s soon as I shall have
received the letters, which should have been brought by the Sybil. It
is still possible that the Hermione may be charged with them.

I proposed to have the honor, at the first opportunity, of conversing
with you upon a circumstance, which it is desirable that Congress
should alter. In the State of Massachusetts there is no Marshal of the
Court of Admiralty. The custom in that State is, to put into the hands
of the agent of the _libellant_ the effects _libelled_, and the
proceeds of their sale, if it has taken place. This practice has
already been attended with great inconveniences, as it respects French
merchants, and particularly as it respects a Spanish vessel, the
owners of which, it is thought, have lost from twentyfive to thirty
thousand pounds sterling, merely because the contested property had
not been put into the hands of a responsible public officer. You will
be better able, Sir, than I am, to judge by what means these
inconveniences may be remedied.

I have the honor to be, &c.

LUZERNE.

* * * * *

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON TO M. DE LA LUZERNE.

Office of Foreign Affairs, January 24th, 1782.

Sir,

Reflecting that our not communicating the resolutions of the 22d to
you, when we send them to Dr Franklin, might appear to the Count de
Vergennes to betray a want of confidence in you, which I am persuaded
Congress do not entertain, I am led to consider my not having received
instructions to communicate them as a mere accidental omission, and
accordingly take upon me to enclose a copy of them. You will, I
presume, put them in cypher before they are sent off. To give you
leisure to do it, I have not sent them to your house, but have ordered
my servant to find you at the Assembly.

I have the honor to be, &c.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

* * * * *

TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

Translation.

Philadelphia, January 25th, 1782.

Sir,

I have the honor of sending back the resolution of Congress of the 22d
instant, and of thanking you for this communication. The letters
which I have had to write to France, in answer to those which I
received by the Sibyl, being now finished, I shall have the ho