. His Court will not fail to boast
of this success in Parliament and in the journals; it appears to have
been desired for this purpose. No mention will be made of the protest,
which in reality converts this success into smoke, which will soon be
dissipated; for the members from the great city declare, that if the
protest is not printed with the resolution, they will have it printed
in the city, so that at least this nation shall not be deceived. It is
easy to foresee two important consequences resulting from this
measure; one, the blow predicted in my letter of the 10th; the other,
the close of a famous banking establishment, without which the others
cannot stand.

I might enter more into details; but besides that I have not time, I
am afraid to trust them to paper. I will only add, that tomorrow
morning, the members from the great city will depart, and with them
all the glory of Belgium. The others are ashamed of their own work,
dare not boast of it, and hang down their heads. It has even been
attempted to circulate the report, that the famous resolution was
adopted unanimously, and in conformity with the wishes of the great
city.

You cannot imagine, Gentlemen, how eager are your enemies in the
present situation of affairs, to propagate reports of dissensions and
divisions between the Americans and French, and among the Americans
themselves; their object is to animate their own party, and discourage
their opponents. We may despise them and laugh at them; but your best
friends are afflicted, that we receive no news from America by the way
of France. I pray God that we may soon have some, and of the most
favorable character.

I am, Gentlemen, &c.

DUMAS.

* * * * *

TO COUNT DE VERGENNES.

Passy, January 1st, 1779.

Sir,

Some late proceedings of the enemy have induced us to submit a few
observations to your Excellency's superior light and judgment.

His Britannic Majesty's Commissioners, in their manifesto of the 3d of
October, have denounced "a change in the whole nature and future
conduct of the war," they have declared, "that the policy as well as
the benevolence of Great Britain has thus far checked the extremes of
war," when they tended "to distress the people and desolate the
country;" that the whole contest is changed; that the laws of