American writers who were diplomats.

• Author: Sommers, William
• Position: Joel Barlow

Title: American Writers Who Were Diplomats

JOEL BARLOW: HERO-DIPLOMAT

Author: William Sommers

Text:

Within the foyer of the US State Department's diplomatic entrance there once stood a marble tablet enclosed by a lighted entablature. Cut into its green surface were the names of Foreign Service members who died as heroes. The second name on the list was that of Joel Barlow, the American minister to France under President Madison who, fleeing from the Russian armies, caught pneumonia and died at the church in Zarnowiec and where his memory was kept by residents who contributed to the carving of a memory stone and where it still stands within the church's entry.

Barlow, in forlorn pursuit of a treaty with France, followed Napoleon to Vilna, Lithuania, during the bitter winter of 1812. When the beaten dictator fled Moscow, Mr. Barlow, along with the French court and the diplomatic corps, hit the frozen road for Paris. But the minister caught pneumonia on the way, died the day after Christmas and was hastily buried in the cold ground of Zarnowiec.

Only in the last few decades has Barlow's memory begun to struggle back into history. And yet it took too long. Joel Barlow was one of an early band of American diplomats whose resourcefulness, intelligence and devotion raised a standard of excellence that is even more impressive today. He wrestled with international terrorism and brigand, negotiated for the lives of American hostages and, at the behest of the President, risked reputation - and, life - in a nearly hopeless diplomatic foray with Napoleon and his elusive chief diplomat.

A RENAISSANCE MAN

Joel Barlow, like many of his 18th century companions, had a Renaissance zest for human activity; he was at once patriot, businessman, politician, polemicist, poet and diplomat. He backed Robert Fulton's steamboat with cash, referring to Fulton as "Old Toot," founded American Mercury magazine and coined that much-abused word, "utilize." He argued for an American national university, which eventually surfaced as Columbian College, now known as George Washington University. And he was the first American poet to be taken seriously in England and Europe, with such lengthy, turgid but wholly American works as "The Vision of Columbus," "The Columbiad," Anarchiad" and the best of the lot, "Hasty Pudding."

Barlow's first overseas assignment was to the Barbary States. Operating out of the Turkish regencies of Algeria, Tripoli and Tunis, the Barbary pirates were plundering American shipping, hijacking the cargoes and holding crewmen as hostages for ransom. By 1795, 150 American citizens had been enslaved by the grand vizier (dey) of Algiers, Hassan Bashaw. Some had been prisoners and slaves for more than 10 years! The Barbary States were supported by the superpowers of that day, England and France. By playing off the corsairs against the smaller countries who traded in the Mediterranean, the two countries were able to maintain naval dominance. France, for example, could have wiped out the Turks on a moment's notice.

But, as Barlow wrote to the Secretary of State: "Louis XIV said, if there was no Algiers, he would build one as it was the cheapest way of depriving the Italian States of their natural right to navigate their own seas."* Superpower strategy and the manipulation of satellites is a strategy that is still alive and working!

THE NO. 1 PIRATE!

But the United States was in no position to do battle with Algerians of that time.. A "Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Commerce" had just been concluded with Hassan Bashaw, dey of Algiers, and the most powerful of the rulers of the three enjoined coastal states. It was a wild and wooly document that referred to George Washington as the "commander of the American people, living in the island called America." The treaty required an annual tribute of $20,000 "being the price of peace." What Hassan Bashaw really wanted was a one-time cash payment of $600,000 in gold. And he wanted it yesterday! The ransom price for the hostages was set separately at around $200,000.

Timothy Pickering, the Secretary of State, and James Monroe, the Minister to France, needed the right man to offset the treacherous Hassan Bashaw. Arrange for the delivery of the hostages and enforce the treaty. Joel Barlow was the ideal choice! He had lived in France for nine years; spoke French, German and some Arabic. As a contemporary put it: "Barlow was rich enough to afford diplomacy, a citizen of both France and the United States - and a fair match for the international pirates who inhabited the Barbary Coast." Though the assignment seemed a pile of problems without solution, Joel Barlow nevertheless accepted the appointment as consul and began preparing for his new assignment. He received no separate maintenance allowance, nor a cost-of-living adjustment, nor even danger pay. But he was not at all disdainful about expense money. Apprised that the essential element in establishing a favorable impression with the dey was the size and dazzle of the "Consular's Gift" and Barlow went shopping.

UNCLE SUGAR PAYS

He scoured Paris shops to buy jeweled snuffboxes, diamond rings, pistols inlaid with precious stones, brocaded robes and thick carpets. The bill came to $27,000, eventually charged to Uncle Sam. What modern-day ambassador, in fear that the inspector general will rack him for a $500 embassy reception, wouldn't trade his tourist-class home leave ticket to be Joel Barlow - just for a day! Mr. B left Paris on December 17, 1795, bound for Algiers via Marseille. But between the weather, the absence of ready shipping and overland detours via Spain, he did not arrive until March 6. But the welcome was not in...