repare and keep a
book, with the pages divided into a number of columns, and to enter
therein the dates, numbers, and other descriptive particulars of every
bill, that might be presented to me for acceptance, and to which on
examination he should find no objection. I made it an invariable rule
to send every bill to him to be examined and entered previous to
accepting it; and from that time to the day I left Spain, I never
accepted a single bill until after it had been inspected and sent to
me by him to be accepted. Further, to avoid mistakes and frauds, I
also made it a constant rule, that every bill presented for payment,
should undergo a second examination by Mr Carmichael, that if he found
it right, he should sign his name on it, and that the bankers should
not pay any bill unless so signed.

The bills twice paid, or rather the different numbers of the same set,
stand entered in different places in the book abovementioned; and I
can only regret, that the entries of the numbers first presented and
accepted, were not observed by him, either at the time when the
subsequent ones were offered for acceptance, or at the time when they
were afterwards brought for payment.

It gives me pleasure to inform your Excellency, that the British and
American ratifications of the treaty of peace were exchanged a few
days before I left Paris. The day of my departure, I received under
cover from Dr Franklin, a copy of the British ratifications, which I
have the honor to transmit herewith enclosed.

With great respect and esteem, I have the honor to be, &c.

JOHN JAY.

_P. S._ I shall send with this letter to the post office, several
others, which were committed to my care for your Excellency.

THE

CORRESPONDENCE

OF

FRANCIS DANA;

MINISTER FROM THE UNITED STATES TO RUSSIA

Francis Dana was a native of Massachusetts, and educated at Harvard
University, where he was graduated in the year 1762. He studied the
profession of the law, and was among the first to espouse the cause of
the Colonies in resisting the aggressions of the mother country. In a
letter to General Washington, dated Philadelphia, April 1st, 1776, Mr
John Adams speaks of him in the following terms.

"The bearer of this letter, Mr Francis Dana, is a gentleman of family,
fortune, and education, returned in the last packet from London, where
he has been about a year. He has ever maintain