The American Commissioners to Vergennes
ALS: Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères
<Passy, April 10, 1778: Mr. Adams, appointed by Congress to
replace Mr. Deane, has arrived and will wait on you as soon as
he recovers from his voyage. He came on a continental frigate,
which took a prize with a cargo valued at £70,000. Congress
is detaining Gen. Burgoyne and his army for a breach of
the convention, and has more than 10,000 prisoners on its
hands; the other British troops, short of provisions, are penned
in New York and Philadelphia.
Mr. Adams brings the enclosed Congressional resolutions.
They will probably discourage the British government from
tempting us or Congress with offers of everything short of
independence. We have given no encouragement to such overtures,
and these resolutions make certain that Congress will
not, especially after the treaties are known; Mr. Adams is confident
of their immediate ratification.>
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