eir own dignity, they can neither
retreat or remain on the same ground. The independence of the United
States was certainly the basis of the first plan of pacification, and
I have no great fears, that it will be departed from.

I have lately been told by a person, who certainly knew the truth of
the matter, in so confident a manner that I have no room to doubt it,
that it was a secret part of the original plan of the armed
neutrality, as soon as it should be completed, that the neutral
confederated powers should propose a general pacification between the
belligerent powers, which it was supposed could not be brought about
otherwise than by leaving America free and independent, and to enforce
this proposition by their joint armaments; and that so long ago as in
May, 1780, if Holland had done her part, affairs were then in all
other quarters in a proper train to have carried the whole plan into
execution; but unfortunately for her British influence was too great
there, and instead of doing the business at once, they entered upon
the parade of sending a brace of Ambassadors to this Court, not with a
view to finish, but at least to delay it. Holland, in fact, did not
accede to the Marine Convention, which was first entered into by
Russia and Denmark on the 9th of July, 1780, and next by Sweden on the
21st of the same month, until the 20th of November following, and it
was not signed on their part till the 5th of last January. All this
time her navy was neglected, and the mischiefs she has suffered are
not the only ones consequent upon her tardiness and inactivity. For
Britain has been thereby enabled for a while to detach Denmark from
the confederation, or at least to make that Court indifferent in the
business of it. It was but a short time after it had adopted the plan
before it made a breach upon it by including in a treaty with Britain,
hemp, &c. among contraband articles. From that time the spirit of the
confederation seems to have languished. The Danish Minister most
interested in it has been superseded. Count Panin, who in this Court,
it is said, was its principal support, retired. It is true, he has
lately returned to Court, but has not assumed his former office of
Chief Minister in the Department of Foreign Affairs, though he is
still of the Privy Council. My information about the share he has in
those affairs is very different; by some I am told, he has little or
no influence in them, by others, that he possesses