ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

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TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Philadelphia, February 26th, 1783.

Sir,

I have the honor to lay before Congress a letter received yesterday
from Mr Dana. I must confess, I am at a loss to discover any reason
for detaining that gentleman longer at a Court, where it is, as he
justly observes, improbable that he can be publicly acknowledged till
Britain has no longer any objections to such acknowledgment. After
which a treaty can be concluded, if necessary, here or at the Hague; a
commission for that purpose being sent to Mr Adams, with as much ease
as at Petersburg. Congress will then judge whether it will be proper
to have a Minister at the Court of St Petersburg, or whether a
Resident, with consular powers, will not answer all their purposes,
and save expense.

The desire which Mr Dana expresses to return, takes from me the
delicacy I before felt in stating this matter so fully to Congress. I
also enclose, in obedience to the commands of Congress, a list of the
names, titles, salaries, and places of residence, of the officers of
the United States, employed in the Department of Foreign Affairs.

I take the liberty to remind Congress that a variety of matters, which
have been submitted by me, remain yet not acted upon; and that the
business of the office is very much obstructed as well by this delay,
as by the detention of the letters and papers which refer to them. As
this has probably been occasioned by a change in the Committees, I
humbly submit to Congress the propriety of directing them to be filled
up.

I have the honor to be, Sir, &c.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

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TO GEORGE WASHINGTON.

Philadelphia, February 26th, 1783.

Dear Sir,

In compliance with the directions of Congress, contained in the
enclosed resolution, I have the honor to inform your Excellency, that
our last despatches, dated in October, announce a disposition in the
belligerent powers to terminate the war by a general peace. The Court
of London, whose sincerity was most suspected, because it was to make
the greatest sacrifices, appears to have smoothed the way by the
commission to Mr Oswald (which your Excellency has seen,) empower