I am, my dear Sir, with those sentiments of esteem and friendship, which I shall always feel for you, your most obedient humble servant,
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON, SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
Madrid, February 6th, 1782.
Dear Sir,
The Secretary of the Minister of State sent me yesterday morning your favor of the 13th of December last, accompanied by various papers.
These are the first letters or papers of any kind, that I have as yet had the pleasure of receiving from you since your appointment; and they must for the present remain unintelligible for the want of your cypher. The one mentioned to have been enclosed with these papers is missing, and the other never came to hand.
On the 29th of November last, I received a packet, in which I found enclosed a set of cyphers endorsed by Mr Secretary Thomson, and nothing else. Mr Barclay had sent it by the post, under cover to a banker here. It had evident marks of inspection, but I acquit the banker of any hand in it.
A letter of the 18th ult. from Mr Joshua Johnson, at Nantes, mentions the arrival there of the brig Betsey, from Philadelphia, and that she brought letters for me, which were put into the post-office by the captain. I have not yet seen them.
There are letters in town, brought by the Marquis de Lafayette to France; but I have not yet received a line by or from him.