Philadelphia, March 15th, 1783.
Sir,
Your Excellency will doubtless receive directly, a state of affairs in Europe. I thought, however, that it would be interesting to inform you of some particulars, which I am ordered not to make public, but which will also be communicated to Congress. The British Minister has hastened to conclude an eventual treaty of peace with the United States, and to grant them in the utmost extent every advantage they could desire. The malevolence with which that power has carried on the war in America, did not forebode this extreme facility in them, and it has been an agreeable surprise to the belligerent powers, and you will easily judge, Sir, that our satisfaction has been complete, and in seeing the great obstacle to peace put, as it were, on one side.
We think we may hope, that the epochs of a general peace is not far distant. However, the English, though disposed to come to a conclusion with the Courts of Versailles and Madrid, seem much more difficult in the negotiation carrying on with the States-General. But the King, who through the whole of this war, has refused to conclude a peace without obtaining for his allies a just and reasonable satisfaction, persists in these sentiments, and he doubts not that the United States will on their part fulfil their engagements by continuing the war till a definitive treaty is concluded, and thereby entirely disconcert the projects of the English, who flatter themselves, that by means of the eventual treaty, which they have concluded, they will be able to establish on the Continent a suspension of hostilities equal to a truce, written and signed.
It is possible, that the firmness and resolution of his Majesty will determine England to make those restitutions, to which she shows so much repugnance; but it is also possible, that the war will continue another year, and to put the United States in a situation to continue the war with vigor, his Majesty has lent them six millions of livres; six hundred thousand livres are arrived in the Washington, but I have learnt with much pain that Mr Morris has, through want of means, been forced to anticipate the pecuniary succors he hoped to receive, so that the six millions is not so considerable a help as was to have been desired.
It remains to examine in what manner we can disturb and shut up the enemy during the next campaign. I shall not take the liberty to sound your Excellency on these points, but I beg you to permit me to say, that it will be serving the common cause essentially to stop those excessive exportations of subsistence to New York, and in case of an evacuation of that place, to prevent them as much as possible from procuring subsistence from hence to carry on the campaign in the West Indies.
The Duc de Lauzun will confer with you on these points on his return from the eastward, and I beg you, Sir, to consider with him how to make the legion early useful; it may be very usefully employed in the service above mentioned, and the Duke will be happy to act in any manner your Excellency may wish.
In all cases, it cannot but be of service to hold ourselves in a hostile position. If the negotiations produce the happy effects we wish, I will lose no time in informing you, and knowing your humane disposition, I think I never shall announce to you a more agreeable event than a general peace, honorable and safe to the allies. You are convinced how sincerely the King wishes it, and the sacrifices he has made to obtain it will prove this.
If the treaty has been communicated to you, Sir, you will have seen that the King of England has reserved to himself the liberty to conclude, or not to conclude, the treaty of peace with America, so that the act signed the 30th of November by the respective Commissioners, is merely conditional and eventual.
I have the honor to be, &c.