ositive manner, and Congress
should be invited to confide its interests to the mediation. This
invitation is so much the more interesting as the negotiation relative
to America should go hand in hand with that of the Courts of Madrid
and Versailles, and by consequence the negotiations, although
separate, should commence at the same time. But who will invite the
Congress to treat with England? The King (of France) cannot, since the
first article excludes him from the negotiation. This task then can
only be executed by the mediators themselves. All that the King can
do, and that he will do with zeal and fidelity, is to invite the
Americans to the peace, and to facilitate it by every means, which
they believe compatible with their essential interests. But that the
King may take this step with safety and the hopes of success, and with
the certainty of not rendering himself suspected by the Americans, it
is necessary that he should first know the determination of the
mediators upon the observations now made to them, and that this
determination should be such as to secure to the United States their
political existence."

* * * * *

TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

St Petersburg, October 1st, 1781.

Sir,

In the project of a treaty, which France proposes to Russia, there is
an article to this effect;

"When the subjects of France shall carry in their own vessels French
goods into Russia, and shall exchange them for Russian goods, in such
cases there shall be a drawback of the duties, both of importation and
exportation, paid by the subjects of France."

France, to induce Russia to grant this, says, "France will want great
quantities of Russian goods, which, after the war, France will not be
obliged to take of Russia, for France can have the like from America,
and though perhaps not so cheap, yet it will be the interest of
France, if Russia should not grant this, to pay America fifteen or
twenty per cent more for the same articles; for this would enable
America to take off more French goods, and to pay France for them."
Hemp is particularly mentioned.

I pray you to keep this to yourself, and I have the honor to be, &c.

FRANCIS DANA.

* * * * *

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

St Petersb