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Show [102] [103] it mull he on our own terms, provided the people of Amen rica are {enhble of their true intercits, and the i'cprelci‘ita- " ALTHOUGH we have no doubt of his Itiajelly's difpoiition to remove every fubject of uneaiineli‘. from the co- tires of America have patience, firmnelis and dilcernment THE coneife a ){VVCI' which Congrefs had given to the lonies, yet there are Circunnlances of. precaution againlt our ancient enemies, which,joined to the regard that mult he paid to _the lirfety of many, who, from attic-el‘ion to Great-Britain, have expoftd tlkmlelves to llll'ltl‘ in this contefl‘, and, to whom Great-Britain owes {upport at Britii'h Corn' linioners, placed them in a very diiagreeable every expence of blood and treafure, that will not allow to Like proper advantage ol‘ their own lituation and en‘- cunntanccs. flirtation7 and therefore it became ncceflary for them to make tome etl‘orts to get out of it. For this put‘pofe they {cut a letter, dated. at New-York, the 11th of July, 17782 which was received and read in Congrels the 18th, in the following)~ words; ' GENTLEMEN, " 3/? 7 E received {oen after our arrival at this place, (gall/HUN us to begin with this meai‘ure. How foon it may follow the tirlt advances to peace on your part, will depend on the favourable prolpefl you give of a reconciliation with your fellow citizens of this Continent and with thofc in Britain. In the mean time we allure you that no Circumllance will give us more fittisfae‘lion, than to find that the extent of our future connection is to be deter- mined on principles ofmere realhn and the conliderations of mutual interell, on whicn we are willing likewiie to / your anfwer to our litter of the 10th .Ot June, and ETC lorry to lind on your part any difficulties railed tell the permanency of any arrangements we may form. which mull prolong:r the calamities ot‘the prefent war. " YOU propofe to us as matter ofchoice one or other‘of " IN making the e declarations we do not wait for the decilion of any military events. Having determined our judgement by what we believe to be the intereli's of our two alternatives, which you ltate as preliminaries necefia- country, we {hall abide by the declarations we now make ry men to the b43$llllllflg of a negociation for peace to this empire. in every pofflble lituation of our all'airs. " ()NE is an explicit acknowledgment of the Independence oiithele States. VVe are not inclined to tlilptite with you about the meaning of words: But to far as you mean in," entire privilege or" the people of North America to dif- pate oi" their proper y, and to govern themfclves without any relierence to Great-Britain, beyond what is necdlary to i‘ftil‘lVC that union of {(JI‘CC, in which our mutual liifety and advantage cenhl't : Vvie think, that {0 far, their 111- dependency is fully acknowledgid in the terms of our letter of the 10th of June. And we are willing to enter up- on a iiair dilcui'lion with you, of all the circumfiances that may be necefiaiy to cnt‘ure or even to enlarge that Indes . penuency. " It: the other alternative you propofe, that his l‘vlrxjefly' flinuld Withdraw his fleets and his armies. " ALTHOUGH. " YOU refer to treaties already fuhiif'ting, but are pleated to with-hold from us any particular information in refpeft to their nature or tendency. " IF they are in any degree to afFeE't our deliberations, we think that you cannot refufe a full Communication of the particulars in which they Conlii't, both for our confi- deration and that of your own conl'tituents, who are to judge between us whether any alliance you may have con- tracted be 21 Efficient reafon for continuing this unnatural War. We likewife think orirleIV'es entitled to a full com- munication of the powers by which you conceive yourfelves authorifed to make treaties with foreign nations. " AND we are led to afk fatisfaétion on this point, hecaufe we have oblerved in your propolM articles of confederation, No. 6 and 9, it is {fated that you fliould‘havc the |
