th the acts of the British Parliament which came inclosed,
before Congress; and I am instructed to acquaint you, Sir, that
they have already expressed their sentiments upon bills, not
essentially different from those acts, in a publication of the
22d of April last.

"Be assured, Sir, when the King of Great Britain shall be
seriously disposed to put an end to the unprovoked and cruel war
waged against these United States, Congress will readily attend
to such terms of peace, as may consist with the honour of
independent nations, the interest of their constituents, and the
sacred regard they mean to pay to treaties. I have the honour to
be, Sir,

_Your most obedient, and
most humble servant_,
HENRY LAURENS,
_President of Congress_."

_His Excellency,
Sir Henry Clinton, K.B., Philad_.

Though I am not surprised to see the Abbe mistaken in matters of
history, acted at so great a distance from his sphere of immediate
observation, yet I am more than surprised to find him wrong, (or at
least what appears so to me) in the well-enlightened field of
philosophical reflection. Here the materials are his own; created by
himself; and the error, therefore, is an act of the mind. Hitherto my
remarks have been confined to circumstances: the order in which they
arose, and the events they produced. In these, my information being
better than the Abbe's, my task was easy. How I may succeed in
controverting matters of sentiment and opinion, with one whom years,
experience, and long established reputation have placed in a superior
line, I am less confident in; but as they fall within the scope of my
observations, it would be improper to pass them over.

From this part of the Abbe's work to the latter end, I find several
expressions which appear to me to start, with a cynical complexion,
from the path of liberal thinking, or at least they are so involved as
to lose many of the beauties which distinguish other parts of the
performance.

The Abbe having brought his work to the period when the treaty of
alliance between France and the United States commenced, proceeds to
make some remarks thereon.

"In short," says he, "philosophy, whose first sentiment is the desire
to see all governments just, and all people happy, in casting her eyes
upon this alliance of a monarchy, with a people who are defending
their liberty, _is curious to know its motive. She sees at once too