st herein beforementioned.

TO THE COUNT D'ARANDA.

"Paris, September 10th, 1782.

"Sir,

"Agreeably to your Excellency's request, I have now the honor of
repeating in writing, that I am not authorised by Congress to make any
cession of any counties belonging to the United States, and that I can
do nothing more respecting the line mentioned by your Excellency, than
to wait for and to follow such instructions as Congress, on receiving
that information, may think proper to give me on that subject.

"Permit me, nevertheless, to remind your Excellency that I have full
power to confer, treat, agree, and conclude with the Ambassador or
Plenipotentiary of his Catholic Majesty, _vested with equal powers_,
of and concerning a treaty of amity and commerce and of alliance, on
principles of equality, reciprocity, and mutual advantage.

"I can only regret, that my overtures to his Excellency, the Count de
Florida Blanca, who was _ex officio_ authorised to confer with me on
such subjects, have been fruitless.

"It would give me pleasure to see this business begun, and I cannot
omit this opportunity of assuring your Excellency of my wish and
desire to enter upon it as soon as your Excellency shall be pleased to
inform me, that you are authorised and find it convenient to proceed.

"I have the honor to be, &c.

JOHN JAY."

To this letter, the Count returned the following answer.

COUNT D'ARANDA TO JOHN JAY.

Translation.

"Sir,

"I have the honor to reply to your note of yesterday, that I am
furnished with ample instructions from my Court, and am authorised by
it to confer and treat with you on all points on which you may be
instructed and authorised to treat by your constituents.

"As soon as you communicate your propositions, they will be examined,
and I will submit to you my observations on them, in order that we may
be able to agree on both sides.

"I have the honor to be, &c.

THE COUNT D'ARANDA."

On the same day, viz. the 10th of September, a copy of a translation
of a letter from M. Marbois to the Count de Vergennes, against our
sharing in the fishery, was put into my hands. Copies of it were
transmitted to you, enclosed with my letter of the 18th of September,
of which a d