The Congress some Months since acquainted us, that 80,000 Suits of Clothes will be wanted for their Army next Winter: Also a Number of brass Cannon, Fusils, Pistols, &c. and a large Quantity of Naval Stores.
To pay for these, they acquainted us that they had purchased great Quantities of Tobacco, Rice, Indigo, Pot-Ash, and other Produce of the Country, which they would forward to us as soon as the great Difficulties of procuring Ships, and Mariners for the Merchant-Service, with Convoys of Force sufficient, could be surmounted.
They also directed us to borrow two Millions Sterling in Europe on the Credit of the United States; which Sum, if the Loan could have been effected here, would have been, as the most profitable Way of transmitting it, laid out by us chiefly in the Manufactures of these Kingdoms, greatly to the Advantage of their People, not only encouraging and encreasing their present Industry, but, by introducing the Knowledge of their Manufactures and Produce, and the Taste for them, would have been the Source of great future Commerce.
The Loan was found to be, in our present Circumstances, difficult; and without the Aid of some Credit from France and Spain seems impracticable.
And the Ships bringing the Products of America to us, have been intercepted, some by the Treachery of the Seamen, but chiefly by the Enemy’s Ships of War, which, with the Difficulty abovementioned of finding Ships, and the Blocking up of our Ports, has left us hitherto disappointed of the expected Remittances.
But France having actually furnished us with some Money in regular Payments, and kindly promised us a Continuance of them; and Spain having given us Expectations of considerable Aids, though without specifying the Quantity, the Commissioners conceiving it would not be less than what France was giving; and impress’d with the Urgent Necessity of the Clothing, &c. ventur’d to order 30,000 Suits; and have also sent or contracted for considerable Quantities of Arms and other Necessaries, for which they are indebted.
Spain, after furnishing us with 187,500 Livres in Money, and some Naval Stores sent directly from her Ports (the Value not yet known to us) has desisted.
And the Commissioners find themselves extreamly embarrassed by their Engagements, and likely to be discredited with their Constituents by the Expectations they have given of effectual Aids from France and Spain, if not a Diversion that might be favourable to the States: But the worst is the Prejudice their Cause and Country must suffer by the Disappointment of Supplies.
The Commissioners receiv’d soon after their Arrival, kind Assurances of the Amity of France and Spain, and substantial Proofs of it, which will ever be remembred with Gratitude.
They, by Authority from the Congress, offer’d Proposals for a Treaty of Commerce, and for uniting the Force of the States with that of France and Spain, in Conquering for those Crowns the English Sugar-Islands, with other Advantages and Stipulations, in case Britain should commence the War on account of the Aids granted to us; which Proposals the Commissioners hope were not disagreable, and have long expected with Anxiety an Answer to them.
Some late Proceedings in France, relating to our arm’d Vessels and their Prizes, and to the Exportation of Warlike Stores, and the Cessation of Supplies from Spain, might occasion a Doubt that the Disposition of those Courts towards the United States is changed, if the Commissioners had not the fullest Confidence in those Dispositions as being well-founded in the true Interest of these Kingdoms, and as it is conceived no Cause has been given on the Side of America for their Diminution.
They therefore ascribe the late Strictnesses in France to the Circumstances of the Times; and the Stoppage of Supplies from Spain to the Inattention occasion’d by Occupation in other great Affairs.
And they hope that a little Time will remedy both the one and the other.
In the mean while they request a present Supply proportion’d to their Wants, which will appear by the annexed Estimate.
France and Spain (as they have represented in a former Memoir) will be greatly Gainers by the American Commerce, in Vent of Products and Manufactures, Increase of People by furnishing more Employment, Increase of Shipping and Seamen and of course Naval Power, while Britain is diminished and weakned in proportion, which will make the Difference double. But they offer these Advantages, not as putting them to Sale for a Price, but as Ties of the Friendship they wish to cultivate with these Kingdoms.
And knowing that after a Settlement of their States in Peace, a few Years will enable them to repay the Aids that may now be lent them, they with the more Freedom ask greater Assistance by way of Loan, than they would presume to ask as a Subsidy.
But if those Powers apprehend that the Granting such Aid may be one Means of occasioning a War between them and Britain, and the present Circumstances render such a War not eligible; and if they therefore decline the same, and would advise the Americans to make Peace; it is requested that these Courts as Friends of the United States, would assist them with their Advice and Influence in the Negociation, that their Liberties, with the Freedom of Commerce may be maintained.
And they farther request to be explicitly inform’d of the present Intentions of these Courts respecting the Premises, that they may communicate as much of the same to the Congress as may be necessary for the Regulating of its Conduct, and preventing the Misapprehensions that the late Proceedings abovementioned may otherwise occasion.
They can assure your Excellencies that they have no Account of any Treaty on foot in America for an Accommodation, nor do they believe there is any: Nor have any Propositions been made by them to the Court of England, nor any the smallest Overture received from thence which they have not already communicated; the Congress having the fullest Confidence in the Goodwill and Wisdom of these Courts, and having accordingly given us Orders to enter into no Treaty with any other Power inconsistent with the Propositions made to them, if those Propositions are likely to be accepted; and to act with their Advice and Approbation. And the Commissioners are firmly of Opinion, that nothing will induce the Congress to accommodate on the Terms of an exclusive Commerce with Britain, but the Despair of obtaining effectual Aid and Support from Europe.
But as it is probable that England is not yet sufficiently weakned or humbled to agree to any equitable Terms of Accommodation; and as the United States with an Aid much less than would be spent by France and Spain in case of their entring into the War, will be enabled to continue it with England as long as may be necessary, the Commissioners request that those Powers would resolve upon Granting such Subsidy as may be sufficient for the Purpose; or otherwise lend to the said States the Sum they desire of Two Millions Sterling at the Interest of Six per Cent., which they have all reason to believe they shall be well able to pay after an happy Finishing of the War, and which they mean punctually to perform.