Relying on your Virtues of and Graces of Faith and Hope, I accepted SSix Bills to the Amount of ten thousand Pounds Sterling, drawn in favour of Mr. Tracy.1

I have recieved Advice from Congress of more Bills drawn upon me: when they arrive and are presented, I must write You concerning them and desire You to enable me to discharge them: for I am sorry to be obliged to say, that although I have opened a Loan according to the best Plan I could, and the Plan and the Loan seems to be countenanced by the Public, yet there is little Money obtained, scarcely enough to defray the Expence of Obligations and Stamps; and it is daily more and more clear to me, that We shall never obtain a Loan here, until our Independence is acknowledged by the States— 'till then every Man seems to be afraid, that his having any thing to do in it, will be made a foundation of a criminal Process or a Provocation to the Resentment of the Mob.

The Time is very near when some of the Bills I accepted become payable. I must intreat your Excellency's Answer to this as soon as convenient,2 and to point out to me whether You choose that the House of Fitzeau & Grand & Co. or any other should pay the Money. It is a most grievous Mortification to me to find that America has no Credit here, while England certainly still has so much; and to find that no Gentleman in public Life here dare return me a Visit, or answer me a Letter, even those who treated me when I first arrived 255here with great Politeness. I am entreated however to keep this secret; but have no Motive to secrete it from You. On the contrary You ought to know it.

I am told there will be great Alterations very soon, but I have seen by Experience, that no Man in this Country knows what will be in the morrow.

Let me ask the favour of You, Sir, to give my best Respects to Coll. Laurens and Mr. Franklin.

I have the Honour to be, with the greatest Respect, Sir, your most obedient and most humble Servant.

I am this Moment favoured with your's of the 10th.1 and thank You for the readiness with which You have undertaken to get me House as soon as may be.

I will add to the former Trouble if You please, that of procuring me a good Cook, male or female, I care not which, and two Men Servants: one that is capable of managing the Affairs of an House, and one for a Valet de Chambre and Footman: and also the Trouble of hiring me a genteel Carriage, a Light Coach of four Places with suitable Horses and Coachman, also Three Suits of Cloaths, one for the Coachman and one for each Man Servant: they must be Liveries, such as my Servants wore at Paris—deep blue Cloth Coat and Breeches, a Scarlet Cape on the Coat, and a Sleef turned up with Scarlet, and Scarlet Waistcoats—an Hat and Great Coat for each. I will leave it to You to agree for the Wages of these Servants: but it must be agreed with them to leave their Cloaths with me, as all others do in this Country, when they leave me.

Perhaps Madam Chabanel2 would give You any Advice or Information You want, or Mr. De Neufville.

I inclose two Receipts to serve for one for four hundred pounds Sterling, which I presume the House of Horneca Fitzeau & Co. will pay You upon Sight. In looking for an House, if a suitable one cannot be had for three thousand Guilders or under You may go higher.

I have determined to reside at Amsterdam, for the facility of trans-256acting the Business of the Merchants who have Bills of Exchange upon me, and for the pleasure of seeing more of our Countrymen, than I could see in any other City and for the pleasure of some agreable Acquaintances I have formed at Amsterdam. But our Countrymen ought to be apprized that there is unhappily some difference of Sentiment between the Court at the Hague and the City of Amsterdam and that my residing at Amsterdam may be liable to Misrepresentationinterpretation, if the Motives of it are not understood.

I am Gentlemen with much Esteem your Friend & Hble Servt.