ew arrangement would be a total change
of the European system, and a favorable one for our friends. The
probability of a general war, in which this country would be engaged
on one side, and England on the other, has appeared to me sufficient to
justify my writing to our agents in the different ports of France, to
put our merchants on their guard, against risking their property in
French or English bottoms. The Emperor, instead of treading back his
steps in Brabant, as was expected, has pursued the less honorable plan
of decoying his subjects thence by false pretences, to let themselves
be invested by his troops, and this done, he dictates to them his own
terms. Yet it is not certain the matter will end with that.

The Count De Moustier is nominated Minister Plenipotentiary to America;
and a frigate is ordered to Cherbourg, to carry him over. He will
endeavor to sail by the middle of the next month, but if any delay
should make him pass over the whole of October, he will defer his voyage
to the spring, being unwilling to undertake a winter passage. Monsieur
de St. Priest is sent ambassador to Holland, in the room of Monsieur
de Verac, appointed to Switzerland. The Chevalier de Luzerne might,
I believe,have gone to Holland, but he preferred a general promise of
promotion, and the possibility that it might be to the court of London.
His prospects are very fair. His brother, the Count de la Luzerne, (now
Governor in the West Indies) is appointed minister of the marine, in
the place of Monsieur de Castries, who has resigned. The Archbishop of
Toulouse is appointed ministre principal, and his brother Monsieur
de Brienne, minister of war, in the place of Monsieur de Segur. The
department of the Comptroller has had a very rapid succession of
tenants. From Monsieur de Calonne it passed to Monsieur de Forqueux,
from him to Villedeuil, and from him to Lambert, who holds it at
present, but divided with a Monsieur Cabarrus (whom I believe you knew
in Spain), who is named _Directeur du tresor royal_, the office into
which M. Necker came at first. I had the honor to inform you, that
before the departure of the Count de Luzerne to his government in the
West Indies, I had pressed on him the patronage of our trade with the
French islands; that he appeared well disposed, and assured me he would
favor us as much as his instructions, and the laws of the colonies,
would permit. I am in hopes, these dispositions will be strengthened by
his re