By the January Packet I was honored with your letter of the 23. of December, and by Mr. Anstey who arrived in the February Packet, I received your’s of the 22. of January: I pray you to accept my acknowledgments for these Kind attentions, and to be assured that if any communications in my power concerning our common country, will afford you any information, the pleasure of transmitting them, will be my best and most satisfactory reward— Long before this time, the Dispatches from Mr. Jay’s Office will have convinced you that Congress entertain the same sentiments, which you possess, on the Subject of an exchange of ministers between the United States & G. Britain—; they will not be inattentive to the Dignity of their country, nor the Etiquette of courts— Mr. Temple will be confined to the authorities of his commission, & will not be permitted to travel out of his consulate— The Determination is, that the court of St. James must send a minister here of your Rank in consequence of the proposal for that purpose, or congress must recall their minister at London.

Although it is admitted by every one, that the Duties of your legation have been ably discharged, yet it seems to be as generally allowed, that little good can be expected, in the present disposition of the British ministry from the continuation of a minister from our country at the British Court— on this Subject congress will be very temperate, and nothing will be decided hastily— there certainly was a Time since the war when there existed a very general disposition in America to be intimately allied with the country of your present Residence— that disposition has since Changed, is now universally weakened, and in several parts of America does not now exist—

Whether the measures pursued in the British Cabinet, and which have produced this change in America, were best calculated to advance the prosperity of Great Britain or America, a short futurity will determine— certain it is, that they have a tendency to produce that Unanimity in America so much to be desired, as the Basis of those national Regulations, which alone can establish our commerce, and make our country respectable— indeed they have in some sort already produced this good Object— the arrets of France relative to the Cod Fishery tend to the same purpose— America begins to learn, that she must depend upon herself, for Prosperity & Happiness—

with perfect respect—I have the honor to / be your obt. & very Hb̃le Servt:

I should have addressed your Excellency long e’er this, since my Arrival from Algiers1—but being in Expectation of bringing on Mr: Lamb’s Letters—was entirely without Suspicion of the many Impediments which retarded my Progress thus far. Mr Lamb must undoubtedly have given your Excellencies the Reasons of sending me from thence—and however repugnant to my Inclinations, I must be necessitated to submit to his express Desire—as he might otherwise have left it in a spanish Brigantine—and have given me the Charge of his Vessel to convey me to Marseilles. I therefore prefered the Alternative of attending the Count D’Expilly’s Secretary in Hopes of obtaining a Release from Quarantine with himself—but by an 281 unfortunate Concurrence of Circumstances I was detained twenty two Days—and obliged to go from Alicant where the Vessel was arrived— to Carthagena whither she was sent to perform her Quarantine.—2 I endeavored to reach Madrid with all possible Dispatch after my Discharge.— Here I find that Mr Lamb is returned to Alicant with Intention of coming to Madrid immediately:— The Information therefore that I might have conveyed of the Situation of Affairs upon my leaving Algiers must be rendered of very little Consequence by the Lapse of Time—and such Change as has made his Withdrawal necessary—which most unquestionably your Excellencies must be advised of.

In this I am allowed to judge—as Mr Lamb had given me no Instructions of what Information I should be the Bearer of on his Part—

I think myself bound—and by the Opinion of Mr Carmichael am determined to await the Arrival of Mr Lamb & be governed by future Instructions & Circumstances.

What Observations I have been enabled to make in my shor Stay there shall be transmitted to your Excellencies by the first safe Occasion being in Hopes a Courier will set out shortly which must arrive before I can travel to London—altho’ I have disencumbered myself from my Baggage. Mr Carmichael was acquainted as soon as I could possibly write with every Thing I could be possessed of respecting Algiers—however I sh[all be] as particular as my Memory will serve—

In this and on all other Occasions I am entirely devoted to the Service of my Country—and am most particularly / Your Excellency’s / Obt hum sert.