After an hour or two of

Digges's report was true.

conversation, I returned to Amsterdam, and left him to return to London.

These are all but artifices to raise the stocks; and if you think of any method to put a stop to them, I will cheerfully concur with you. They now know sufficiently, that our commission is to treat of a general peace, and with persons vested with equal powers: and if you agree to it, I will never see another messenger that is not a plenipotentiary.

It is expected that the seventh province, Guelderland, will this day acknowledge American independence. I think we are in such a situation now that we ought not upon any consideration to think of a truce, or any thing short of an express acknowledgment of the sovereignty of the United States. I should be glad, however, to know your sentiments upon this point.

I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient and most humble servant, JOHN ADAMS.

To the above I immediately wrote the following

answer:

SIR,

Passy, April 20, 1782.

I have just received the honor of yours dated the 16th instant, acquainting me with the interview between your Excellency and Mr. Laurens. I am glad to learn that his political sentiments coincide with ours, and that there is a disposition in England to give us up Canada and Nova Scotia.

I like your idea of seeing no more messengers that are not plenipotentiaries; but I cannot refuse seeing Mr. Oswald again, as the minister here considered the letter to me from Lord Shelburne as a kind of

authority given that messenger, and expects his return with some explicit propositions. I shall keep you advised of what passes.

The late act of parliament for exchanging American prisoners as prisoners of war, according to the law of nations, any thing in their commitments notwithstanding, seemed a renunciation of their pretensions to try our people as subjects guilty of high treason, and to be a kind of tacit acknowledgment of our independence. Having taken this step, it will be less difficult for them to acknowledge it expressly. They are now preparing transports to send the prisoners home. I yesterday sent the passports desired of

me.

Sir George Grand showed me a letter from Mr. Fizeaux, in which he said, that if advantage is taken of the present enthusiasm in favor of America, a loan might be obtained in Holland of five or six millions of florins for America; and if their house is impowered to open it, he has no doubt of success; but that no time is to be lost. I earnestly recommend this matter to you, as extremely necessary to the operations of our financier Mr. Morris, who not knowing that the greatest part of the last five millions had been consumed by purchase of goods, &c. in Europe, writes me advice of large drafts that he shall be obliged to make upon me this summer. This court has granted us six millions of livres for the current year; but it will fall vastly short of our occasions, there being large orders to fulfil, and near two millions and a half to pay M. Beaumarchais, besides the interest of bills, &c. The house of Fizeaux and Grand is now appointed banker for France, by a special commission from the king, and will on that as well as

other accounts, be in my opinion the fittest for this operation. Your Excellency being on the spot, can better judge of the terms, &c. and manage with that house the whole business, in which I should be glad to have no other concern, than that of receiving assistance from it when pressed by the dreaded drafts. With great respect I am, your Excellency's, &c. B. FRANKLIN.

In reply to this Mr. Adams wrote to me as follows:

SIR,

Amsterdam, May 2, 1782. I am honored with your favor of the 20th April, and Mr. Laurens's son proposes to carry the letter to his father forthwith. The instructions by the courier from Versailles came safe, as also other dispatches by that channel no doubt will do. The correspondence with Mr. Hartley, I received by Captain Smedley, and will take the first good opportunity by a private hand to return it, as well as that with the Earl of Shelburne.

Mr. Laurens and Mr. Jay will I hope be able to meet at Paris, but when it will be in my power to go I know not. Your present negotiation about peace falls in very well to aid a proposition which I am instructed to make, as soon as the court of Versailles shall judge proper, of a triple or quadruple alliance. This matter, the treaty of commerce which is now under deliberation, and the loan, will render it improper for me to quit this station unless in case of necessity. If there is a real disposition to permit Canada to accede to the American association, I should think there could be no great difficulty in adjusting all things between England and America,

provided our allies are contented too. In a former letter I hinted that I thought an express acknowledgment of our independence might now be insisted on but I did not mean that we should insist upon such an article in the treaty. If they make a treaty of peace with the United States of America, this is acknowledgment enough for me. The affair of a loan gives me much anxiety and fatigue. It is true I may open a loan for five millions, but I confess I have no hopes of obtaining so much. The money is not to be had. Cash is not infinite in this country. Their profits by trade have been ruined for two or three years; and there are loans open for France, Spain, England, Russia, Sweden, Denmark, and several other powers, as well as their own national, provincial and collegiate loans. The undertakers are already loaded with burthens greater than they can bear, and all the brokers in the republic are so engaged, that there is scarcely a ducat to be lent but what is promised.

This is the true cause why we shall not succeed; yet they will seek an hundred other pretences. It is considered such an honor and such an introduction to American trade to be the house, that the eagerness to obtain the title of American banker is prodigious. Various houses have pretensions which they set up very high; and, let me choose which I will, I am sure of a cry and a clamour. I have taken some measures to endeavour to calm the heat and give general satisfaction, but have as yet small hopes of success. I would strike with any house that would insure the money, but none will undertake it now it is offered, although several were very ready to affirm that they could when it began to be

talked of. Upon inquiry they do not find the money easy to obtain, which I could have told them before. It is to me personally perfectly indifferent which is the house; and the only question is, which will be able to do best for the interest of the United States. This question, however simple, is not easy to answer. But I think it clear, after very painful and laborious inquiries for a year and a half, that no house whatever will be able to do much. Enthusiasm at some times and in some countries may do a great deal, but there has as yet been no enthusiasm in this country for America, strong enough to untie many purses. Another year, if the war should continue, perhaps we may do better.

I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient and most humble servant, J. ADAMS.

During Mr. Oswald's absence I received the following from Mr. Laurens:

SIR,

London, April 30, 1782.

I writ to you on the 7th instant by Mr. Oswald, since which, that is to say on the 28th, I was honored with the receipt of your letter of the 12th, enclosing a copy of the commission for treating for peace, by the hands of Mr. Young.

The recognisance exacted from me by the late ministry has been vacated and done away by the present. These have been pleased to enlarge me without formal conditions; but as I would not consent that the United States of America should be outdone in generosity, however late the marks appeared on this side, I took upon me to assure Lord Shelburne in a letter of acknowledgment for the part