From William Stevenson to the American Commissioners
AL
Paris Sunday Morng. [January 4, 1778]

Mr. Stevensons Compliments wait on the Commissioners and as He clearly understood He was to take in charge and deliver Their Dispatches to Congress, He cannot think of being merely the Bearer of Them to any person whatsoever at Nantz. Mr. Stevenson wou’d most certainly have rejected every idea of that sort had it been propos’d in the first instance, but He must think Himself still more ungenteely treated in having that proposal made after waiting several Days and being Just on the point of setting off. Any alteration therefore of the Commissioners intentions must appear the more extraordinary and will Justify Mr. Stevenson in begging to be excus’d from having any thing to do with Their Dispatches under these circumstances, tho’ as He is going to America He shou’d have been very happy to have deliver’d Them in person to the Congress and shou’d the Commissioners think proper to revert to Their former intentions on this matter, He still holds Himself ready to take charge of Them.

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