224 APPENDIX TO BRITISH COUNTER CASE. 



135 No. 138. 1783, July 19: Extract from letter, Mr. Jay to Mr. 



Livingston. 



The expectations excited in England by Lord Shelburne's friends, 

 that he would put a speedy period to the war, made it necessary for 

 him either to realize those expectations or prepare to quit his place. 

 The Parliament being to meet before his negotiations with us were 

 concluded, he found it expedient to adjourn it for a short term, in 

 hopes of then meeting it with all the advantages that might be ex- 

 pected from a favourable issue of the negotiation. Hence it was his 

 interest to draw it to a close -before that adjournment should expire; 

 and to obtain that end, both he and his commissioner became less 

 tenacious on certain points than they would otherwise have been. 

 Xay, we have, and then had, good reason to believe that the latitude 

 allowed by the British Cabinet for the exercise of discretion was ex- 

 ceeded on that occasion. 



No. 139. 1783, July 25: Extract from letter, Mr. Alexander Hamil- 

 ton to Mr. Jay. 



The peace, which exceeds in the goodness of its terms the expecta- 

 tion of the most sanguine does the highest honour to those who made 

 it. It is the more agreeable, as the time was come when thinking 

 men began to be seriously alarmed at the internal embarrassments 

 and exhausted state of this country. The New England people talk 

 of making you an annual fish-offering, as an acknowledgment of your 

 exertion for the participation of the fisheries. 



No. 140. 1783, September 5: Letter, Dr. Franklin to Mr. Fox. 



PASSY, September 5, 1783. 



SIR: I received in its time the letter you did me the honour of 

 writing to me by Mr. Hartley ; and I can not let him depart without 

 expressing my satisfaction in his conduct towards us, and applaud- 

 ing the prudence of that choice which sent us a man possessed of such 

 a spirit of conciliation, and of all that frankness, sincerity, and can- 

 dour which naturally produce confidence, and thereby facilitate the 

 most difficult negotiations. Our countries are now happily at peace, 

 on which I congratulate you most cordially; and I beg you to be 

 assured that as long as I have any concern in public affairs I shall 

 readily and heartily concur with you in promoting every measure 

 that may tend to promote the common felicity. 



With "great and sincere esteem and respect, I have the honour to 

 be, &c., 



B. FRANKLIN. 



No, 141. 1783, September 6: Extract from letter, Mr. Franklin to 



Mr. Hartley. 



PASSY, September 6, 1783. 

 ******* 



There is no truth more clear to me than this, that the great interest 

 of our two countries is a thorough reconciliation. Restraints on the 



