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TO THE COMMITTEE OF SECRET CORRESPONDENCE.

Paris, 28th November, 1776.

Gentlemen,

Your favor of the 7th of August last, covering a copy of yours of the
8th of July, I received, though the original never came to hand. This
letter also enclosed the _Declaration of Independency_, with
instructions to make it known to this and the other powers of Europe;
and I received it the 7th inst. though the vessel which brought it
had but 38 days passage from Salem. This letter was very far from
relieving me, as it enclosed what had been circulated through Europe
for two months before, and my pretending to inform this Court would be
only a matter of form, in consequence of your orders, which were
expressed in the style of any common affair. I certainly prefer
simplicity of style, as well as manners, but something is due to the
dignity of old and powerful states, or if you please to their
prejudices in favor of long established form and etiquette; and as the
United States of America, by this act, introduce themselves among the
established powers, and rank with them, it must of course be expected
that at the first introduction, or the announcing of it, some mode
more formal, or if I may so say, more respectful, would have been made
use of, than simply two or three lines from the committee of congress,
in a letter something more apparently authentic, not that either your
power or the reality of your letter could be doubted. I mention it as
deserving consideration, whether in your application here and your
powers and instructions of a public nature, it is not always proper to
use a seal? This is a very ancient custom in all public and even
private concerns of any consequence.

Further, to keep a proper intercourse with Europe, it is by no means
sufficient to write a single letter, and leave it to be forwarded when
the captain of a vessel thinks of it, or has nothing else to do.
Duplicates of every letter should be lodged in every port in the hands
of faithful and attentive persons, to be forwarded by the first
conveyance to any part of Europe. Had this been practised since my
leaving America, instead of receiving but two short letters from you,
I might have had intelligence every month; let me urge you, from the
danger our affairs have been in of totally miscarrying for want of
intelligence, to pay some attention to this in futur