The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution Volume XI Part 45

Dear Sir,

In compliance with the directions of Congress, contained in the enclosed resolution, I have the honor to inform your Excellency, that our last despatches, dated in October, announce a disposition in the belligerent powers to terminate the war by a general peace. The Court of London, whose sincerity was most suspected, because it was to make the greatest sacrifices, appears to have smoothed the way by the commission to Mr Oswald (which your Excellency has seen,) empowering him to treat with the Thirteen United States of America; M. de Rayneval (brother to M. Gerard) having been sent from France to sound the intentions of the British Ministry, returned perfectly satisfied of their sincerity.

A little before our despatches were closed, our Ministers had delivered their propositions to the Court of London. They consisted of three general heads, which comprised our right to the fisheries, the extent of our territories, and commercial objects. Though these propositions contained all we could ask under each of these heads, yet Mr Oswald gave our Ministers reason to conclude, that they would be granted; which I am inclined to believe they have been, in their fullest extent, from the lead which our Ministers have taken in signing Provisional Articles. France, Spain, and Holland, had made their proposals; so that the King of Great Britain was perfectly apprized of their demands before he met his Parliament; there is little room, therefore, to doubt, when these facts are compared with the speech of His Britannic Majesty, that unless some unforeseen event should arise, a general peace will be concluded before the opening of the next campaign.

I was honored with your letter of the 18th, and have delivered the one enclosed to Mr Jefferson, who is detained by order of Congress, till they receive more certain advices as to the issue of the negotiation.

I should also acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 8th of January, which I found here on my return from the country. I think, with you, that the British administration will choose to take the advice of Parliament on the terms of peace, before they agree to them.

Yet they have gone every length with respect to us. In this, however, they are perfectly safe, as the opposition have all along dictated that measure, so that on this quarter they are secured from their attack. More circ.u.mspection will be necessary in adjusting the articles with the other belligerent powers. To this cause, we may probably attribute the delays that this business still seems to struggle with.

Be pleased to accept my compliments, and those of my family, who join me in returning our best respects to Mrs Washington.

I have the honor to be, Dear Sir, &c.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

TO GEORGE WASHINGTON.

Philadelphia, March 12th, 1783.

Dear Sir,

The Washington packet arrived this morning. I have not yet had leisure to read all my letters, but as an express is ready to go early tomorrow, I rather choose to rely upon your goodness to excuse a letter written in extreme haste, than to hold myself inexcusable, by not informing you of what we yet know of the state of our negotiations. None of my letters is of a later date than the 25th of December. All difficulties had then been removed with respect to us, and the preliminaries were signed; they consist of nine articles.

The _first_ acknowledges our Independence.

The _second_ describes our boundaries, which are as extensive as we could wish.

The _third_ ascertains our rights as to the fishery, and puts them upon the same footing that they were before the war.

The _fourth_ provides that all British debts shall be paid.

The _fifth_ and _sixth_ are enclosed for your perusal, as they are likely to be the least satisfactory here.

The _seventh_ stipulates that hostilities shall immediately cease, and that the British troops be withdrawn without carrying off any property, or dismantling fortifications; that records and archives shall be restored.

The _eighth_ stipulates that the navigation of the Mississippi shall be open to us and Great Britain.

The _ninth_, that all conquests made in America after the ratification shall be restored.

These preliminaries are only provisional upon the determination of a peace with France, whose negotiations have not made such progress as ours. I believe they find themselves very much embarra.s.sed by the demands of their other allies.

The Count de Vergennes, in a letter of the 25th of December, says, "I cannot foresee the issue, for difficulties arise from the disposition we have shown to remove them. It would be well, Sir, to prepare Congress for every event. I do not despair; I rather hope; but all is yet uncertain."

But, Sir, whatever the event of the negotiations may be, I persuade myself the enemy will leave these States. Mr Oswald has made some propositions to our Ministers upon this subject, proposing that they might be permitted to embark without molestation, and endeavor to recover West Florida from the Spaniards. This last communication, (which you will consider as confidential,) I thought might be important to your Excellency. By attending to their conduct, you will be able to judge if they mean to pursue this system, or if it was only thrown out to deceive.

I enclose also for your perusal, extracts from the addresses, not having time to have them copied at large. They are mere echoes to the speech. Supplies were voted, without one dissenting voice.

I must pray your Excellency to send on the enclosed packets; any expense it occasions will be paid by the Governor.

I have the honor to be, &c.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

TO GENERAL GREENE.

Philadelphia, March 12th, 1783.

Dear Sir,

The arrival of the Washington packet affords me an opportunity of sending you the preliminary articles, agreed upon between our Ministers and those of Great Britain. In every point but one they are unexceptionable; in that one I believe our Ministers have labored to obtain all that circ.u.mstances would admit, and by the reference of the tories to their respective States, they have made a very slender provision for the rest.i.tution they stipulate.

What it imports you more to know is, that though our princ.i.p.al difficulties are removed, yet many remain to r.e.t.a.r.d the peace. Our allies do not appear to have made much progress in their negotiations, and Count de Vergennes, in a letter of the 25th of December, speaks with great uncertainty of the issue of his negotiations; yet not so as to destroy our hopes of a happy conclusion; at all events, I believe that the war will be removed from us, and directed to other objects in the spring.

The British commissioners have made some propositions to ours about a convention for permitting the army to depart in peace; but as nothing was concluded, some doubts may still remain on this head; though you will find in Lord North's speech, in the enclosed paper, a pa.s.sage that seems to take the evacuation for granted. As, however, I have reason to suppose, that they do not mean to rest contented with the loss of West Florida, and are apparently collecting a force for its reduction at Augustine, I should think it prudent to maintain so respectable a force in Georgia and South Carolina, as would discourage any attempts upon them in case the negotiations should prove abortive.

A treaty is now on foot between Sweden and us. The commission to his Swedish Majesty's Minister, contains an ample and an honorable recognition of our independence.

The committee charged with the arrangements for the establishment of a Minister from the United Provinces at this place, have reported to the States of Holland on his salary and appointments, so that the Diplomatic Corps here will shortly be increased.

The general news of this place, as well as what relates particularly to the arrangements made and now making for the army, you will learn from Major Burnet, who does me the favor to be the bearer of this. It will not be necessary, therefore, to lengthen this further than to declare the sincere esteem and respect, with which I have the honor to be, Sir, &c.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Office of Foreign Affairs, March 13th, 1783.

Sir,

I have the honor to lay before Congress the enclosed letter from Mr Jefferson, who is waiting at this place their determination. As Major Burnet is now in town, and will be the bearer of despatches to General Greene, I take the liberty to request the earliest attention of Congress to those parts of the despatches submitted to them, that induce a belief that the enemy will turn their arms against West Florida, which the force they now have at Augustine renders probable.

Congress may, perhaps, think it advisable to order that the force in the Southern States should be so respectable as to discourage a second attempt upon them in case the failure of the negotiation should occasion any change in the British Cabinet.

I have the honor to be, &c.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Office of Foreign Affairs, March 18th, 1783.

Sir,