ired from several
publications; but minute and accurate details are necessary to answer
political purposes; and as you have much leisure, an ample support,
and the means of acquiring this information, with the ability to
employ those means to the best advantage, I must again request you to
impose this task upon yourself, and to consider it as a standing
instruction, to write at least once a week on these subjects.

I have nothing to add as to general intelligence, since my last, but
that Congress have ordered that furloughs be granted to about two
thirds of the army. And that we have some reason to complain of the
infraction of the seventh article of the provisional treaty; Sir Guy
Carleton having sent off numbers of slaves under pretence of having
come in under proclamation, which gave them their freedom, and they
could not be within the letter or spirit of the article.

I have the honor to be, &c.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

FOOTNOTES:

[26] "_In Congress, May 22d, 1783._ Resolved, that Mr Dana be
instructed, in case he has not already proceeded too far in the
commercial treaty between the United States of America and Russia,
that the treaty be limited to the term of fifteen years; and that the
same be subject to the revisal and approbation of Congress before they
shall be under obligations to accept or ratify it." For the
proceedings of Congress on the subject of Mr Dana's letters, see the
_Secret Journal_, Vol. III. pp. 344-354.

* * * * *

TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

St Petersburg, May 30th, 1783.

Sir,

I have already sent you three copies of the Memorial, which I
presented to the Vice Chancellor, Count Ostermann. There is no doubt,
now hostilities have ceased, but one of them at least will come safe
to hand. It has all along been uncertain to me what the effect of the
Memorial would be, that is, whether it would produce any change in her
Majesty's present plan of conduct towards the United States. I had in
view by it principally, to place our affairs in such a point of light,
that if her Majesty should persist in her answer, the dishonor of it,
if any, should not fall upon the United States.

The Memorial was as unexpected to the Vice Chancellor, as his answer
was to me, after the previous assurances I had received, that all
obstacles were removed. He expected