128 APPENDIX TO BRITISH COUNTER CASE. 



No. S2.1782, October 23: Letter, Lord Shelburne to Mr. Oswald. 



Private 



SHELBURNE HOUSE 23d Oct. 82 



DEAR SIR, On my return from Streatham this morning, I find 

 Mr. Strachey has deferred his journey for the sake of some papers 

 which were to be copied. This gives me an opportunity of writing to 

 you a few lines, as it may be agreeable to you to know something 

 more of him, than his being the confidential secretary of Mr. Town- 

 shend. He is a most amiable well-instructed man, and as it was 

 judged proper that some person should be sent to explain the bound- 

 aries and the authentic documents, which were only to be found here, 

 I thought it very lucky for your sake, and for that of the great object 

 we have all in view, that Mr. Townshend's choice fell upon him. 



You know sufficiently the nature of mankind not to be surprised 

 at hearing that the opinions regarding Independence are not more 

 stable, than political opinions generally are with us. You may also 

 be assured of the fact that many of the most weighty advocates for 

 Independence are strenuous upon the subject of boundaries, and of a 

 provision for the refugees. The clamour likewise will scarcely be to 

 be withstood, if some recognition if not obligation is not obtained in 

 favour of the debts contracted before 1775 being paid in honest 

 money. In this situation I think it is a material point to have his 

 assistance in obtaining all that is possible on these several heads. He 

 will share the responsibility with you, which is great, and as he is to 

 return immediately, will be able to justify both himself and you, if 

 you are not able to come up to the expectations of the Cabinet, and 

 the still greater expectations without doors, which of course will he 

 aided with every art. 



If Mr. Fitzherbert can aid you, you will of course avail yourself 

 of him in every way possible. I beg my compliments to him, and 

 have no objection to your communicating to him this letter if you 

 think proper. 



I am very truly yours SHELBURNE 



R d OSWALD Esq r - 



78 No. 83. 1782, October 24.: Discussion with Dr. Franklin on 

 this date as outlined in Mr. Jay's letter to Mr. Livingston of 

 the 17th November. 



On the 24th of October I dined at Passy with Dr. Franklin, where 

 I found M. Rayneval. After dinner we were in private with him a 

 considerable time. He desired to know the state of our negotiation 

 with Mr. Oswald. We told him that difficulties had arisen about our 

 boundaries, and that one of the Minister's Secretaries (Strachey) was 

 coming here with papers and documents on that subject. He asked 

 us what boundaries we claimed. We told him the river St. John to 

 the east, and ancient Canada, as described in the proclamation, to the 

 north. He contested our right to such an extent to the north, and 

 entered into several arguments to show our claim to be ill founded. 

 These arguments were chiefly drawn from the ancient French claims, 



