erogate, by consequence, explicitly from the 2d, 3d, 8th and 9th
articles of your treaty of alliance with France, so justly admired;
would degrade your power, your credit, your dignity; would open the
door to distrust, to dissensions, to corruption and treachery among
yourselves, to combinations against you in Europe; would put you under
the necessity of keeping a standing army, &c. &c. &c. God preserve the
United States from this Pandora's box! If ever Congress could have had
a thought, in the most difficult times, to have recourse to this
dangerous palliative of the evils of war, the present moment should
inspire it with one very different, which will infallibly bring to
terms an enemy fatigued, exhausted and ruined, and will assure to the
United States, with peace, the respect, the regard and friendship of
all powers. An unbounded solicitude for the safety, the prosperity and
glory of the United States will serve, I hope, as an apology for the
boldness with which I dare to expose here my sentiments to Congress,
of whose firmness and magnanimity, as well as of those of its
ministers, I have an idea as great, in proportion, as my opinion of
the intentions of the enemy and of its favorers, is small.

The Academy of Franequer in Friesland has caused to be exhibited on
occasion of a celebration in honor of the connexion between the United
States and this Republic, beautiful fire works, with an illumination.
On a triumphal arch you may read this distich;

Plus valet una dies, quae libera ducitur, acta,
Quam mali sub domini saecula mille jugo.

There has been struck at Leuwarde in Friesland, to perpetuate the same
event, and all that was resolved in their Provincial Diets of February
and April last, a medal representing a Frieslander stretching out his
right hand to an American, in token of fraternity, and rejecting with
his left the advances made to him by an Englishman. We are invited to
dinner on Sunday by the French Ambassador, who augurs better than we
do of Grenville's mission. God grant that he may be right.

I have the honor to be, &c.

DUMAS.

* * * * *

TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

The Hague, August 16th, 1782.

Sir,

At length the treaty of commerce has passed, and was approved day
before yesterday in the States of Holland; and the States-