"I need not remark to your Excellency, that if the letter I may then write by him should not contain the desired intelligence, Congress will naturally be led to apprehend that their expectations of forming an intimate union with Spain were not well founded.
"I have the honor to be, &c.
On the 19th, I received the following answer.
Translation.
"The Count de Florida Blanca would have been charmed to have had it in his power to have a long conference with Mr Jay, if his ordinary indispositions had not prevented him; he will, therefore, have the honor to see him this evening about eight o'clock, if Mr Jay will give himself the trouble of waiting on him, either alone or with Major Franks, and in communicating to the King the result of their conference, he will endeavor to prevail on his Majesty to name some other person to confer with Mr Jay in case of need, in order to avoid, as much as possible, the embarrassments which Mr Jay has hitherto experienced.
Wednesday, 19th of September, 1781."
I waited upon the Count at the time appointed. The following is a copy of my notes of that conference.
Notes of a Conference held at St Ildefonso, on Wednesday Evening, the 19th of September, 1781, between his Excellency, the Count de Florida Blanca, and Mr Jay, agreeably to the appointment of the former.
The Count introduced the conference by asking for Major Franks, and why Mr Jay did not bring him with him. Mr Jay answered, that as Major Franks was not charged with the transaction of any business with his Excellency, and had, at a former interview, answered such questions relative to American affairs as the Count had thought proper to ask him, Mr Jay did not think his attendance on this occasion necessary, as he supposed his Excellency meant to enter at present into the discussion of the matters referred to in Mr Jay's last letter.