tries; and, besides this certain
advantage, they may obtain another as a consequence of that, of
infinite importance to this country, viz. that the Europeans seeing
their West India commodities undersold here by the Americans, may find
it necessary to set the commerce of these islands and countries free;
and to permit the productions of them to be exported directly to any
foreign ports in Europe, and that it is not improbable that such a
revolution in commerce will take place.

I have the honor to be, &c.

FRANCIS DANA.

* * * * *

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON TO FRANCIS DANA.

Philadelphia, November 7th, 1782.

Dear Sir,

Since my last, a duplicate of which goes with this, I have been
favored with yours of March 5th and June 28th, by which I find some
of the inquiries made in my last answered. The reasons you have given
for not having taken any steps to display your public character are
judicious, and I hope will continue to influence your conduct till you
see the moment in which, with the advice of your correspondent, you
may do it to advantage.

You will continue to give us the politics of the Court you are at, and
of every other from which you can collect any authentic information,
which the enclosed resolution of the 17th of October makes more
peculiarly your duty.[25] I hope you have received the cypher I sent
to Mr Adams for you. Lest you should not, I enclose one. If you have
received either of the others, use the large printed one, which you
will find much safer than the other, as well as more easy in the
practice. The large one is also designed as a common cypher between Mr
Adams and you. So that you may communicate freely with each other,
from which you may find mutual advantages.

I also enclose several resolutions of Congress declaratory of their
determination in no event to conclude a peace without the concurrence
of their allies. As it is for the honor of the United States, that
their sentiments on this subject should be known, you will make such
communication of them as your prudence will direct. In my last, you
have a copy of Carleton and Digby's letter to General Washington, in
which they say, that they are authorised to declare that his
Britannic Majesty has proposed the unconditional independence of
America as preliminary to a peace. This change in the Brit