Recollecting the Correspondence, which passed between you & me in the Year 1775, I have been sometimes in hopes you would have revived it, since you have been in Congress.—1 A Multitude of things have been transacted in Congress, the Grounds, Motives & Objects of which have never been explained to me; so that I have been frequently at a loss to regulate my own Conduct— I have been somewhat cautious too of writing to particular Members of Congress upon public Subjects, because of the critical & dangerous 400Situations in which our Affairs have been—least Occasion should have been given to Misrepresentation— The Times however are past, which required such Cautions, and I should advise the Members of Congress & their foreign Ministers to correspond freely with each other in future.— There will no longer be so much to be apprehended from the Capture of Letters at Sea, or their Stoppage in a Post Office. The unavoidable Difficulties of Correspondence have been heretofore very great, but they have been made much greater by Art.

I hope by this Time Gentlemen are cured of their implicit Confidence, and convinced, that they must see with their own Eyes, hear with their own Ears and judge with their own Understandings, or be cheated— There is but one Maxim, which is universal, and that is, that “We ought to trust Nobody in Europe”—Absolutely Nobody. All American Offices in Europe should be filled with Americans— And nothing should be done but upon American Intelligence—otherwise you will be carried to Market every day, and sold sometimes for Cash, sometimes for Offices and sometimes for Glory, and not seldom even for Caprice.

Indiscreet Confidence has gone very near ruining our Country heretofore, and it has been saved by such hazardous Resolutions as very few will ever venture upon, and indeed by such as ought never to be drawn into Precedent— I hope no Case will ever occur, in which they may be imitated.

The Shackles which have been fastened upon American Ministers have obstructed and injured our Cause in a great degree— And for what? For no other Reason under Heaven, than to give to one French Minister and one American Minister the Reputation of doing every thing— That one Soul burning in the Flames of Ambition may be cooled with the proud Title of “Pacificateur de l’Europe,” and another with that of “Pacificateur de l’Amerique.”— Gentlemen must search the human Heart a little more profoundly, than they seem to have done on some Occasions, or our Country will be made the Sport of Passions, in which She has no Interest.—

I wish You, Sir, a long Career in the Service of your Country, and more pleasure & better Success in it, than has fallen to the Lot of your / Friend & Hble Servt.

What would I have given to have been your Doorkeeper for a few days while you had under Deliberation the Dispatches We Sent by Barney, that I might have listened with my Ear at the Key hole and overheard your Debates. I fancy Some Members will be of Opinion, that they have committed a Mistake in committing the Lamb so unreservedly to the Custody of the Wolf.— If Congress are not betrayed by the Want of Intelligence or by Misinformation into any unseasonable Votes, all will be very well.— I Should not wish to See, any other Vote than a Simple Ratification of the provisional Treaty of the 30. of Nov. 1782.— Yet the Departure of Barney was, by various means partly accidental and partly designed So long delayed, even to the 17 of January, and the English and the French might have Sent the News in their own Way and in their own Colours So much sooner, tho We know not that they did, that you might be led to form Opinions upon partial Evidence. You may well Suppose, We are anxious to know. Not a Word from any Part of America, directly or indirectly which gives cause to suppose that you have recd the News even of the Treaty of the 30. of Nov. Nor that you have recd the Dutch Treaty, four Copies of which I put on board four different Vessells at Amsterdam in October.2 We cannot account for the failure of Arrivals in Spain France, Holland, So absolutely without Supposing an Embargo.

The Treaty with sweeden is made, Denmark has ordered our Flagg to be respected like that of Republicks of the first order. Portugal has done the Same. The Emperor has an Inclination to treat with Us but The House of Austria never makes the first Advances. Mr Dana has announced himself to the Chanceller Osterman and recd for Answer that the Way was clear.

Mr Fox the new Minister declares his good dispositions and his 402Determination to finish with the Utmost Liberality. Mr Hartly it is Said is to finish with Us. and the Duke of Manchester with the other Powers.3

Your Son is Said by some to have gone to Italy and by others to have embarked for America from Marseilles where he has wisely been to lay the foundation of Trade & Fortune.

our young Men may lawfully make their Fortunes We their Fathers, have been employed in preparing the Way.— I dont know what to do with my Boys, however.

Affectionately yours