Dr Gordon who is arrived with your Favour of the 13 of April, will probably be disappointed in his Wishes that mutual affection may be restored; as much as he is mistaken in his opinion; that this is the only means of the Prosperity of both Countries.— America will prosper whether Love or Hatred Subsists.

It is indeed improbable that mutual affection will ever be restored, not indeed So much from Resentments of what is past, or Suspicions that Resentments exist, as from the Secret Cause of all the late Claims and Proceedings, a Jealousy of America as a Rival. This Nation Sees the United States, are the most formidable Rival they have, in the Commerce of Asia, Affrica, and Europe.

We must be content to live with her upon Terms of Jealousy, at best.

Men in private Life, nevertheless may, without affection, live with each other upon Terms of Honour, and Nations, amidst the most 327 habitual Prejudices and ancient Rivalry are known, to live together in Times of Peace, with Decorum, and mutual good Faith.

Can We say this of Great Britain, and the United States? No not of either.

I think We have the Worst of it.— The Peltries, with the Posts, the Pay for the Negroes and other Things they hold unjustly from Us, are of greater Value than the Articles We withold with equal Injustice from them. so that I think that Œconomy, leaving out of the Question all Considerations of Honour and Good Faith, and also of the Danger of War and Bloodshed, growing out of this imprudent Flickering, Should dictate to Us to repeal all the Laws impeding the Recovery of Debts, and all others inconsistent with the Treaty respecting the Tories. When We have done Equity we may with a good Grace, demand Equity. “Put your Ennemy in the Wrong” was a Precept of Mr Otis,1 but I think the Same important Truth is better expressed, by Saying “keep yourself always in the Right.” and then, whenever your Ennemy is in the Wrong you have the Advantage of him, if the Cause is to be discussed before an honest Trybunal, Such as your own Conscience, the impartial World or the Judge of all.

Another War with G.B. would be a very Serious Thing to the U.S.— it would be Still more calamitous perhaps to her, G.B. But if She is nearly desperate and Thinks that Things cannot be much worse, We are not so. I think therefore that We should avoid it, if possible. It would turn to the Advantage of Artfull Allies, and a turbulent Ambitious Army; it might excuse those who are involved, from paying their Debts to England, and it might keep out the Tories; but it would entail upon our Posterity forever a system of Debts and Taxes, with all its concommittant Corruption of Principles and Manners, all the Avarice, Ambition Intrigue and Chicane, of the most depraved Country in Europe.

Let Us however be prepared, as well as We can.— The Spirit which begins to appear, of encouraging Manufactures especially of all the Materials for Navigation, and Munitions of War, is very judici[ous—]

The World is at present, calm: but a Storm may be not far off. a Cloud hangs over South America, which altho at present no bigger than a hand may soon darken the whole Horizon.— The Courts of Europe are Secretly at Work. Leagues are forming, but of what Nature and to what Ends, are not yet clear.

I Should be unworthy of the Confidence, which you Suppose, o[ur] Country has in me, if I should encourage it. She must confide 328 in herself alone. She must fullfill the Treaty of Peace, or it will never be fullfilled by G.B. she must oppose Navigation Acts to Navigation Acts, or She will never have a free Commerce with any Part of the British Empire.

My Family returns to yours assurances of Esteem & Love.

Dr. Gordon, Yesterday called upon me, with the Letter which your Excellency did me, the Honour to write me, on the 10th. of April— I have long since transmitted to Congress, the Answer of the Board of Admiralty to the Representations relative to the Conduct of Capt. Stanhope, in which the Letters of that officers are disapproved,1

The Representations of the Encroachments on the territory of the United States, have been laid before the British Ministry:2 but I presume, they will, like many others be little attended to.— in short Sir, I must be so free as to say to you, that by every thing I have seen & heard in this Country, nothing of any material Consequence will ever be done, while there remains in force, a Law of any one State impeding the recovery of bona fide Debts contracted before the 30th. of Novr. 1782 or inconsistant with the Article of the Treaty of Peace respecting the tories—

It is very true that mitchels Map, governed the American & British Plenipotintiories, in settling the Line between the two Nations. There is upon that Map but one River, which is marked with the Name of St. Croix, and that was the object undoubtedly fixed upon.

There is no river upon that Map that I remember marked with the Name of schooduck or Megacadava next to the great river St. Johns, proceeding west ward upon that Map, is a little River inscribed Mechior R. next to that is another stream running between the 329 Words Carriage Harbour, next to that we come to a larger River, running from Kousaki L. into the Bay of Passimaquaddi and inscribed with the name of R. St. Croix next to that still proceeding Westward is Passamaquade R. But that inscribed R. St. Croix running from the sea, or what I call Passamaquaddi Bay, up to the Kousaki L. was marked with the Pencil for the Boundary— It is impossible for me to Say more— if the true St Croix cannot be discovered by these marks, there is no remedy, but by an Ulterior Agreement, or the Law of the Strongest— It is astonishing that to this hour, no man can produce a Map of all the Bay’s Harbours, Islands, & Rivers in that neighbourhood, that can be depended on, If the Ministry will meet me, in a fair discussion of the Question, or in any of the Methods pointed out to me by my superiors for a Settlement, I shall be glad, they have it under Consideration, & as soon as they give me an answer, I shall transmit it to Congress— but as they dont love pains & trouble as well as you & I do, I fear they will leave it all to sir Guy Carleton, who is no more of a friend to the United states, than any other British Knight and will be guided by the Royalists more than by Maps or Surveys. Why any of my Countrymen should choose to give to these Royalists so much Importance as they do, I know not, We should recollect that all Parties in this Country are pledged to support them, & Party faith is a stronger tye than national Faith—

The paper relative to Alexr. Gross of Truro, I must transmit to mr. Jefferson, it being in his Department. I may nevertheless, previously communicate it to the Comte D’Adhemar, & request his friendly offices in the Matter3

Your