We received yours1 in which you hint that it is wished by some of our Friends that the Commissioners would propose a Treaty to your Government. It would really be a great Pleasure to them to be instrumental in cementing a Union between the two Republics of Holland and the United States, by a Treaty of Amity and Commerce, similar to that lately concluded with France, or varying where Circumstances might require it. But having received no Answer from the Grand Pensionary, to a Letter2 they respectfully wrote his Excellency some Months since, expressing their Dispositions to such a good Work, they apprehend that any further Motion of the Kind, on their part, would not at present be agreeable, tho' they still hold themselves ready to enter upon such a Treaty whenever it shall seem good to their High Mightinesses. We are with Esteem Your very humble Servants

Yours of the 29 of August1 We duely received. We return you the Contract inclosed in it.

We are neither instructed nor authorised, to discharge your Debts, whether contracted in a private Capacity or otherwise, and if We were, our Finances would not enable Us to do it, at present.2 In one of your Letters you Say you have certain Merchandises on Hand to ship to America, which you will not ship untill you have our orders. If you had told Us that these Goods were purchased with the Money which the Commissioners sent you and had given Us an Account as We demanded, We should have done what would have appeared to Us proper, in that Business. But as it is, We can give no orders. If you have any Goods, by you belonging to the United States, We wish you to deliver them to Mr. Schweighauser, who will send them to America, as soon as We shall order it to be done, nor Advice. You must do your own Business.

We take no Notice of the manner in which We have been treated by you in refusing to account to Us, for a very large sum of Money which was intrusted to you by the Commissioners, and in several Letters. We leave it to you to revise your Letter Book, reconsider your Conduct and follow the Dictates of your Conscience: but We expect it as a favour that We may be troubled with no more of your Letters, unless they are better adapted to your Character and to ours, and to the public service of our Country. We are, with all due Respect, your, humble servants.