otherwise too much darkened by anxiety, and too much injured by pain. In the hope therefore that you will listen to the prayer addressed to you in this letter, I beg to subscribe myself, my dearest Sir, &c. BENJAMIN VAUGHAN. FROM THE EARL OF BUCHAN TO B. FRANKLIN. Emigration from Scotland to the United States. SIR, Edinburgh, 18 February, 1783. You were entitled to a civic crown on my account a great many years ago, when, at the University of St. Andrews, you gave a turn to the career of a disorder, which then threatened my life. You have, since that time, done so much, and Heaven has at last been pleased to bless and crown your endeavours with so much success, that civic crowns of a more important nature are due to you, and certainly await you, if there is any such thing as public gratitude on the face of the earth. Many of my acquaintances in this part of the world seem disposed to seek for an asylum on the other side of the Atlantic; and, knowing my steady attachment and affection to a people, who received my great-grandfather when an exile, or rather a fugitive from his country, during the administration of Lauderdale in Scotland, have applied to me for information on the subject of settling in the United States. Before the troubles commenced, I had meditated a settlement on the estates of the Lord Fairfax in Virginia; but, Lord Fairfax being since dead, and my connexions altered in that family, I have not thought of renewing my inquiries in that quarter.* What I wish to promote is the happy settlement of my countrymen in North America, in the territory of the United States; such countrymen being friends to the principles, which gave independence to that country; persons also of good characters and virtuous conduct, who find themselves cramped and unhappy in a country, now very unfit for the residence of such individuals, as have not very a considerable fortune to attach them to home. I foresee a spirit of emigration, and I wish as much as possible to give it a direction, which may tend to the happiness of those, in whom, from a similarity of sentiment, I must necessarily find myself very much interested. I have the honor and pleasure to be, Sir, with great respect and attachment, &c. BUCHAN. FROM M. ROSENCRONE, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IN DENMARK, TO M. DE WALTERSTORF. Respecting a Treaty of Commerce between Denmark and the United States. Translation. Copenhagen, 22 February, 1783. SIR, As I know you are on the point of making a tour to France, I cannot omit warmly recommending to you to endeavour, during your stay at Paris, to gain as much as possible the confidence and esteem of Mr. Franklin. For an account of Lord Fairfax, and his estates in Virginia, see SPARKS's edition of Washington's Writings, Vol. I. p. 12; Vol. II. p. 182, You will recollect, Sir, what I said to you in our conversations, of the high respect which all the King's ministry have for that minister. You have witnessed the satisfaction with which we have learned the glorious issue of this war for the United States of America, and how fully we are persuaded, that it will be for the general interest of the two States to form, as soon as possible, reciprocal connexions of friendship and commerce. Nothing, certainly, would be more agreeable to us, than to learn by your letters, that you find the same dispositions in Mr. Franklin; and in that case, it seems to me, the shortest way of accelerating these new connexions would be, to take the treaty between the Congress and the States-General for the basis, and that Mr. Franklin should communicate to us his ideas on the changes or additions, which he might think reciprocally useful in the treaty of commerce, which Congress might conclude with us. We should eagerly and frankly reply to such overtures; and, as soon as the changes thus agreed on shall have met the approbation of Congress, one of the persons commissioned by that body, then in Europe, might, in order to gain time, come here with full powers to conclude, leaving on both sides the more particular stipulations for the negotiations of the ministers, whom those States shall, in the sequel, send to reside with each other. I shall finish, Sir, with hoping that you may happily terminate the visits you have proposed to make to the different parts of France; and it is with sentiments of the most distinguished respect, that I have the honor to be, &c. ROSENCRONE. FROM BENJAMIN VAUGHAN TO B. FRANKLIN. Par Terms of the Peace not approved in England. ties in England.Lord Shelburne. Mr. Fox. MY DEAR SIR, London, 25 February, 1783. You now see verified all that I said about binding down England to so hard a peace. It has put many good people into ill humor, and it has given a thousand pretexts to the bad people among us. But the overthrow of parties is nothing to the overthrow of systems relative to English commerce, which was intended to be placed on a footing, that would have been an example to all mankind, and probably have restored England to her pinnacle again. America, I am sure, we should have had as much of, as could be expected upon the proposed systems of liberality. But, however the ministry shall finally arrange itself, I cannot but hope on all hands, that we shall be more or less cured of our fighting and monopolizing notions, and look to an American friendship. The boldness of my friend's conduct,* therefore, has done infinite service to men's minds, as his conversation has done to the royal mind. You will take pleasure in hearing, that he talked of making England a free port, for which he said we were fitted by nature, capital, love of enterprise, maritime connexions, and position between the old and new world, and the North and South of Europe, and that those, who were best circumstanced for trade, could not but be gainers by having trade open. Indeed, I may now say to you with * Alluding probably to Lord Shelburne, the minister under whom the peace was made. courage, that I have scarcely seen or heard any thing of what has passed already, or was meant to take place hereafter, that I do not approve and applaud, as conducted upon grand principles. In short, I think, that at last England will mend, not her parties indeed, but the proceedings of those who remain in office, whoever they may be. The public are not yet instructed in the system of their peace; but pains are taking for this purpose by a respectable friend of yours, and more too will be said in the House. But the ministry were confounded, all but one or two men, at the junction of parties, against them; for, had the crisis of the peace been missed for an attack, the opposition, as politicians, knew that no other would offer, and the ministry would become fixed, and even popular. I do not, however, find that the man of the people* has gained much in the public estimation by his union with Lord North, or his conduct about the peace. To you I need not point out any of the absurdities of the public proceedings; but you will now see who has been your friend, and upon what principles; for he might have made closer terms with you, had he thought either the measure or manner wise. I am much satisfied at having heard him say, that he repented of nothing of all that he had done, that he would do it all over again, and that he sees that he alone had the resolution to go through it. God be praised that it is done, and that no one asks to have it undone! I am, my dear Sir, yours ever most devotedly and affectionately, BENJAMIN VAUGHAN. • Mr. Fox. |