act of friendship as would strike the
senses of the people. But alas! this is too daring for your Councils,
and is rather to be wished than expected.

It gives me pain to inform you, that Lieutenant-Colonel Bedaulx is
dead. It will, however, be some consolation to his friends, (in whose
sorrows I sympathise) to hear, after what has been injuriously
repeated to them, that his reputation was untarnished, and that he
died, with the character of a man of honor and a soldier, fighting in
the cause of freedom at Savannah.[45]

Congress are very sensible of your attention to their interest, and
wish the situation of their finances would admit of their rewarding it
more liberally, but having retrenched expenses of every kind, and
reduced the salaries as low as the strictest frugality requires, they
do not think it expedient at this time to make any additions to that
allowed you by Dr Franklin, which they will direct him to pay
regularly. You will be pleased in future to direct your letters, not
to the President, but to me, as Secretary of the States for Foreign
Affairs; and when you favor us with anything written in French or
Dutch, to give it in the original language. This may save you some
trouble, and enable us in quoting it to make use of the original
expression, which you know is often very necessary. As you appear to
labor under a mistake, with respect to Mr Searle, I take the liberty
to inform you that he is not a member of Congress, his delegation
having expired before he left America. I cannot close my letter
without congratulating you on the spirit and gallantry of Admiral
Zoutman, and his officers and men. Had Britain known that your Van
Tromps and De Ruyters were still alive, she would have thought the
treasures of your islands too dearly purchased by provoking their
resentment.

It will give you pleasure to hear that the British have been foiled in
every quarter of this country. A considerable body of them with a
number of Indians, who crossed the lakes from Canada upon a ravaging
expedition, with no nobler view than that of burning farm houses, and
scalping women and children, were met twice and defeated, with
considerable loss in killed and prisoners, by _an inferior number of
militia_.

Congress are engaged in preparations for the most vigorous exertions
as soon as the spring shall open, from which, by the blessings of
Divine Providence, we have the highest reason to promise ourselves
success.

I am, Si