Although it is a Freedom I take to interrupt Your Excellency in your great and weighty Affairs, yet I hope I shall be pardoned, when without any further Introduction I have the honour to acquaint Your Excellency that the Purport of this Letter is, to offer my humble Services to the Thirteen United States of North America, who by their Struggling for the Liberty God gave them, which ill natured People wanted to deprive them of, have made themselves famous in the present Time, and will be no less so, in History down to the latest Posterity. As I make no Doubt the European Powers will follow the Example their High Mightinesses have set, to acknowledge the Thirteen United States an independent Power, I most humbly beg Your Excellency would deign to lay my Prayer before the Most Noble Congress, that I might be appointed Their Consul General at Trieste—Fiume and the other Austrian Ports in the Adriatick, in the same Stile and Manner, at I have at present the Honour to serve Their High Mightynesses, the States General, to Their entire Satisfaction not doubting but they will permit me, to keep the American Consulate together with theirs, as the Interest of both Nations are Separate, and yet a most cordial Friendship exists among them. The Circumstance of my being Master of the English Language, which very few People in this Place are possessed of, and my being a Native of this Town, consequently more able to assist Strangers, plead in my Favour, so that I have good Hopes to see my Wishes fullfilled by Your Excellency’s valiant Interposition. As I hope the Time is not far distant that the Independence of the Thirteen United States will also be acknowledged by his Majesty the Emperor, I shall then, if favoured by a gracious Answer from Your Excellency, take the Liberty to transmit a Copy or Translation of my Comission I hold from the States General on Account of the Clause respecting my Admission by the Court of Vienna which, if properly couched, will Save much Trouble. I have the Honour to be with the utmost Respect Your Excellency’s most humble and most obedient Servant