xclusive possession of the Gulf of Mexico is the favorite
object, and that if they cannot obtain it by a connexion with the
United States, they will endeavor to procure it, by a general, if not
by a separate peace, to which the King's good faith is, perhaps, at
present the greatest obstacle. The Congress knows best the situation
of their affairs, and I hope it may be such as to enable them to
preserve the rights of all the States.

As I have frequent occasions of seeing the foreign Ministers here, and
their Secretaries, I am too often obliged to remark their partiality
for Great Britain, and jealousy of the house of Bourbon, particularly
those of Russia, Vienna, Sardinia, Portugal, and Holland. Some of
these, in my opinion, are the best spies England employs here.
Jealousy on the one hand, and on the other compassion and admiration,
begin to take the place of envy and interest. The transition from
these to friendship and support is not difficult, if their masters do
not differ in sentiments from their servants. Our perseverance, vigor,
and exertions occasion a hesitation with respect to the event of the
war, which augments or diminishes in proportion to their ideas of the
intentions of this Court, which leads me to think it probable, that
if Spain would enter into positive engagements with the United States,
the hopes of the enemy to divide the allies would be at an end; the
neutral powers would think our independence certain, and would
endeavor to terminate the war, while Great Britain is in such a
situation as to be able to preserve her other possessions.

Should the situation of affairs in America be in a worse situation
than I hope they are, and should the Congress judge it necessary for
their establishment to make further advances and sacrifices, permit me
to take the liberty of observing, that these offers should be
accompanied with a proviso of this Court's avowing the independence of
the States immediately, otherwise the offers should be considered as
null, and no pretensions formed thereon in a treaty for a general
peace. At the same time, it might suit the States to procure a sum in
specie from the Spanish settlements in America, and to obtain certain
advantages of preference in the admission of the produce of their
fisheries into the ports of Spain. I think it my duty to write you
fully and freely the sentiments which arise from the opportunity of
information you have given me, and should be happy to give yo