policy, even if we gave up more to France in other respects, to
prevent her appearing in the treaty as in any respect the
champion of America, or as having made any claims for her; we
giving her up everything she wants equally, and her future
confidence and alliance being such an object to us. Were I the
Minister, I would give France an island or two to choose, if it
would expose her selfishness, sooner than let her gain the
_esteem of the Americans_ by claiming anything essential for
them in apparent preference to her own interest and ambition.
All people, of all descriptions, in America, will read the
treaty of peace, whenever it comes, which France shall make with
this country; and if they should see there that she has claimed
and got a good deal for herself, but has not appeared to have
thought of them, however they may have profited in fact, it
would certainly give us a great advantage in those sort of
arguments and competitions which will arise after a peace;
whereas if it appears as a stipulated demand on the part of
France that America should be independent, it will for ever be a
most handy record and argument for the French party in that
country to work with; and this, as things stand now, and as far
as my poor judgment goes, appears not to be a very difficult
thing to have either way. And so these are my politics on that
subject for you.

You will find Rodney has taken some more ships. The unluckiness
of his recal, I think, appears to increase in its ill effect;
and people don't seem to fancy Pigott. Rolle has given notice
that he will move on Thursday to know who advised His Majesty to
recal Rodney; and out of doors the talk is the same. Charles
gave Johnson, who had been very violent on this subject the
other day, an excellent trimming; but there was a good deal of
coy with the other.

The arming plan don't seem to take at all. We have not yet heard
from Ireland since Burgoyne took them over a constitution.[1]

There is nothing odd or new to tell you, but that here is a most
untimely strange sort of an influenza which every creature
catches. You must not mind the badness of my scrawl: and let me
hear from you. Does Lafayette join your consultation dinners
with Franklin, as some of our Roupell intelligence sets forth? I
take it for granted the French