am sure that the picture would be worth more to England,
than their subsidies to your hero, the Margrave of Hesse. We shall
never be the subjects of the British Crown, I believe, but unless
openly assisted by a power in Europe, we shall be an impoverished
people, unable to distress our enemies abroad, or to assist our
friends. I am so confident myself of the interior weakness of England,
that I would sacrifice my life on the issue, that if France, Spain,
and the Emperor, would only agree to acknowledge the independence of
the United States, there would not be occasion to strike a blow; from
that moment the credit of England would be no more inspirited by such
a resolution taken in our favor in Europe; we would drive her armies
from America, and soon her fleets from our coasts; but these generous
resolutions subsist not in European politics. I hoped to have soon
seen you, but your last letter, and one from Sir George Grand, have
altered my resolution on that head. I have been laboring here to put
you in such a situation as to enable you to follow the dictates of
your own generous hearts in serving us more effectually, but the
torpedo has struck us too.

Adieu,

WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.

* * * * *

THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO C. W. F. DUMAS.

Philadelphia, May 8th, 1777.

Sir,

We have received your several favors to the first of May,[27] and
shall always have a grateful memory of your sentiments and exertions
in our cause. But as we have new Commissioners settled in France, we
think it needless that you should be at the trouble of forwarding to
us from time to time, that collection of papers, which we formerly
mentioned to you. We shall inform our friends at Paris of our opinion
on this head, and leave it to them to point out the way in which your
zeal may be most useful to them and us, with the least degree of
trouble to yourself and injury to your domestic interests.

The humility of the Count de Welderen's Memorial seems to have been
followed by some positive orders to our disadvantage in the West
Indies. We doubt not you will continue to give our Commissioners at
Paris the fullest information on all such points, from whom we shall
consequently obtain it.

We have the honor to be, &c.

BENJ. HARRISON,