and Lambe. In order
that you may examine whether yours corresponds, I will now translate
into cypher the three first lines of my letter of June the 14th.

[_Here follow three lines of cypher numbers._]

This will serve to show whether your cypher corresponds with mine, as
well as my manner of using it. But I shall not use it in future, till I
know from you the result of your re-examination of it. I have the honor
now, to return you the letter you had been so good as to enclose to me.
About the same time of Liston's conversation with you, similar ones
were held with me by Mr. Eden. He particularly questioned me on the
effect of our treaty with France, in the case of a war, and what might
be our dispositions. I told him without hesitation, that our treaty
obliged us to receive the armed vessels of France, with their prizes,
into our ports, and to refuse the admission of prizes made on her by
her enemies; that there was a clause by which we guaranteed to France
her American possessions, and which might, perhaps, force us into the
war, if these were attacked. "Then it will be war," said he, "for they
will assuredly be attacked." I added, that our dispositions would be to
be neutral, and that I thought it the interest of both those powers
that we should be so, because it would relieve both from all anxiety as
to the feeding their West India islands, and England would, moreover,
avoid a heavy land war on our continent, which would cripple all her
proceedings elsewhere. He expected these sentiments from me personally,
and he knew them to be analogous to those of our country. We had often
before had occasions of knowing each other: his peculiar bitterness
towards us had sufficiently appeared, and I had never concealed from
him, that I considered the British as our natural enemies, and as the
only nation on earth who wished us ill from the bottom of their souls.
And I am satisfied, that were our continent to be swallowed up by the
ocean, Great Britain would be in a bonfire from one end to the other.
Mr. Adams, as you know, has asked his recall. This has been granted,
and Colonel Smith is to return too; Congress having determined to put
an end to their commission at that court. I suspect and hope they will
make no new appointment.

Our new Constitution is powerfully attacked in the American newspapers.
The objections are, that its effect would be to form the thirteen
States into one; that, proposing to melt all down into one g