192 APPENDIX TO BRITISH COUNTER CASE. 



heard of none Why they are concealed from me, I neither know 

 nor care. 



As to the Peace it seems to be generally relished, though a Clamor 

 has been raised by the Canada (or Fur) Merchants on account of 

 the Posts, Forts and Carrying Places being all on the American side 

 of the Boundary Line and a Storm is gathering from the Quarter 

 of Refugees. The first is of no consequence, but the last may be 

 serious if America does not come up to the full Intent of the 5th 

 Article. If I had half an hour's conversation with you, I should say 

 a great deal upon that point, which I think improper to commit to 

 Paper. 



As to what is more particularly Your Treaty, the Loss of Tobago, 

 East and West Florida, is discussed principally upon Grounds of 

 private Interest. But the real public Grievance is, that the Cession 

 of East Florida obliges us to remove thousands of Refugees and their 

 Negroes who had gone thither as an asylum from Georgia and Charles 

 Town, and might have been advantageously settled there in the event 

 of America not restoring them their Estates. But in general I think 

 the Treaties with France and Spain have very few opponents. One 

 great question I suppose will be whether G. B. was not in a condition 

 to entitle her to better terms? But then it ought to be considered 

 that without concluding with America we should have had no 

 116 Peace at all and if we had not concluded with America when 

 we did, were we likely to have had better or worse terms on 

 any subsequent negotiation with her? 



All the Preliminaries will be taken into consideration by Parlia- 

 ment next Monday or thereabouts for the day. though named, is 

 not absolutely fixed. And I am really sorry to whisper to you, that 

 I think Administration is upon very unsafe ground. The Fox, or 

 Rockingham Party, are our adversaries, the North Party not less so : 

 If these two should happen to join in any one point of the Peace, in 

 the House of Commons, we must be beat And that is so probable, 

 that I see no Salvation for Lord Shelburne, unless he makes some 

 Coalition (of which I see no shadow) in a very few days. 



Lord Keppel you know has resigned, and Lord Howe has succeeded 

 him. Whether the Duke of Richmond, connected as he is with Kep- 

 pel and Fox, will continue, is rather equivocal Excepting Lord 

 Howe, who is my most particular friend, I know none but Mr. Towns- 

 hend He is a True Man So I believe is Lord Grantham and Mr. 

 Pitt. 



I have not continued to send you the Morning Chronicle because 

 Mr. Sneyd informed me that he sent them regularly. 



I have this moment read a Copy of a Petition intended to be pre- 

 sented to the House of Commons from the Loyalists, saying that the 

 5th Article will not have any effect in their favor, and therefore pray- 

 ing Compensation for their Losses. My Idea is that the earnest Rec- 

 ommendation of Congress, is equivalent to our King's Recommenda- 

 tion to Parliament 2 and that all the Refugees except the few who are 

 particularly obnoxious, will recover their Estates I have not time to 

 write more, on this, or any other subject About ten days hence, the 

 great political scene will open and then you shall hear fully tho' 

 perhaps hastily from 



Dear Sir, Yours most truly, H. STRACHEY. 



