The Congress have made no mention to me of their views with regard to New York. Perhaps they hope that the enemy will abandon it, or that they shall be able to reduce it by Gen. Washington's army.

The Commissioners here had, before the treaty, the honor of making, in a memorial to your Excellency, the following proposition by order of Congress, viz.: "That in case it is agreed that the conquest of the British Sugar Islands be attempted, the United States shall, on timely notice, furnish provisions for the expedition to the amount of two millions of dollars, with six frigates manned, of not less than twenty-two guns each, with such other assistance as may be in their power, and as becoming good allies." As soon as they shall be, by the aids above-mentioned, happily freed from the embarrassments occasioned by the lodgments of the enemy on their coasts, it will be in their power to assist much more amply in such an expedition than they can at present. And I may assure your Excellency that they will do their utmost to fulfil the expectations given by that memorial, though the losses in their marine, and the depreciation of their currency since, may render it more difficult.

I need not intimate to your Excellency the great utility, if such joint operations or expeditions should be agreed to, of appointing commanders of conciliating tempers, and, if possible, who know and esteem each other, and are acquainted with both the languages. By this means the little misunderstandings apt to arise between troops of different nations might

DCCL

TO DAVID HARTLEY

PASSY, 3 February, 1779.

DEAR SIR: I have just received your favor of the 23d past, in which you mention "that the alliance between France and America is the great stumblingblock in the way of making peace"; and you go on to observe that "whatever engagements America may have entered into they may at least by consent of parties be relinquished for the purpose of removing so material an obstacle to any general treaty of free and unengaged parties," adding that "if the parties could meet for the sake of peace upon free and open ground you should think that a very fair proposition to be offered to the people of England, and an equitable proposition in itself."

The long, steady, and kind regard you have shown for the welfare of America by the whole tenor of your conduct in Parliament, satisfies me that this proposition never took its rise with you, but has been suggested from some other quarter, and that your excess of humanity, your love of peace, and your fear for us, that the destruction we are threatened with will certainly be effected, have thrown a mist before your eyes, which hindered you from seeing the malignity and mischief of it. We know that your king hates Whigs and Presbyterians; that he thirsts for our blood, of which he has already drunk large draughts; that weak and unprincipled ministers are ready to execute the wickedest of his orders, and his venal Parliament equally ready to vote them just.

DCCLIX

TO PATRICK HENRY, GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA

PASSY, 26 February, 1779.

SIR: I had the honor of receiving your Excellency's letter of March 3, 1778, by Captain Lemaire, acquainting me that the State of Virginia has desired Mr. William Lee, your agent, to procure a quantity of arms and military stores, and requesting me to assist him with my influence in obtaining them on credit.

Being glad of any opportunity of serving Virginia, and showing my regard to the request of a person whom I so highly esteem, and Mr. William Lee being absent, I found immediately three different merchants here, men of fortune, who were each of them willing to undertake furnishing the whole, and giving the credit desired. But, Mr. Arthur Lee being understood to have taken the management of the affair into his own hands, one of the three soon after refused to have any thing to do with it; a second, whose letter to me I enclose, apprehending difficulties from Mr. Lee's temper, required my name and Mr. Adams' to the agreement, which he supposes Mr. Lee did not like, as his offer was not accepted. I know not why the offer of the third was not taken. I was afterwards not at all consulted in the business.

Poor Lemaire was sent about Germany to find goods and credit, which consumed a great deal of time to little purpose. Several of the manufacturers wrote to me that they would furnish him on my promise of payment. I referred them to Mr. Lee. On his return, Mr. Lee and he differed about his

expenses.

He complained frequently to me of M Lee's not supplying him with necessary subsistend and treating him with great haughtiness and ins lence. I thought him really attentive to his dut and not well used, but I avoided meddling with 1 affairs, to avoid, if possible, being engaged in qua rels myself. Mr. Lee, in fine, contracted w Messrs. Penet and Dacosta to supply great part the goods. They, too, have differed, and I ha several letters of complaints from those gentlem but I cannot remedy them, for I cannot change Lee's temper.

They have offered to send the things you w which he has refused, on my account; but, knowing whether he has not provided them e where, or in what light he may look upon my cerning myself with what he takes to be his busin I dare not meddle, being charged by the Congres endeavor at maintaining a good understanding their other servants, which is, indeed, a hard with some of them. I hope, however, that you at length be provided with what you want, w I think you might have been long since, if the a had not been in hands which men of honor candor here are generally averse to dealing wit not caring to hazard quarrels and abuses in the tlement of their accounts.

Our public affairs at this court continue to g well. Peace is soon expected in Germany, an hope Spain is now near declaring against our mies. I have the honor to be, with great res etc., B. FRANKL

Sp. Will you buy a better cable? We have one in the boat here.

Capt. What do you ask for it?

Sp. Cut that you have, and then we 'll talk about the price of this.

Capt. I shall do no such foolish thing. I have lived in your parish formerly, and know the heads of ye too well to trust ye; keep off from my cable there; I see you have a mind to cut it yourselves. If you go any nearer to it I 'll fire into you and sink

you.

Sp. It is a damned rotten French cable, and will part of itself in half an hour. Where will you be then, Captain? You had better take our offer.

Capt. You offer nothing, you rogues, but treachery and mischief. My cable is good and strong, and will hold long enough to balk all your projects.

Sp. You talk unkindly, Captain, to people who came here only for your good.

Capt. I know you came for all our goods, but, by God's help, you shall have none of them; you shall not serve us as you did the Indiamen.

Sp. Come, my lads, let's be gone. This fellow is not so great a fool as we took him to be.

DCCLI

TO JONATHAN WILLIAMS, JR.

PASSY, 13 February, 1779.

DEAR UNCLE:-I have the pleasure of acquainting

you that the Congress have been pleased to honor

VOL. VII.-28.