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the American Constitutions published by order of Congress. As such imperfect accounts of our conversations find their way into the English papers, I must speak to this gentleman of its impropriety.

Sunday, June 9. Dr. Bancroft being intimately acquainted with Mr. Walpole, I this day gave him Lord Shelburne's letter to Mr. Oswald, requesting he would communicate it to that gentleman. Dr. Bancroft said it was believed, both Russia and the Emperor wish the continuance of the war, and aimed at procuring for England a peace with Holland, that England might be better able to continue it against France and Spain.

The Marquis de la Fayette having proposed to call on me to-day, I kept back the discharge of Lord Cornwallis, which was written and ready, desiring to have his approbation to it, as he had in a former conversation advised it. He did not come, but late in the evening sent me a note acquainting me, that he had been prevented, by accompanying the Grand Duke' to the review, but would breakfast with mę to-morrow morning.

This day I received a letter from Mr. Dana, dated at St. Petersburgh, April 29, in which is the following passage, "We yesterday received the news that the States General had on the 19th of this month (N. S.) acknowledged the independence of the United States. This event gave a shock here, and is not well received, as they at least profess to have flattered themselves that the mediation would have prevented it, and otherwise brought on a partial peace between Britain and Holland. This resentment will not be productive of any ill consequences to the Dutch republic." It is true that while the war continues Russia feels a greater

1 The Grand Duke of Russia then at Paris, under the title of the Comte du Nord. Afterwards the Emperor Paul.

demand for the naval stores, and perhaps at a higher price: but is it possible that for such petty interests mankind can wish to see their neighbours destroy each other? Or, has the project lately talked of, some foundation, that Russia and the Emperor intend driving the Turks out of Europe; and do they therefore wish to see France and England so weakened as to be unable to assist those people?

Monday, June 10. The Marquis de la Fayette did not come till between 11 and 12. He brought with him Major Ross. After breakfast he told me (Major Ross being gone into another room) that he had seen Mr. Grenville lately, who asked him when he should go to America. That he had answered, "I have stayed here longer than I should otherwise have done, that I might see whether we were to have peace or war, but as I see that the expectation of peace is a joke, and that you only amuse us without any real intention of treating; I think to stay no longer, but set out in a few days." On which Mr. Grenville assured him, it was no joke, that they were very sincere in their proposal of treating, and that four or five days would convince the Marquis of it. The Marquis then spoke to me about a request of Major Ross's in behalf of himself, Lord Chewton, a lieutenant-colonel, and Lieutenant Haldane, who were aids-de-camp to Lord Cornwallis, that they too might be set at liberty with him. I told the Marquis that he was better acquainted with the custom in such cases than I, and being himself one of the Generals to whom their paroles had been given, he had more right to discharge them than I had, and that if he judged it a thing proper to be done, I wished him to do it. He went to the bureau, saying, he would write something, which he accordingly did. But it was not as I expected, a discharge that he was to sign, it was for me to sign. And the Major not liking that which I had drawn for Lord Cornwallis, because there was a clause in it, reserving to Congress

the approbation or disallowance of my act, went away without taking it. Upon which I the next morning wrote the following to Mr. Oswald.

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Passy, June 11, 1782.

I did intend to have waited on you this morning to enquire after your health, and deliver the enclosed paper relating to the parole of Lord Cornwallis, but being obliged to go to Versailles, I must postpone my visit till to-morrow. I do not conceive that I have any authority in virtue of my office here to absolve that parole in any degree: I have therefore endeavoured to found it as well as I could on the express power given me by Congress to exchange General Burgoyne for Mr. Laurens. A reservation is made, of confirmation or disapprobation by Congress, not from any desire in me to restrain the entire liberty of that General; but because I think it decent and my duty to make such reservation, and that I might otherwise be blamed as assuming a power not given me, if I undertook to discharge absolutely a parole given to Congress, without any authority from them for so doing. With great esteem and respect, I have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient servant,

B. FRANKLIN.

I have received no answer from Mr. Laurens.

The following is the paper mentioned in the above letter.

"The Congress having, by a resolution of the 14th of June last, impowered me to offer an exchange of General Burgoyne for the honorable Mr. Laurens, then a prisoner in the Tower of London, and whose liberty they much desired to obtain; which exchange, though proposed by me accord. ing to the said resolution, had not been accepted or executed, when advice was received that General Burgoyne was ex

changed in virtue of another agreement; and Mr. Laurens having thereupon proposed another Lieutenant-General, viz. Lord Cornwallis, as an exchange for himself, promising that if set at liberty he would do his utmost to obtain a confirmation of that proposal: and Mr. Laurens being soon after discharged, and having since urged me earnestly in several letters, to join with him in absolving the parole of that General, which appears to be a thing just and equitable in itself, and for the honor therefore of our country; I do hereby as far as in my power lies, in virtue of the above. mentioned resolution or otherwise, absolve and discharge the parole of Lord Cornwallis given by him in Virginia; setting him at entire liberty to act in his civil and military capacity until the pleasure of Congress shall be known, to whom is reserved the confirmation or disapprobation of this discharge, in case they have made, or shall intend to make a different disposition. Given at Passy, this 9th day of June, 1782.

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Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States of America, at the Court of France."

I did not well comprehend the Major's conduct in refusing this paper. He was come express from London to solicit a discharge of Lord C.'s parole. He had said that his Lordship was very anxious to obtain that discharge, being unhappy in his present situation. One of his objections to it was, that his Lordship with such a limited discharge of his parole could not enter into foreign service. He declared it was not his Lordship's intention to return to America. He would not accept the paper, unless the reservation was omitted. I did not chuse to make the alteration; and so he left it, not well pleased with me.

!

This day, Tuesday, June 11, I was at Versailles and had

a good deal of conversation with M. de Rayneval, Secretary to the Council. I showed him the letters I had received by Mr. Oswald from Lord Shelburne, and related all the consequent conversation I had with Mr. Oswald. I related to him also the conversation I had had with Mr. Grenville. We concluded that the reason of his courier not being returned might be the formalities occasioning delay in passing the enabling bill. I went down with him to the cabinet of M. de Vergennes, where all was repeated and explained. That minister seemed now to be almost persuaded that the English Court was sincere in its declarations of being desirous of peace. We spoke of all its attempts to separate us, and of the prudence of our holding together, and treating in concert. I made one remark, that as they had shown so strong a desire of disuniting us, by large offers to each particular power, plainly in the view of dealing more advantageously with the rest; and had reluctantly agreed to make a general treaty, it was possible that after making a peace with all, they might pick out one of us to make war with separately. Against which project, I thought it would not be amiss if, before the treaties of peace were signed, we who were at war against England, should enter into another treaty, engaging ourselves that in such case we should again make it a common cause, and renew the general war; which he seemed to approve of. He read Lord Shelburne's letter relating to Mr. Walpole, said that gentleman had attempted to open a negociation through the Marquis de Castries, who had told him he was come to the wrong house, and should go to M. de Vergennes; but he never had appeared. That he was an intriguer, knew many people about the Court, and was accustomed to manage his affairs by hidden round-about ways; "but," said he, "when people have any thing to propose that relates to my employment, I think they should come directly to me, my cabinet is the place where such

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