esolution of the
Province, so disagreeable to the Court, will be unanimous.

_December 24th._ I have just been confidentially informed, on
condition of my writing an account of the fact to my friends at Dort
and Amsterdam, that this morning the Prince went to declare to their
High Mightinesses, that, on the resolution of Zealand, taken on the
report of the court of justice, although there was much to be said
relative to that report, he was ready, under leave of their High
Mightinesses, to transfer the prisoner Witte from the hands of the
High Council of War to those of the court of justice. On which the
Grand Pensionary first protested with a loud voice, that it was
necessary to wait till Friday for the resolution of the Sovereign
thereon; and then, in a low voice, he intimated to the President, that
it might be done by a majority. The prisoner will, therefore, be
transferred to night.

On Wednesday last, a courier despatched from hence to anticipate the
demand of the court of justice, arrived at Cleves the same night,
caused the gates to be opened, the three conspirators, who were abed,
to be called, conducted them hastily out by the other gate, and after
going some distance on foot, stowed them away in a carriage, which,
according to appearances, carried them to Hanover.

_December 26th._ The accompanying note I sent to M. Van der Hoop,
Fiscal of the Admiralty of Amsterdam, in consequence of the request
presented at Amsterdam by the agents of an American letter of marque.
My demand of a passport for these people, to protect them from being
made prisoners when ashore, has been granted. I congratulate myself,
that my first public measure has been, like all my other measures,
_secundum libertatem_. It has been suggested to me to make another
against a certain libel, "_The Magic Lantern_," in which America and
her worthy Plenipotentiary here have been roughly handled. I replied,
that I would do nothing, which could afford any pretext for violating
the liberty of the press; of which the present instance of abuse
deserved only contempt.

I am, &c.

DUMAS.

* * * * *

TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

The Hague, January 11th, 1783.

Sir,

This morning their Noble and Grand Mightinesses adopted a resolution
conformable to the report hereto annexed, relative to the