You have done me a great deal of Honour, in communicating to me the Object of your Commission which is certainly of the most honorable and important Nature in itself, and has been confered on you in a manner the most flattering. I sincerely Congratulate you thereon, and most earnestly Wish, that the Envy of the Times may not Thwart your Intentions for the publick Good, but that you may be Able to Establish to the latest Period the Independance and Happiness of our Country and by Consequence your own Glory.

You Know, Sir, that I have long thought that such a Mission was absolutely Necessary,2 it therefore gave me great pleasure, when it was first suggested, by common report, that it would take place, and that you was the Person, whom the Congress had adjudged most proper to be intrusted with the dearest Interests of America. It is from Duty to my Country and Attachment to You, that I Again offer my poor Services in this important Business. I will take immediate Care, that your Ministry is properly announced to the people of England, and carried to the Ear of Majesty itself, that may not plead Ignorance of the proper Channel to peace. Perhaps I could be of Service in England at this Juncture, if you think so, I beg to receive your Commands.

The most important and fullest Collection of Treaties is by Rousset it is entitld Recueil historique des Actes &c. et le Corps diplomatique de Dumont avec ses Suppliments.3 I have two Volumes published by Almon, entitled a Collection of all the Treaties of Peace, Alliance and Commerce between GB and other powers, from the Revolution 1688 to the present Times; it is an useful Compilation but defective; in particular there is not one treaty inserted, made between GB and the Empress Queen relative to the Succession War in 1741, and therefore I do not know of any Subsidies being then paid to Austria, but it might be easily Known from the Parliamentary and History of England, as England cannot well give a Subsidy, that is not public. I find however, that there was a naval Subsidy of 200000 £ given in 1743 to Sardinia by England; and the Empress gave to the King of Sardinia certain districts, that lay convenient for Him, the late King of Sardinia,4 gaind much Credit by the whole of this Transaction, his Wisdom in planning and faithfulness in Executing it were much admird.

It seems almost Unnecessary for a private person to Attempt to rouse the Dutch. The King of England provokes and touches them so nearly every day, that if they are not insensible Indeed, they must resent his repeatd insults and Injuries.

Enquiries have been made as to publications on these Matters in Holland and I find it will be difficult and dangerous to take a Part therein until the States have come to some Resolution and when they have done it it will then perhaps be Unnecessary.

I purpose to go to Boulogne de Mer for my Baggage, which I left there last Summer. I shall return in a fortnight if in the Mean Time you have any Commands for me a Letter directed to that Town, post restant,5 will come to Hand.

Paris, 7 April 1780. RC in John Thaxter's hand (PCC, No. 84, I, f. 425–431) printed: Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. , 3:599–602.

In this letter, received by Congress on 19 Feb. 1781, Adams provided accounts of the arrival of Russian couriers at The Hague on 30 March with Catherine II's declaration of an armed neutrality and an invitation to the Dutch to join (see JA to the president of Congress, 10 April, No. 40, below); the determination of the Turks to resist belligerent depredations on their ships or the vessels of other nations trading with Turkish ports; and the Russian reaction to the British attack on the Dutch convoy under the protection of Adm. van Bylandt.

I have this moment, the Honour of your Letter, from Madrid of the 29 of February1 as I suppose, altho the month is not mentioned. I thank you, Sir for commencing a Correspondence which I have Sometime wished to begin. I wrote to Mr Jay at Madrid the 22d of February,2 and wish to know if he has received the Letter. It is certainly proper, that those who are intrusted abroad, Should maintain a Correspondence, and cultivate a good understanding with each other, because altho their departments are in some respects seperate yet in others they are intimately connected together. From all that I heard in Spain, I expected you would meet an agreable Reception at Madrid, and I am much pleased to learn from you, that I was not mistaken.

I have sometimes wondered at the slowness of Spain, in making a 114treaty with Us, but when I reflected upon a certain secret Article, my surprise ceased. We are already bound in a Treaty to her, but she is not bound to Us.3 It would be ungenerous in her, however to hold Us, long in this situation. The Treaty notwithstanding all that has been justly said, of the Advantages to Us, in it, is not less advantageous to our allies. The single Article, that binds Us to exclude, all armed Vessels of the Ennemies of our Allies in all future Wars from our Ports,4 is worth more millions, to them, than this War will cost, nay it will be a severer loss to Great Britain, than all that she has Spent in it. Whether G. B. has considered this or not, I dont know, but she will sometime or other discover it, and feel the inconvenience of it.

You ask for news from America. A Vessell from Baltimore is arrived at Bourdeaux. Not a single Letter to Dr Franklin or me. Two or three Balimore newspapers, one as late, as 15 Feb. A hard Winter deep snows, uncommon frosts, frozen over from Connecticut to Long Island, and from N. Jersey to Staten Island. Ld Sterling went over to Staten Island with a Party on the Ice, burnt a few Vessells and a Guard House, took a few Prisoners, and brought off, a few deserters. Some N. Jersey People went over at the same time and plundered, without mercy. Finding the Communication open with N. York, which had been supposed to be obstructed by the Ice he returned.5 An Article from a Fish Kill Paper says that Clinton and Cornwallis sailed 26 December, with 7000 men for the W. Indies but that the Storm which happend soon after their departure, was supposed to have done him a mischief. A ship, Brig and schooner lost in the storm on Cape Cod, unknown who or whence, all perished. Congress had recommended to all the states to regulate Prices at 20 for one, which by the Speculations in the Papers, was not well liked.6 Govr Johnson a Delegate for Maryland, General Ward for Massachusetts in the room of Mr Dana, who desires me, to return you, Compliments and respects. The other delegates as last year. This is all the News I can recollect, having seen the Papers only a few minutes, in a large Company.

The general State of affairs, appears very well. I see no Probability of Englands attaining an ally. On the Contrary there are many Symptoms of an approaching Combination of the maritime Powers, to protect neutral ships from searches and Insults. Ireland is in the full Career of Independance. England seems determined to force Holland into a War against her that she may have an opportunity to plunder her. The Correspondences and Associations in England, distress the 115Ministry very much, and if the War continues and they should not be very successfull, it seems likely that they will save Us the Trouble, of dispatching them. I wish however that France and Spain were more convinced of the Advantages they have in America and the West Indies. The more ships they send into those seas, the more they force England to send there. The more she sends there the weaker she is in Europe, and the less she is dreaded and respected. Holland Ireland, the opposition in England, and the other maritime Powers, all feel a Confidence rising in proportion to the diminution of British naval Force in Europe. Besides the innumerable Advantages, the french and Spaniards have in supporting the War in the American Seas over the English, which they have not in Europe. But I am apprehensive of being tedious. My Compliments to Mr Jay, and his family. I am with much respect, your most obedt. & humble st.