aughts of bills now sent to you. The state of
our foreign connexions is a subject now before Congress; and, dubious
as we are about your transactions, some resolutions will probably be
formed to be transmitted to you by a special conveyance shortly, when
a general account of our affairs will also be sent. We have little
uneasiness about the strength of our enemy. Our currency must be
supported in due credit, after which we may bid defiance to Britain,
and all her German hirelings. We wish every advice and assistance from
you for the support of such credit.

I am, with great regard, &c.

JAMES LOVELL,
_For the Committee of Foreign Affairs_.

* * * * *

TO M. DUMAS.

Yorktown, 14th May, 1778.

Sir,

Your several favors, down to the letter Y, had come to our hand before
the 2d instant, on which day we received despatches from our
Commissioners in France, after an interruption of eleven months.
Judge, therefore, sir, how very agreeable your letters must have been
to us, though you wrote but briefly, always supposing that we received
more full accounts of European politics from our friends at Paris.

We observe, with great pleasure, that the States of Holland are
discovering a proper spirit in the conduct of their commerce, by
granting convoys, in consequence of the insolent behavior of their
British neighbors. The magnanimous conduct of His Most Christian
Majesty must have great influence upon all around him. We doubt not of
your hearty congratulations upon the success of our cause, which you
so early and warmly espoused, and which you have aided with such
judgment and resolution by your pen. We shall write particularly to
the gentlemen at Paris, respecting the injuries you have received from
our enemies, and shall instruct them to pay the strictest attention
to our engagements made to you at the commencement of our
correspondence.

We must refer you to the prints now sent and to our Commissioners, for
the general state of our affairs, only remarking here, that we were
actuated in our proceedings on the 22d of April entirely by the
uniform spirit, which we have maintained ever since the 4th of July,
1776, being not then acquainted with the favorable state of our cause
in France, as an uncommon fatality had attended the letters of our
friends for