I am, Dear Sir, your sincere friend, &c.

FRANCIS DANA.

* * * * *

EDMUND JENNINGS TO FRANCIS DANA.

Brussels, May 3d, 1781.

Dear Sir,

I had the honor of receiving your letters of the 26th and 29th ultimo,
by the last post, containing a most obliging invitation to accompany
you on some intended tour. It came upon me quite unexpected, and when
I had arranged matters to go a very different course, and therefore
embarrassed me much. However your very kind manner of holding up to me
the most flattering object that I have or ought to have, the service
of my country, determined me immediately to accept of your invitation,
and I am now laboring hard to settle my little matters, here and
elsewhere, that I may present myself to you at Amsterdam, without loss
of time. I am afraid, however, that I shall not be able to accomplish
it before the middle of next week. Should you think you ought not to
stay so long, I beg, that no consideration for me should prevent you
from making that despatch, which the public service may require.

I am, with the greatest respect, &c.

EDMUND JENNINGS.

* * * * *

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Amsterdam, May 13th, 1781.

Sir,

I do myself the honor to transmit to your Excellency the duplicates of
the papers, which have been already sent from France. To these are
added others, which will give to Congress precise information of
everything, which has hitherto taken place relative to my late
appointment, that can be of any importance to them to know.

I shall not trouble you with observations upon any of them, except the
letter of Dr Franklin, and merely to correct one or two mistakes in
his account of my conference with the Count de Vergennes. The Doctor
says, "when I mentioned that I might appear to have _views of
commerce, as a merchant_, or of curiosity as a traveller," &c.--"that
there was a gentleman in Petersburg with whom some _in America_ had a
correspondence, who had given hints of the utility," &c.--"and that I
could _perhaps by means of that gentleman_ make acquaintance," &c.
Persuaded as I was from the beginning, that it could not be for the
interest of our country, tha