nor has
the confederation or the constitutions of the several States, which
you say you have sent me, and which would be very acceptable to me,
ever come to hand, and as you have not mentioned through what channel
you sent them, I know not where to apply for them. I have written to
Paris and Holland for them in vain.

I have the honor to be, &c.

FRANCIS DANA.

* * * * *

TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

St Petersburg, July 8th, 1783.

Sir,

After the departure of her Imperial Majesty for Fredericksham, as
mentioned in my last, the Vice Chancellor communicated to the foreign
Ministers the information, that their Imperial Majesties had concluded
an alliance offensive and defensive against the Porte. Thus it is now
become certain, that the Emperor will take a part in this new war; the
consequence of which will be, as I have supposed in some of my former
letters, a general war on the continent of Europe.

A courier has been sent from hence with a similar communication as
above, to the Courts of Berlin and Versailles, which Courts having
been apprehensive of such an event, are, doubtless, prepared to meet
it, and oppose themselves to the execution of the project of the
Imperial Courts, which is nothing short of what was supposed to be in
agitation, by my letter of the 30th of March, 1782, particularly by
the first sentence of it relative to that subject, to which I beg
leave again to refer you for more particular information. Last
Saturday, a courier arrived from Versailles for the French Minister,
which was sent from thence in consequence of the same matter being
communicated there by the Minister of the Emperor, that from this
Court had not then arrived. I am told his Most Christian Majesty
expresses in a firm tone his surprise at the Empress's seizing upon
the Crimea, and demands an explanation upon that subject, concluding,
however, with an offer of his mediation between her Imperial Majesty
and the Porte for settling their differences and pretensions. But it
is evident the sword alone must decide these.

Sometime in last February, France having information of the project
formed against the Porte, remonstrated in strong terms against it to
the Emperor, upon which, as is said, he gave full assurances that he
had not any such design as was imputed to him. This gave r