s country
in Holland, to assist Prince Gallitzin in it. But, from everything I
can learn, there is not the least probability of its succeeding. I am
told it is not even expected by any of her Majesty's Ministers.

However this in fact may be, so long as her Majesty continues to
tender her mediation, partial or general, so long it appears to me
prudent for us to refrain from making any open advances. For however
strongly convinced her Majesty may be, that our independence is now
laid on a foundation, which Britain can never destroy or shake,
however clearly she may see that the freedom of the commerce and of
the navigation of Europe absolutely depend upon the severance of
America from the British Empire, and however beneficial she may
suppose a direct and free commerce with America would be to her
Empire, yet she could not consistently with the character of a
mediator, form any political connexions with the United States, or
manifest an attachment to their interests. She would, therefore, feel
herself under a necessity to reject any propositions we have to make
to her, if made under such circumstances. And though we could be
assured that this rejection would be made with as much delicacy, or
as much respect to the United States as the case would admit of, yet
is it not advisable to delay making any open advances till this
business of mediation should be entirely done away, and not
unnecessarily expose ourselves to a repulse; which, it is probable,
would in the end rather retard than advance our business?

By these and similar sentiments, I have been hitherto induced not to
make the communication spoken of in my former despatches from hence. I
hope my conduct in this respect will be approved by Congress.
Notwithstanding what I have said above, if I really thought with my
correspondent, that her Imperial Majesty had adopted the system
mentioned in his letter to me of the 12th of September, viz. "Not to
acknowledge the independence of the United States till Britain herself
had done it," I should soon bring the business to a conclusion, and
take my leave of this Court; not thinking it conformable to the views
of Congress to support a Minister at a Court, which should adopt and
be likely to persevere in such a system.

You seem desirous of my sentiments upon the state of affairs,
particularly relative to the mediation, whether general or partial. I
have given them to you on that head very briefly above, and I can only
add