eene,
which has been followed by the re-establishment of the governments of
South Carolina and Georgia, in which States, though the enemy hold one
or two posts, yet they have no command of the country. The other still
more signal, by the allied arms of France and America over Lord
Cornwallis, in Virginia. By the latter, near seven thousand men,
including seamen, fell into our hands; and about one hundred vessels,
above fifty of them square rigged.

You will not fail to make the best use of this intelligence, which
must fix our independence, not only beyond all doubt, but even beyond
all controversy. I should have mentioned to you, that besides the
troops and seamen abovementioned, the enemy lost during the siege of
Yorktown, including those that were taken, upwards of two thousand
negroes. The naval force of France in these seas under the command of
the Count de Grasse, amounts to thirtyfour sail of the line, that of
the British to twentyfour. Both fleets have lately sailed, the one
from New York, the other from the Chesapeake. We daily expect to hear
of their meeting, and promise ourselves a second victory, since every
advantage is on the side of the French. Should they think it more
advisable to go to the West Indies, the Islands must fall an easy prey
to them, as the whole British fleet is at present on this coast, nor
will it be in their power to follow immediately, as Sir Henry Clinton
with the best part of the troops from New York are on board the fleet,
which, on the very day that Cornwallis surrendered, left New York for
his relief. These must be brought back and re-landed, which will be a
work of some time.

It is of importance to you to know that the spirit of opposition to
the independence of this country, which was languishing when you left
it, has been growing weaker ever since, and may now be said to be
quite extinct. To this, the settled form that our governments have
assumed, the success of our arms, and above all, the shocking
barbarity of the British, have greatly contributed.

As this letter goes by an uncertain conveyance, and as, indeed, I have
hardly yet entered upon my office, having only been qualified a few
days since, I do not think it prudent to proceed to any minute
discussions. I can only tell you, that the people here entertain the
highest respect for the Court you are at. They consider the plan of
the armed neutrality as the best proof of an enlarged and generous
policy, and look upon