I have the Honour to inclose, a Copy of a Resolution of Congress of the fifth of October last, and to inform your Excellency, that I have this day communicated it, to their high Mightinesses the States General of the United Provinces, and to the Ministers of the Courts of Russia Sweeden and Denmark, at the Hague.1

Your Excellency will permit me to hope for your Concurrence in Support of this measure, as there may be Occasion, and to assure you of the great Respect and Consideration, with which I have the Honour to be, Sir, your Excellencys most obedient and most humble Servant

The Subscriber, a minister plenipotentiary from the United States of America, has the Honour to lay before your high mightinesses, as one of the high contracting Parties to the Marine Treaty, lately concluded, relative to the rights of neutral Vessels, a Resolution of Congress of the fifth of October last, concerning the Same Subject.

As the American Revolution, furnished the Occasion, of a Reformation in the maritime Law of nations,1 of So much importance to a free communication, among Mankind by Sea, the Subscriber hopes it may not be thought improper that the United States Should become Parties to it, entituled to its Benefits and Subjected to its Duties. To this End, the Subscriber, has the Honour of requesting that the Resolution of Congress, may be taken into the Consideration of your High Mightinesses, and transmitted to the Courts of Russia, Sweeden and Denmark. The Subscriber begs Leave to Subjoin that he should esteem it, one of the most fortunate Events of his Life, if this Proposition should meet with the Approbation of your High Mightinesses, and the other Powers who are Parties to the neutral Confederacy, and he, be admitted, as the Instrument of pledging the Faith of the United States, to the Observance of Regulations, which do so much honour to the present Age.2

It has been some Weeks since I have heard from you and indeed 186near a month since I wrote myself.1 You may easily suppose the cause, and that I had nothing material to communicate.

In a former letter you mentiond to me your willingness to help Captains M——y or C——m to some pecuniary aid should they need it.2 The long confinement of these brave and unfortunate men makes every small donation welcome as it adds to their comfort. I have frequently aided them and if you chuse to oblige them with a trifle only mention the Sum and it shall be done. I can easily riemburse myself for that sum or any ballance that may be between us by a Bill on Mr. De Neufvilles, or, what is a better mode, He may give me the name of a House in London on whom I may call for the money on giving them my bill on Him. I am the more anxious for the Comforts of these two and other brave men (now near 600 in Prison) because the subscription money for their releif is on the last legs, nay by this time it must be exhausted.

The public papers will give you every tittle of news that I know as I have been for six or 8 days and likely to be for as many more out of Town on some business at a great annual Cloth Fair.

We seem all as blind as ever to our Interests, We laugh and ridicule away every peice of News that seems of serious import. We laugh at any mischeif the combind neutral league can do us— We laugh at any person who says Gibraltar is in danger, that Holland will go seriously to War against England, that the Combined fleets are nearly eaqual to ours, that we shall not be victorious in the West Inds. and North America, that Arnold will not conquer Virginia &c. &c. In short our folly seems to me more than ever unaccountable, and we are for the present more than commonly bouyd up by the prospects of pacification with Spain and Holland separately from France and Ama.

I will write you immidiately on my return to Town which I expect will be in 8 or 9 days and am in the interim very truly Yrs.