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all, as well as the obvious inconveniences that may attend such previous handling of points, that are to be considered when we come to treat regularly, is with me a still more effectual discouragement, and determines me to waive that part of the correspondence.

As to Digges, I have no confidence in him, nor in any thing he says, or may say, of his being sent by ministers. Nor will I have any communication with him; except in receiving and considering the justification of himself, which he pretends he shall be able and intends to make, for his excessive drafts on me, on account of the relief I have ordered to the prisoners, and his embezzlement of the money.

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You justly observe, in yours, of the 12th, that the first object is, to procure a "meeting of qualified and authorized persons," and that you understand the ministry will be ready to proceed towards opening a negotiation as soon as the bill shall pass, and therefore it is necessary to consult time and place, and manner and persons, on each side. This you wrote while the old ministry existed. If the new have the same intentions, and desire a general peace, they may easily discharge Mr. Laurens from those engagements, which make his acting in the commission improper; and, except Mr. Jefferson, who remains in America, and is not expected here, we, the Commissioners of Congress, can easily be got together ready to meet yours, at such place as shall be agreed to by the powers at war, in order to form the treaty. God grant, that there may be wisdom enough assembled to make, if possible, a peace that shall be perpetual, and that the idea of any nations being natural enemies to each other may be abolished, for the honor of human nature.

With regard to those, who may be commissioned from your government, whatever personal preferences

I may conceive in my own mind, it cannot become me to express them. I only wish for wise and honest With such, a peace may be speedily concluded. With contentious wranglers, the negotiation may be drawn into length, and finally frustrated.

men.

I am pleased to see, in the votes and Parliamentary speeches, and in your public papers, that, in mentioning America, the word reconciliation is often used. It certainly means more than a mere peace. It is a sweet expression. Revolve in your mind, my dear friend, the means of bringing about this reconciliation. When you consider the injustice of your war with us, and the barbarous manner in which it has been carried on, the many suffering families among us from your burning of towns, scalping by savages, &c. &c., will it not appear to you, that though a cessation of the war may be a peace, it may not be a reconciliation? Will not some voluntary acts of justice, and even of kindness on your part, have excellent effects towards producing such a reconciliation? Can you not find means of repairing in some degree those injuries? You have in England and Ireland twelve hundred of our people prisoners, who have for years bravely suffered all the hardships of that confinement, rather than enter into your service, to fight against their country. Methinks you ought to glory in descendants of such virtue. What if you were to begin your measures of reconciliation by setting them at liberty? I know it would procure for you the liberty of an equal number of your people, even without a previous stipulation; and the confidence in our equity, with the apparent good will in the action, would give very good impressions of your change of disposition towards us. Perhaps you have no knowledge of the opinions lately conceived of your King and country, in America; the enclosed copy of

a letter will make you a little acquainted with them, and convince you how impossible must be every project of bringing us again under the dominion of such a sovereign. With great esteem, I am, dear Sir, &c. B. FRANKLIN.

FROM THE CHEVALIER DELFINO TO B. FRANKLIN.

Translation.

Paris, 6 April, 1782.

The Academy of Sciences and Arts in Padua desire to add the name of Franklin to those, with which the list of its members is already honored. The Chevalier Delfino, Venetian Ambassador, will be greatly flattered by being allowed to communicate this satisfaction to a rising institution, which enjoys the special protection of the government.

He joins his own solicitation to that of the Academicians, and has the honor to assure Dr. Franklin of his most sincere consideration.*

* The Society sent to him a diploma, of which the following is a translation.

"Padua, 20 December, 1781.

"Zeal in promoting the increase of all kinds of useful knowledge naturally unites in a general society all those who consecrate their talents to so noble a purpose; and the particular act of electing them into a learned assembly is properly but an acknowledgment of the original titles of their relationship.

"Among these, Dr. Franklin having distinguished himself eminently, and rendered himself equally memorable in natural philosophy and in politics, the Academy of Sciences, Letters, and Arts of Padua conceive it to be honoring themselves, when they number him among the twenty-four illustrious strangers, who, by their constitution, are to be associated into their body.

"The Society will be fully recompensed, if its labors in coöperating for the augmentation of science shall be such as that the eminent persons, whom it elects, may not regard among the smallest of literary

TO THE CHEVALIER DE CHASTELLUX.*

Change of Ministry in England. - Campaign in America. Count de Ségur.

DEAR SIR,

Passy, 6 April, 1782.

It gave me great pleasure to hear by the officers returned last winter from your army, that you continued in good health. You will see by the public papers that the English begin to be weary of the war, and they have reason, having suffered many losses, having four nations of enemies on their hands, few men to spare, little money left, and very bad heads. The latter they have lately changed. As yet we know not what measures their new ministry will take. People generally think they will be employed by the King to extricate him from his present difficulties, by obtaining a peace, and that then he will kick them out again; they being all men that he abominates, and who have been forced upon him by the Parliament.

The Commons have already made a sort of half peace with us Americans, by forbidding their troops on the Continent to act offensively; and by a new law they have empowered the King to complete it. As yet I hear nothing of the terms they mean to propose; indeed, they have had hardly time to form them. I know they wish to detach us from France; but that is impossible.

honors, that which, on the part of the Society, is only a solemn act of adherence to its own judgment, and attention to the voice of fame.

"LEOPOLDO M. M. CALDANI, President.

"MATTEO STRANNOIA, Sec. for the Sciences. "MELCHIOR CESAROTTI, Sec. for Literature.”

At this time with the French army in America.

I congratulate you on the success of your last glorious campaign. Establishing the liberties of America will not only make that people happy, but will have some effect in diminishing the misery of those, who in other parts of the world groan under despotism, by rendering it more circumspect, and inducing it to govern with a lighter hand. A philosopher, endowed with those strong sentiments of humanity, that are manifested in your excellent writings,* must enjoy great satisfaction in having contributed so extensively by his sword, as well as by his pen, to the félicité publique.

M. le Comte de Ségur has desired of me a line of recommendation to you. I consider his request rather as a compliment to me, than as asking what may be of use to him; since I find that all who know him here esteem and love him, and he is certainly not unknown to you.

- Dare I confess to you, that I am your rival with Madame G? I need not tell you, that I am not a dangerous one. I perceive that she loves you very much; and so does, dear Sir, yours, &c.

• B. FRANKlin.

SIR,

TO GEORGE WASHINGTON.

Introducing the Prince de Broglie.

Passy, 8 April, 1782.

I did myself the honor of writing to you a few days since by the Count de Ségur. This line is chiefly to present the Prince de Broglie to your Excellency, who goes over to join the army of M. de Rochambeau. He bears an excellent character here, is a hearty friend to

His principal work was entitled De la Félicité Publique.

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