100 APPENDIX TO BRITISH COUNTER CASE. 



diately to send off this representation and also to desire leave and 

 permission to make an absolute acknowledgment of the independ- 

 ence of the States to stand invariably as the first Article of the pro- 

 posed treaty with those gentlemen. 



******* 



A great deal more I said, but being of a speculative kind, regard- 

 ing future times, and the different situation we should be in from 

 what we had formerly been, and the need we should feel for a friendly 

 attention on the part of the Colonies, with other things of so general 

 a nature not necessary to be repeated here. 



In answer, Mr. Jay replied to the following purpose : That we had 

 only to cut this knot of independence to get rid of many of those 

 apprehensions, that if we looked better to our conduct for the future 

 we might be sure of recovering and preserving a solid and beneficial 

 friendship with the Americans; that for the last twenty years he 

 could not say much for us, yet he said more, particularly regarding 

 the fairness and sincerity of our profession, than I choose to repeat. 



He continued by saying that England, under a wise administration, 

 was capable of great things. Such a country, such a people, and 

 blessed with such a constitution had nothing to fear: and in thirty 

 years would forget all her present difficulties &c., &c. . . . 



No. 59. 178%, August 17: Letter, Mr. Oswald to Mr. Townshend. 



PARIS 17th August 1782. 



SIR: Referring to my letters of the 5th and 6th by the courier 

 Lauzun, I am now to acknowledge the honour of your letter of the 

 10th by Gurnell, together with my commission under the Great Seal, 

 which I have shown to the American commissioners, and they are 

 entirely satisfied therewith. 



Under this cover there are three packets of papers which contain 

 an account of my proceedings under this commission from the 9th 

 instant to this day; being the substance of sundry conversations I 

 had with the above-mentioned commissioners in that time, together 

 with my observations thereon, and other occurrences relative to this 

 business. 



They are put down in the way of detached Minutes, in which shape 



I hope they will be equally convenient in the perusal, as if they 



61 ran in a continued course of epistolary narrative. If so, I 



shall be well pleased, as the method is much easier for me, 



v;here there is such a mixture of things, and some of them too 



frivolous to be conveyed in any other dress. Besides, it occurred to 



me that in this form, where I give the facts, I have them only to 



answer for, whereas I might make mistakes in the inferences and 



conclusions. If I am wrong be pleased, Sir, to inform me, and I shall 



alter the method. 



By the packet of this date, you'll please to observe that the Ameri- 

 can business is now brought to that point, that independence must be 

 absolutely and unconditionally granted, otherwise all farther corre- 

 spondence with the commissioners must cease, as well as Mr. Fitz- 



