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ation, or continue the war under the difadvantages of 1779. having the forces of the mediator united with those of their enemies:-That in fuch event, it is poffible the terms propofed will be fuch as Spain offered, and Britain rejected on the laft propofed mediation:-That though the powers, who may be under fuch engagements by treaties to Great Britain, from their friendly difpofition toward his most chriftian majefty, may be very unwilling to give affiftance to his enemies, yet they may find it indifpenfably neceffary in compliance with their engagements: but it is not improbable that their reluctance, or the distance of their dominions, may delay fuch affiftance, if granted at all, fo as to be too late for the next campaign:-That fhould the enemy be in poffeffion of any part of the United States at the close of the next campaign, it will be extremely difficult to Great Britain to acknowledge their independence; and if a mediation fhould be offered while the enemy are in poffeffion of any part, an impartial mediator could not eafily refute the arguments which might be used for his retaining fuch poffeffions; and probably a mediator well difpofed toward Great Britain might infist on her holding them, and if not agreed to, the hoftility of fuch mediator would be the neceffary confequence:-That fhould Great Britain form fuch alliances, or procure fuch aids as are the objects of her present negotiations, there will be every reason to fear a long and an obstinate war, whereof the final event may be doubtful :-That the view of affairs plainly points out, the neceffity for the greatest poffible vigor in the operations of the next campaign, in order to difpoffefs the enemy of every part of the United States, and to put them in VOL. III.

1779 condition to treat of peace and accept of mediation,

with the greatest advantage; and the preparations for it ought to be as speedy and as effectual as poffible :-That France and Spain are prepared to make a very powerful diverfion, and will exert themselves moft ftrenuously for preferving their paval fuperiority, and for employing the powers of the enemy in Europe and the West Indies. -The minifter declared as from himself-That he doubted not but his most chriftian majefty will fpare fome fhips to the United States, if it can be done without endangering his fuperiority at fea, and that an application made to the minifter in form is more eligible than to the king; because it would give his majefty great pain to refufe the request, though he might be in no condition to grant it :-That at all events fupplies fhould be prepared on a fuppofition that the fhips will be granted, and fuch fupplies fhould be put into the hands of the agent for the marine of France, and be confidered as the king's property.-He defires to be informed, as far as congress deem proper, what force the United States can bring into the field the next campaign? On what resources they rely for their maintenance and neceffary appointments, and what fhall be the general plan of the campaign, on fuppofition either of having or not having the aid of fhips of war ?-He gives it as his opinion, that an application for clothing may be made to his most chriftian majefty with prospect of fuccess ; and although measures have been taken for fending arms and warlike ftores to America, yet it would be prudent in congress not to neglect any other means for procuring either those supplies, or fupplies of clothing.

Congrefs to promote oeconomy in purchases of Ame- 1779. rican produce, refolved on the 14th of December, to call upon the ftates for the neceffary fupplies, for which they are to be credited at equal prices for articles of the fame quality and kind, and for others which they may furnish in due proportion.

I fhall conclude with mentioning in a general way, that the American cruifers have continued to be very fuccefsful: And that about the middle of September, the French plenipotentiary, in a converfation with gen. Washington mentioned, that though Spain had been all along well difpofed to the revolution, fhe had entered reluctantly into the war, and had not acknowledged the independence of the United States; and that France defired to engage Spain more firmly in their interests, by a mark of their good will to her. [The mark in view is the lands on the eaftern fide of the Miffiffippi; which is an affair that the general leaves to the wisdom or congrefs.]

CON

LETTER XI.

Roxbury, Aug. 24, 1780.

Jan.

CONGRESS refolved, "that the following anfwer be given to the communications of the mi- 17806 nifter of France-That congrefs entertain the most 31. grateful fenfe of the unremitting attention given to the

1780. interefts of the United States by their illuftrious ally, and confider the communications made to them by his minifter under his majefty's fpecial command, as equally wife and interefting:-That the confidence which they repofe in his majesty, in confequence of his fo generoufly interefting himfelf in the affairs of thefe United States, and of the wifdom and magnanimity of his councils, determine them to give the most perfect information in their power of their refources, their views and their expectations: That to this end they ftate as follows-That the United States have expectations, on which they can rely with confidence, of bringing into the field next campaign an army of 25,000 effective men, exclufive of commiffioned officers :-That this army can be reinforced by militia, fo as to be in force fufficient for any enterprise against the posts occupied by the enemy within the United States :-That fupplies of provifion for the army in its greatest number, can certainly be obtained within the United States, and the congrefs, with the co-operation of the several states, can take effectual measures for procuring them in fuch manner, as that no operation will be impeded:-That provifions alfo for fuch of the forces of his most chriftian majefty, as may be employed in conjunction or co-operation with thofe of the United States, can be procured under the direction of congrefs; and fuch provifions fhall be laid up in magazines, agreeable to fuch inftructions as his majesty's minister plenipotentiary fhall give; and the magazines fhall be put under the direction of the agent of the marine of France:-That congress rely on the contributions of the ftates by taxes, and on monies to be raised by internal loans for the pay of the army:-That

fupplies of clothing, of tents, of arms and warlike 1780, stores, must be principally obtained from foreign nations, and the United States must rely chiefly on the affiftance of their ally for them; but every other mean for procuring them is already taken, and will be profecuted with the greateft diligence:-That the United States, with the affiftance of a competent naval force, would willingly, during the next campaign, carry on the most vigorous offenfive operations against the enemy in all the posts occupied by them within the United States: -That without fuch naval force, little more can be attempted by them, than ftraitening the quarters of the enemy, and covering the interior parts of the country: -That their forces must be difpofed in fuch manner as to oppose the enemy with greatest effect, wherefoever their most confiderable operations may be directed:-That at present the fouthern states seem to be their principal object; and their defign, to establish themselves in one or more of them: but their fuperiority at fea over the United States, enables them to change their object and operations with great facility, while thofe of the United States are rendered difficult by the great extent of country they have to defend :-That congrefs are happy to find that his moft chriftian majefty gives no credit to the fuggeftions of the British cabinet, relative to the difpofitions of the United States, or any of them, to enter into treaties of accommodation with Great Britain; and wifh his majesty and all the powers of Europe to be affured, that fuch fuggeftions are infidious and without foundation:-That it will appear by the constitutions and other public acts of the several states, that the citizens of the United States, poffeffed of arms,

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