me in conversation, namely, that the language and the dialect were as different as Latin and Italian, or as Ancient and Modern Greek. We must therefore leave the subject till further light can be obtained. Your work in Barbary at present must be with the Jews, and when the result of the attempt made for them is seen, you will be able to judge whether further measures should be adopted, and in connexion with working for them, some lights may arise as to what can be done for the Moors.

Bearing on this subject, I would observe, that in Cadiz I met with a Frenchman, a kind of half Jew, that is, a Jew in reality, but not caring to show it, and rather wishing to conceal such a connexion. He was then lately come from Marocco, and had traveled extensively over it. I told him of my arrangements in sending the Hebrew Scriptures to the Jews there. He said, it was likely they would have an extensive circulation over the country; and he particularly recommended the sending of a supply to Mogador, as the Books were all destroyed there, he said, during the French bombardments and robberies in consequence within the place. I should think you might venture to send there, with safety and good hopes, 100 copies of the Bible, and bound in four volumes like those sent to Gibraltar. Mr. Willshire, the British Consul in Mogador, of whom everybody speaks well, would be the person to whose care you might entrust them. If you should agree to send this supply, as I hope you will, be so good as to send it as early as you may find an opportunity, and these two experiments will guide for the future better than one of them, as the places are situated in opposite quarters of the country.

To conclude this letter, and year, allow me to say that this is a noted day with me. On this day, 30 years ago, I left home for abroad. I left alone, and I am again alone.

            Believe me, My Dear Friend, Very Truly Yours,

                                                                        James Thomson.

P.S. I have seen the Royal Orders on the subject above noticed. There are six of them, and it is not easy to give just what is wanted. But no doubt the Spanish Consul has them in his house. They are noted in the first page of the paper enclosed opposite the mark.