have referred the settlement of the claim of South
Carolina for the use of their frigate, to Mr. Gardoqui, and to the
Delegates of South Carolina in Congress.

I had the honor to inform you, in my last letter, of the parliament's
being transferred to Troyes. To put an end to the tumults in Paris,
some regiments were brought nearer, the patroles were strengthened and
multiplied, some mutineers punished by imprisonment: it produced the
desired effect. It is confidently believed, however, that the
parliament will be immediately recalled, the stamp tax and land tax
repealed, and other means devised of accommodating their receipts and
expenditures. Those supposed to be in contemplation, are a rigorous
levy of the old tax of the _deux vingtiemes_, on the rich, who had, in
a great measure, withdrawn their property from it, as well as on the
poor, on whom it had principally fallen. This will greatly increase the
receipts; while they are proceeding on the other hand, to reform their
expenses far beyond what they had promised. It is said these
reformations will amount to eighty millions. Circumstances render these
measures more and more pressing. I mentioned to you in my last letter,
that the officer charged by the ministry to watch the motion of the
British squadron, had returned with information that it had sailed
westwardly. The fact was not true. He had formed his conclusion too
hastily, and thus led the ministry into error. The King of Prussia,
urged on by England, has pressed more and more the affairs of Holland,
and lately has given to the States General of Holland, four days only
to comply with his demand. This measure would, of itself, have rendered
it impossible for France to proceed longer in the line of accommodation
with Prussia. In the same moment, an event takes place, which seems to
render all attempt at accommodation idle. The Turks have declared war
against the Russians, and that under circumstances which exclude all
prospect of preventing its taking place. The King of Prussia having
deserted his ancient friends, there remains only France and Turkey,
perhaps Spain also, to oppose the two empires, Russia and England. By
such a piece of Quixotism, France might plunge herself into ruin with
the Turks and Dutch, but would save neither. But there is certainly a
confederacy secretly in contemplation, of which the public have not yet
the smallest suspicion; that is, between France and the two empires. I
think it sure