some time, respecting the motions of the combined and British fleets, to relieve, or prevent the relief of Gibraltar, joined to a general embargo at Cadiz, and the want of other occasions, has prevented me from doing myself the honor of addressing you since the 29th ultimo. I hope you will be persuaded that my time has been devoted to no other pursuits than those which my duty dictates. Enclosed I have the honor to send a particular relation of the most interesting circumstances which have passed in this interval. I have had occasion to compare this intelligence with that of others, and particularly with letters written by a marine officer in this service, but at the same time employed to convey information to another Court, and I find upon the whole my correspondent conforms with others in the most material points, and enters into more minute details than those I have seen from other quarters.

My letters of the 26th and 29th will have advised you of the steps I have taken to obtain redress on affairs interesting to individuals, and to our commerce in general. The enclosed copy of a letter from his Excellency the Count de Florida Blanca, will show that my endeavors have not been entirely ineffectual. The affair of the duties is still under deliberation. As soon as Mr. Harrison shall have disposed of the Lord Howe, I shall address the Minister on the subject of the Dover cutter; there can be then no pretence for detention or delay. I have since my last received advice from Paris, but not from our Commissioners, that the difficulties with respect to the powers of the British Plenipotentiary have been obviated, and that a separate agent has been named to treat with us. But on this head you will have more ample information than it is in my power to give you.

I am also informed that M. Rayneval, brother to M. Gerard, has gone to London. This circumstance renders the appearance of the negociation more serious. I am persuaded the greatest obstacles to a pacification will come from this quarter. It is difficult to relinquish favorite ideas, of which, to attain the accomplishment, so much treasure has hitherto been spent in vain. Perhaps it will be best for us that we have not concluded a treaty here, which we have so long solicited.

The expedition mentioned in my last is certainly resolved on. The Count d'Estaing, it is said, will have the command, and will sail from Cadiz with between forty and fifty sail-of-the-line, and ten

or twelve thousand troops. The squadron at Brest is fitting for sea, and is to consist of eight or ten sail-of-the-line. It is conjectured it will sail as soon as Lord Howe's return is known. If the junction is formed in time, this formidable force, under the command of an officer distinguished for his zeal and activity, may hasten the negociations.

The answers to my letters to Holland, on the subject of the Russian loan, and to those which I have procured others to write to Genoa on the same point, inform me that it fills slowly. That of Spain for three millions will be obtained. I have no doubt of the truth of my information on this subject. In Portugal they pay dear for the gold they obtain from thence. The depreciation is greater than ever, and to prevent its further progress is one of the most serious objects of the attention of the Ministry. No changes since my last have taken place in the general system of Europe, or in this Cabinet, except that the Count de Florida Blanca has joined another department in the Ministry to that which he before occupied, viz., that of Grace and Justice, vacant by the death of M. Rode. Of course he will have more to do than ever, and I shall be obliged to remind him more frequently of our little affairs.

My situation with respect to American information is exceedingly disagreeable. I hear of arrivals in France, and of letters being received by our Ministers there, without any for me; I am persuaded that the blame falls on European curiosity. I expect soon to have an occasion of writing to you, when I shall do myself the honor to transmit you any further particulars that may appear worthy of your notice. I cannot help repeating that, notwithstanding the appearances of peace, the preparations for war are as vigorous as ever.

I have the honor to be, &c.,

WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.

COUNT DE FLORIDA BLANCA TO WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.

Translation.

St. Lorenzo, October 14th, 1782.

Sir,

The King has resolved that the English frigate the Lord Howe, carried into Cadiz by some Americans and part of the crew, shall be

publicly sold, ship and cargo, and the value of both be deposited, at the order of Congress and yourself. I communicate this to you, that being thoroughly informed, you may take such measures as you think proper, and determine immediately what is to be done with the American and English seamen on board the said vessel. I wish for occasions to serve you, and that God may preserve you many COUNT DE FLORIDA BLANCA.

years.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON TO WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.

Philadelphia, November 28th, 1782.

Sir,

I have been favored with your letter of the 8th of July; those you mention to have written on the 5th and 12th of March and the 2d of July never reached me. I regret that you had no directions from Mr. Jay to open his letters, as those you forwarded contained much information that might have been useful to you, on which account I was less particular than I should otherwise have been in mine to you.

