tended to in your definitive treaty. It were to be wished that the ambiguity with respect to the time of the cessation of hostilities upon this coast was cleared up, and the construction we put upon it adopted, to wit, that by as far as the Canaries, was intended the latitude of the Canaries, which construction can be supported by a variety of arguments, and is extremely important to us, as a number of our vessels have been taken since the 3d of March.

I have the honor to be, &c.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

MR GRAND TO THE COMMISSIONERS.

Paris, May 10th, 1783.

Gentlemen,

It is some months ago since I had the honor to write you, and am well persuaded, although I received no answer thereto, that it will have engaged your attention. I earnestly wish it may have been productive of an improvement to the finances of Congress, which I then foresaw would be short of our wants, and which is, unfortunately, too much the case at present.

Last month, I remitted to the honorable Robert Morris, the state of his account; the balance of which was 413,892 livres 13c. 9s. due to me. This, added to the subsequent payments I had to make, would have thrown me into a state of perplexity, had it not been for the assistance given me by the Garde du Trésor Royal.

You will see, Gentlemen, by the statement I have the honor to enclose for your consideration, that the sums I am to pay, exceed by one million those that are to be paid

Morris' bill, there still remains a defect of 500,000 livres, independent of the allowance to be made for his usual wants, from January 24th (date of his last bills) up to the 12th of March.

I am happy to have it in my power to say, that I have exerted to this instant, all that my zeal and my faculties could suggest to me. Did the last keep pace with the former, I should never have applied but to them. However, the state of affairs is such now, that a resolution must be taken relative thereto; and, even, without delay; the bearers of Mr Morris's bills growing so urgent upon me, that rather than to have occasioned any difficulty before I could be informed of your resolution, I preferred accepting a further sum of 54,000 livres this day.

I crave your Excellencies will honor me with a quick answer; meantime, I remain &c.

GRAND.

State of the Finances of Congress at Paris, on the 10th of May, 1783.

Balance due to me on the last ac

His fresh drafts from January 24th, at 60 days sight, of which I have already accepted 54,000 livres,

804,371 8

3,263,136 8 8

Having yesterday conferred with Count de Vergennes upon some public concerns, he requested I would tell you what, instead of troubling you with the demand of a meeting, I think better to mention in this note.

The several powers, said he, are going to make up their treaties, and when ready to sign, they will, of course, meet to do it all together. The mediation of the Emperor and that of Russia have been required, and under that mediation the French treaty will be signed; it now rests with America to know, if she will conclude her treaty under the mediation, or chooses to let it alone. There is no neces

sity for it. But, in case you prefer to have it, Count de Vergennes thinks it is time to join with England in making a combined application to the Court of Vienna and that of Petersburg.

So far, Gentlemen, I have been requested to speak to you. I will add, that from my last conferences on the subject, I hope we may get the harbor of L'Orient, as we have wished, for the American trade.

Be pleased to accept the assurances of my great and

DAVID HARTLEY'S COMMISSION.

George R.

George the Third, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Duke of Brunswick and Lunenburg, Arch Treasurer and Prince Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, and so forth, to all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting.

Whereas, for the perfecting and establishing the peace, friendship, and good understanding so happily commenced by the Provisional Articles signed at Paris, the thirtieth day of November last, by the Commissioners of us, and our good friends, the United States of America, viz; New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the three lower Counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, in North America, and for opening, promoting, and rendering perpetual, the mutual intercourse of trade and commerce, between our kingdoms and the dominions of the said United States, we have thought proper to invest some fit person with full powers on our part to meet and confer with the Ministers of the said United States, now residing at Paris, duly authorised for the accomplishing of such laudable and salutary purposes.

Now know ye, that we, reposing special trust and confidence in the wisdom, loyalty, diligence, and circumspection of our trusty and well beloved David Hartley, (on whom we have heretofore conferred the rank of our Minister Plenipotentiary,) have nominated, coustituted and appointed, and by these presents do nominate, constitute and appoint

curator, and Plenipotentiary; giving and granting to him all, and all manner of faculty, power, and authority, together with general, as well as special order (so as the general do not derogate from the special, nor on the contrary,) for us, and in our name, to meet, confer, treat, and conclude with the Minister or Ministers, furnished with sufficient powers, on the part of our said good friends, the United States of America, of and concerning all such matters and things as may be requisite and necessary for accomplishing and completing the several ends and purposes herein before mentioned, and also for us, and in our name to sign such treaty or treaties, convention or conventions, or other instruments whatsoever, as may be agreed upon in the premises; and mutually to deliver and receive the same in exchange, and to do and perform all such other acts, matters, and things, as may be anyways proper and conducive to the purposes abovementioned, in as full and ample form and manner, and with the like validity and effect, as we ourself, if we were present, could do and perform the same; engaging and promising, on our royal word, that we will accept, ratify, and confirm in the most effectual manner all such acts, matters, and things, as shall be so transacted and concluded by our aforesaid Commissioner, Procurator, and Plenipotentiary, and that we will never suffer any person to violate the same, in the whole, or in part, or to act contrary thereto.

In testimony and confirmation of all which, we have caused our great seal of Great Britain to be affixed to these presents, signed with our royal hand.

Given at our palace at St James, the fourteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred