I have receivd your Excellencys Letter of the 28th of April, informing me of the Receipt of mine of the 18th and 24th of the same Month.1 Your Excellency will give me leave to thank you for Accepting my Congratulations on your being acknowledged minister of the United States which I Know you would not have done, if you had not Thought, they were sincere.

I am pleased with the Compliment paid by a certain foreign minister, altho, I think, the Latter part thereof rather too outrée, but at the same time I wish that a Coadjutor of your Excellencys could do the same thing with respect to the nation of that minister, and then there being a mixture of Madness with a Grave Dulness a kind of Common Sense would result to the Benefit of the Common Cause.2

He, who would direct the world and make Events, is but a foolish Politician, for six to one his machinations fall on his own Pate, the fate of the Politicians of England is proof of this. A wise Man, either in publick or private life takes things as they are, and makes the best use of them, your Excellency has done so. You have seized the moment of Stepping forward and have suceeded to your own Honor and the public Benefit to the Confusion of public and personal Ennemies.

Altho, I had much pleasure in reading your Excellencys Letter, yet I must Confess, I had much Uneasyness too. I had that Uneasyness, which resentment gives to a Mind, which wishes, that Mankind was less Envious and Jealous that it is. I admire your Excellencys Moderation, perhaps I might have shewed the same in your Situation, and yet when our Country may suffer by not blasting an imposing vilain before He has run his Career, surely Something3 ought to be done.4

Your Excellency concludes your Letter with saying, There “is One thing, you should be glad to do, if it were in your power, which however it never will be.” I am Sorry for it, for I am sure than our Country will lose by any Inability of your Power, the Use of which being allways directed to her Interest and Honour.

I receivd by the last Post a Letter from which are the following Extracts.5

“That wretched D has told so many bold lies about his Embassy, that you would be astonished; as foolish as some men have been his mission was not theirs.” Qu. what Has He said.

“I can now with the utmost pleasure and Satisfaction assure you that owing to the noble Spirit and Dignity of my worthy Friend, the great men of this Country have receivd more than a glemmering of true political Light. He would suffer no nibbling. He told them, in few Words and plain Terms, if we meant to do the business, we must do it fully and Gracefully that if we did not proceed in some other way it was wasting Time to continue nibbling. He is not to be duped—upon the whole you my dear Friend will have, I Hope, soon to honor Him and rejoice, He is here. He was released from his Bond last Saturday,6 and is now at full Liberty, and has made Himself attended to and respect'd by those, who have Power”—ought not one to ask why He stays in an Enemys Country, if He is free to quit it and whether by so doing He will not give suspicions to Friends, and give a handle to the malevolent to injure His Character?

My Friend says “that if there is not a general Peace soon, it will be owing to the Northern Powers demanding a free Navigation.” He seems to say this from some Authority. If He does, it is evident, that a pretended reason is given for what will not take place. For surely these Powers will insist on the Principles of the armed Neutrallity, and of which England is most interested in the Establishment if she ceases to be a dominant and dominearing Power at Sea.

I am with the greatest Consideration Sir your Excellencys most Faithful & Obedient Humble Servant

I Heartily Give You joy, My dear Sir, Upon the Happy Conclusion of Your dutch Negotiations. Every Body Here Congratulates me not only As a Zealous American, But Also as Your long Professed friend 13and Admirer. And tho' the Court Air Has not So Much Altered My Republican Principles as to Make me Believe the Opinion of a King is Every thing, I was the other day pleased to Hear the King of france Speack of You to me in terms of the Highest Regard. This dutch declaration, in the Present Crisis, I take to Be Particularly important to the Victory You Have Gained, I wish you may join a Successfull Skirmish, and Bring About an Useful Loan of Monney. I Had a letter from Mr Levingtson dated February the 19he.1 Nothing important in it, But that He Urges the Necessity of a Pecuniary Assistance, And the Advantages We are to derive from Operations in North America.

As this Opportunity is Safe, I may tell you the french Succour for this Year does not Exceed Six Million of Livres. So far as Respects Operations I Have My Hopes.

Mr franklin Has the other day Communicated a letter from You, and I Entirely Coincide With Every Sentiment You Have therein Expressed.2 It suffices to say the letter Respected Propositions of peace. I am Entirely of Your Opinion, that should England Amuse us with Emissaries, not Vested with Proper Powers, it is Not Consistent with the dignity of America to Continue the Correspondance.

But I do not Believe it Will Be the Case. Mr. Oswald Has Returned to Mr. franklin. A Gentleman is Expected to Count de Vergennes. It Appears they Wish for a General Peace. Our Independance to Be the Ground of it. It Remains to Know How they Understand it. The treaty to be Negotiated at Paris.3

I Heartily Wish for Peace. This Campaign, in Europe at least, is Going to Be a Spanish One.4 I think it the Interest of America to Have a peace, at such Conditions, However, Without Which I Had Rather fight for ten Years longer. I May, I Hope, Before long Converse With You at Paris. For in the Present Situation of Affairs, You Will no doubt think it the Sentiment of Congress and the people at large, that My presence at the french Court is likely to Serve our Cause Better than My Immediate Return to America.

Mr franklin is Very desirous You Would Come Here, and I am the More Anxious for it, Either Before My departure Which I Continue to Annonce as immediate; or in Case Propositions are Seriously Made I Have a Great desire to Converse freely With You.

This Will Be delivered By mr Ridley.5 So that I Have Been More Confidential than I should Have Hazarded to Be By Post. Mr jay will Have little objection to Come, and As mr franklin Says, the Spaniards Had four Years, We May Give them forty.6

With the Highest Regard and Most Sincere Affection I Have the Honour to Be dr Sir Your obedient hbl Servant