The great business of the negociation being transferred to Paris, you will have more leisure to attend to the general politics of the Court you are at, and to procure every species of intelligence which may serve to regulate our conduct here. We have yet had no information, except what you mention, of any new proffer of their mediation by the Imperial Courts; it is an important object, and I wish you to throw all the light you possibly can upon it; as we are particularly anxious to know the substance of the answer which you suppose to have been given to it by Spain. You need never be under the least apprehensions in vouching boldly for this country that it will make no peace which is inconsistent with its engagement to its allies. Perhaps this string skilfully touched may lead nations who have hitherto kept aloof to form connexions which may bind us to them.

The enclosed resolutions will show you the sense of Congress on that subject; and the resolutions which you will see in some of the papers sent you, expressive of the same sentiments from almost every separate Legislature, will show that the fidelity of this country is incorruptible.

Our

The season of the year affords no military intelligence. troops are in quarters at West Point. The French army are waiting at Providence such orders as the operations in the West Indies may suggest. Their fleet is still at Boston. The America, built at Portsmouth, is added to them. She is pronounced by connaisseurs to be a very fine ship. Should she answer their expectations, we may hope to build others for European Powers. This would be a very important commercial object, and as such deserves attention.

General Carleton has restrained the savages from continuing the war which they have so long carried on against our frontiers; and Haldiman has suffered those they had led into captivity to return on parole, so that we have reason to hope that a little more humanity will mark their future operations in this country, if ever they should find themselves sufficiently strong to venture from behind their ramparts. This consideration, together with the intercession of the Court of France, has induced Congress to forego their intended retaliation on Captain Asgill, who is discharged from his confinement, and suffered to go to New York on parole.

You will find in the enclosed papers all the intelligence we have with respect to the proposed evacuation of Charleston. We have been in daily expectation of hearing that it was abandoned for a long time past, but have not as yet had our expectations answered.

The enclosed resolution will inform you that Mr. Boudinot is President in the room of Mr. Hanson. Congress have again appointed Mr. Jefferson one of their Ministers for making peace. I have not yet been informed whether he accepts the appointment, though I have some reason to conclude he will.

Mr. Stewart going to Paris affords me a safe opportunity of sending a cypher there for you; and if Mr. Jay can contrive to get it to you without inspection, you will be enabled to correspond with more latitude in future.

I am, sir, &c.,

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON,

Madrid, December 10th, 1782.

Sir,

On the 5th instant I did myself the honor to address you. To that letter and those of the 29th of October and of the 17th of

November, I beg leave to refer you for the occurrences during that period.

I have now the pleasure to inform you that I have just been shown a copy in French of a treaty signed the 30th ultimo between the United States and Great Britain, by our Commissioners and Mr. Oswald, in which the essential objects desired by Congress have been obtained. Not having it in my power to take a copy, I confine myself to inform you that it consists of nine articles, of which the principal are a renunciation, in the strongest terms, of all sovereignty claimed by the King of Great Britain for himself and his successors. A description of the limits of the States agreeably to the ultimata of Congress, as nearly as I can recollect from a cursory perusal; the right of fishery on the Great Bank accorded; the same on the coasts of Nova Scotia, in the Straits of Labrador, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, with the permission to cure and dry our fish on all the uninhabited parts of Nova Scotia and Labrador, the Islands of Magdaline and Newfoundland excepted; with a proviso, that this permission is to cease whenever the said coasts and islands shall be inhabited, unless leave shall be demanded and obtained previously of the inhabitants thereof, a recommendation of Congress to the States in favor of the British who have not borne arms, possessing property in America; of the non-residents and loyal inhabitants in the same predicament, &c., &c., &c. But this article depends entirely on the recommendations of Congress, the States being the final arbiters.

Great Britain in this treaty associates the States in their right of the free navigation of the river Mississippi, and also in that of the river St. Mary's. All places in possession of the enemy belonging to the United States to be restored, with the cannon, &c., &c., which shall appear to have been their property, together with the public and private archives which may have fallen into their hands; all conquests made on the one part or the other after the signature to be restored. This treaty is conditional, that is, not to take place until France has concluded a peace with Great Britain. Neither Spain nor Holland are mentioned in it. If political vengeance is ever justifiable, it is on the present occasion. You will pardon the hasty manner in which I wrote this. A desire of augmenting your sources of information will, I hope, plead my apology. I am much afraid that my situation here will be more disagreeable than ever.