TO THE CHEVALIER DE CHASTELLUX.* Change of Ministry in England. Campaign in DEAR SIR, Passy, 6 April, 1782. It gave me great pleasure to hear by the officers returned last winter from your army, that you continued in good health. You will see by the public papers that the English begin to be weary of the war, and they have reason, having suffered many usses, having four nations of enemies on their hands, few men to spare, little money left, and very bad heads. The latter they have lately changed. As yet we know not what measures their new ministry will take. People generally think they will be employed by the King to extricate him from his present difficulties, by obtaining a peace, and that then he will kick them out again; they being all men that he abominates, and who have been forced upon him by the Parliament. The Commons have already made a sort of half peace with us Americans, by forbidding their troops on the Continent to act offensively; and by a new law they have empowered the King to complete it. As yet I hear nothing of the terms they mean to propose; indeed, they have had hardly time to form them. I know they wish to detach us from France; but that is impossible. honors, that which, on the part of the Society, is only a solemn act of adherence to its own judgment, and attention to the voice of fame. "LEOPOLDO M. M. CALDANI, President. "MATTEO STRANNOIA, Sec. for the Sciences. "MELCHIOR CESAROTTI, Sec. for Literature." At this time with the French army in America. I congratulate you on the success of your last glorious campaign. Establishing the liberties of America will not only make that people happy, but will have some effect in diminishing the misery of those, who in other parts of the world groan under despotism, by rendering it more circumspect, and inducing it to govern with a lighter hand. A philosopher, endowed with those strong sentiments of humanity, that are manifested in your excellent writings,* must enjoy great satisfaction in having contributed so extensively by his sword, as well as by his pen, to the félicité publique. M. le Comte de Ségur has desired of me a line of recommendation to you. I consider his request rather as a compliment to me, than as asking what may be of use to him; since I find that all who know him here esteem and love him, and he is certainly not unknown to you. Dare I confess to you, that I am your rival with Madame G-? I need not tell you, that I am not a dangerous one. I perceive that she loves you very much; and so does, dear Sir, yours, &c. B. FRANKLIN. SIR, TO GEORGE WASHINGTON. Introducing the Prince de Broglie. Passy, 8 April, 1782. I did myself the honor of writing to you a few days since by the Count de Ségur. This line is chiefly to present the Prince de Broglie to your Excellency, who goes over to join the army of M. de Rochambeau. He bears an excellent character here, is a hearty friend to * His principal work was entitled De la Félicité Publique. our cause, and I am persuaded you will have a pleas ure in his conversation. I take leave, therefore, to recommend him to those civilities, which you are always happy in showing to strangers of merit and distinction. I have heretofore congratulated your Excellency on your victories over our enemy's generals; I can now do the same on your having overthrown their politicians. Your late successes have so strengthened the hands of opposition in Parliament, that they are become the majority, and have compelled the King to dismiss all his old ministers and their adherents. The unclean spirits he was possessed with are now cast out of him; but it is imagined, that, as soon as he has obtained a peace, they will return with others worse than themselves, and the last state of that man, as the Scripture says, shall be worse than the first. As soon as we can learn any thing certain of the projects of the new ministry, I shall take the first opportunity of communicating them. With the greatest esteem and respect, I am, Sir, your Excellency's, &c. B. FRANKLIN. Since my last, an extraordinary revolution has taken. place in the court of England. All the old ministers are out, and the chiefs of the opposition are in their places. The newspapers that I send will give you the names as correctly as we yet know them. Our last advices mention their kissing hands, but they had yet done nothing in their respective offices, by which one might judge of their projected measures; as whether they will ask a peace, of which they have great need, the nation having of late suffered many losses, men grown extremely scarce, and Lord North's new taxes, proposed as funds for the loan, meeting with great opposition; or whether they will strive to find new resources, and obtain allies, to enable them to please the King and nation by some vigorous exertions against France, Spain, and Holland. With regard to America, having, while in opposition, carried the vote for making no longer an offensive war with us, they seem to have tied their own hands from acting against us. Their predecessors had been tampering with this court for a separate peace. The King's answer gave me great pleasure. It will be sent to M. de la Luzerne, and by him communicated to Congress. None of their attempts to divide us meet with the least encouragement, and I imagine the present set will try other measures. My letters from Holland give pleasing accounts of the rapid progress our affairs are making in that country. The packet from M. Dumas, which I forward with this, will give you the particulars. The Prince de Broglie will do me the favor of delivering this to you. He goes over to join the French army with the more pleasure, as it is employed in the cause of liberty, a cause he loves, and in establishing the interests of America, a country for which he has much regard and affection. I recommend him earnestly to the civilities and services it may be in your power to render him, and I request you would introduce him to the President of Congress, and to the principal members, civil and military. Our excellent friend, the Marquis de Lafayette, will sail in about three weeks. By that time we may have more interesting intelligence from England, and I shall write you fully. With great esteem, &c. B. FRANKLIN. TO ROBERT MORRIS. Change of Ministry. · Holland. Prince de Broglie. SIR, Passy, 8 April, 1782. The bills, accepted by Mr. Jay, and afterwards protested for nonpayment, are come and coming back to France and Holland, and I have ordered them to be taken up and discharged by our banker; I hope none will be returned to America. There is a convoy just going, and another, it is said, will follow in about three weeks; by these two, I hope the best part, if not all our goods will be got out. Since my last of the 30th past, we hear, that the old ministry are all out to a man, and that the new ministry have kissed hands, and were about to enter upon their respective functions; as yet we know nothing of their projects. They are all of them men, who have in Parliament declared strongly against the American war, as unjust. Their predecessors made various separate and private essays to dispose us to quit France, and France to forsake us, but met with no encouragement. Before our friend the Marquis sails, we shall probably receive some interesting information, which I will take care to forward to you. Our public affairs go on swimmingly in Holland, and a treaty will probably soon be entered into between the two republics. I wish I could give you as good |