cerned than to see it en train; he had no personal views either of honor or profit. He had now seen and conversed with Mr. Grenville; thought him a very sensible young gentleman, and very capable of the business; he did not therefore see any farther occasion there was for himself; but if I thought otherwise, and conceived he might be farther useful, he was content to give his time and service in any character or manner I should think proper. I said his knowledge of America, where he had lived, and with every part of which and of its commerce and circumstances he was well acquainted, made me think that in persuading the ministry to things reasonable relating to that country, he could speak or write with more weight than Mr. Grenville, and therefore I wished him to continue in the service: and I asked him whether he would like to be joined in a general commission for treating with all the powers at war with England, or to have a special commission to himself for treating with America only he said he did not choose to be concerned in treating with the foreign powers, for he was not sufficiently a master of their affairs, or of the French language, which probably would be used in treating; if therefore he accepted of any commission it should be that of treating with America. I told him I would write to Lord Shelburne on the subject, but Mr. Grenville having some time since dispatched a courier, (partly on account of the commission,) who was not yet returned, I thought it well to wait a few days till we could see what answer he would bring, or what measures were taken; this he approved of. The truth is, he appears so good and so reasonable a

man, that though I have no objection to Mr. Grenville, I should be loth to lose Mr. Oswald. He seems to have nothing at heart but the good of mankind, and putting a stop to mischief; the other, a young statesman, may be supposed to have naturally a little ambition of recommending himself as an able negotiator.

In the afternoon Mr. Boeris of Holland called on me and acquainted me that the answer had not yet been given to the last memorial from Russia, relating to the mediation; but it was thought it would be in respectful terms to thank her imperial Majesty for her kind offers, and to represent the propriety of their connexion with France in endeavors to obtain a general peace, and that they conceived it would be still more glorious for her Majesty to employ her influence in procuring a general, than a partial pacification. Mr. Boeris farther informed me, that they were not well satisfied in Holland with the conduct of the Russian court, and suspected views of continuing the war for particular purposes.

Tuesday, June 4. I received another packet from Mr. Hartley. It consisted of duplicates of the former letters and papers already inserted, and contained nothing new but the following letter from Colonel Hartley, his brother, viz.

DEAR SIR,

Soho Square, May 24, 1782. It is with the greatest pleasure I take up my pen to acknowledge your remembrance of me in yours to my brother, and to thank you for those expressions of regard, which I can assure you are mutual. My brother has desired me to copy some letters and

papers by way of sending you duplicates. I am particularly happy at the employment, because the greatest object of my parliamentary life has been to co-operate with him in his endeavors to put a period to this destructive war, and forward the blessed work of peace. I hope to see him again in that situation where he can so well serve his country with credit to himself, and while I have the honor of being in parliament, my attention will be continued to promote the effects, which will naturally flow from those principles of freedom and universal philanthropy you have both so much supported. While I copy his words, my own feelings and judgment are truly in unison, and I have but to add the most ardent wish that peace and happiness may crown the honest endeavors towards so desirable an end. I am, dear sir, with the greatest respect and esteem, yours sincerely, W. H. HARTLEY.

Dr. Franklin.

Wednesday, June 5. Mr. Oswald called again to acquaint me that Lord Cornwallis being very anxious to be discharged from his parole as soon as possible, has sent me a Major Ross hither to solicit it, supposing Mr. Laurens might be here with me. Mr. Oswald told me, what I had not before heard, that Mr. Laurens while prisoner in the Tower, had proposed obtaining the discharge of Lord Cornwallis in exchange for himself, and he had promised to use his utmost endeavors to that purpose, in case he was set at liberty, not doubting the success. I communicated to Mr. Oswald what had already passed between Mr. Laurens and me respecting Lord Cornwallis, which appears in the preceding letters, and told him,

I should have made less difficulty about the discharge of his parole, if Mr. Laurens had informed me of his being set at liberty in consequence of such an offer and promise; and I wished him to state this in a letter to me, that it might appear for my justification in what I might with Mr. Laurens do in the affair; and that he would procure for me from Major Ross a copy of the parole, that I might be better acquainted with the nature of it. He accordingly in the afternoon sent me the following letter:

SIR,

Paris, June 5, 1782. While Mr. Laurens was under confinement in England, he promised, that on condition of his being liberated upon his parole, he would apply to you for an exchange in favor of my Lord Cornwallis, by a discharge of his Lordship's, granted upon the surrender of his garrison at the village of York in Virginia; and, in case of your being under any difficulty in making such exchange, he undertook to write to the Congress, and to request it of that assembly; making no doubt of obtaining a favorable answer without loss of time.

This proposal, signed by Mr. Laurens's hand, I carried and delivered, I think, in the month of December last, to his Majesty's then Secretaries of State, which was duly attended to; and in consequence thereof, Mr. Laurens was soon after set at full liberty. And though not a prisoner under parole, yet it is to be hoped a variation in the mode of discharge will not be supposed of any essential difference.

And with respect to Mr. Laurens, I am satisfied he will consider himself as much interested in the

success of this application as if his own discharge had been obtained under the form as proposed by the representation which I delivered to the Secretaries of State; and I make no doubt will sincerely join my Lord Cornwallis in an acknowledgment of your favor and good offices in granting his Lordship a full discharge of his parole above mentioned. I have the honor to be, with much respect, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,

RICHARD OSWALD.

P. S. Major Ross has got no copy of Lord Cornwallis's parole. He says it was in the common form, as in like cases.

Since writing the above, I recollect I was under a mistake, as if the proposal of exchange came first from Mr. Laurens; whereas it was made by his Majesty's Secretaries of State to me, that Mr. Laurens should endeavour to procure the exchange of Lord Cornwallis, so as to be discharged himself. Which proposal I carried to Mr. Laurens, and had from him the obligation above mentioned, upon which the mode of his discharge was settled.

To the foregoing I wrote this answer:

SIR,

R. O.

Passy, June 6, 1782.

I received the letter you did me the honor of writing to me, respecting the parole of Lord Cornwallis. You are acquainted with what I wrote some time since to Mr. Laurens. To-morrow is post-day from Holland, when possibly I may receive an answer, with a paper drawn up by him for the purpose of discharging that parole, to be signed by us jointly. I suppose the staying at Paris another day

VOL. II.

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