rmined to have nothing to do with it, even if I could not obtain a
commercial treaty without acceding to it, as was the case with
Portugal.

I pray you to be pleased to acquaint Congress, that I shall improve
the earliest opportunity to leave this country and to return to
America. Happily, I shall have a very good one in three weeks or a
month, in the yacht of the Dutchess of Kingston, which will sail from
hence for Boston, where I hope to arrive in all November. I have not
received the letter from Mr Morris, which you mention.

I have the honor to be, &c.

FRANCIS DANA.

FOOTNOTES:

[28] "Resolved, That Mr Dana having intimated his intention of
returning to America, Congress do approve of the same; provided he
should not be engaged in a negotiation with the Court of St Petersburg
at the time of receiving this resolution, in which case, it is the
desire of Congress that he should finish such negotiation before he
returns."

* * * * *

TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

St Petersburg, August 8th, 1783.

Sir,

In my last, I acknowledged the receipt of yours of the 1st of May,
enclosing the resolution of Congress of the 1st of April, relative to
my returning to America, and I acquainted you, at the same time, that
I should take my passage directly from hence for Boston, in the yacht
of the Dutchess of Kingston. It being necessary immediately to prepare
for the voyage, I thought it but decent to inform the Vice Chancellor
of this change before it should become public, and have this day
written a letter to him for that purpose, of which the following is a
copy.

TO HIS EXCELLENCY COUNT OSTERMANN.

"I do myself the honor to acquaint your Excellency, that having
obtained the permission of the Congress of the United States to return
to America, I propose to leave this Empire in a few weeks. And as her
Imperial Majesty has been pleased to postpone granting me an audience
for the purpose of presenting my letters of credence, till the
conclusion of the definitive treaties of peace, under the mediation of
their Imperial Majesties, though that event should take place before
my departure, yet if would be unnecessary to trouble her Imperial
Majesty with that ceremony, when it must be soon followed with
another. I have thought it incumbent upon me to inform y