bankers, with instructions, however,
not to issue them until Congress should ratify the measure. This done,
he returned to London, and I set out for Paris; and, as nothing urgent
forbade it, I determined to return along the banks of the Rhine, to
Strasburg, and thence strike off to Paris. I accordingly left Amsterdam
on the 30th of March, and proceeded by Utrecht, Nimegnen, Cleves,
Duysberg, Dusseldorf, Cologne, Bonne, Coblentz, Nassau, Hocheim,
Frankfort, and made an excursion to Hanau, then to Mayence, and another
excursion to Rudesheim, and Johansberg; then by Oppenheim, Worms, and
Manheim, making an excursion to Heidelberg, then by Spire, Carlsruhe,
Rastadt, and Kelh, to Sfrasburg, where I arrived April the 16th,
and proceeded again on the 18th, by Phalsbourg, Fenestrange, Dieuze,
Moyenvie, Nancy, Toul, Ligny, Barleduc, St. Diziers, Vitry, Chalons sur
Marne, Epernay, Chateau Thierri, Meaux, to Paris, where I arrived on
the 23d of April: and I had the satisfaction to reflect, that by this
journey, our credit was secured, the new government was placed at ease
for two years to come, and that, as well as myself, relieved from the
torment of incessant duns, whose just complaints could not be silenced
by any means within our power.

A Consular Convention had been agreed on in '84, between Dr. Franklin
and the French government, containing several articles, so entirely
inconsistent with the laws of the several states, and the general spirit
of our citizens, that Congress withheld their ratification, and sent
it back to me, with instructions to get those articles expunged, or
modified, so as to render them compatible with our laws. The Minister
unwillingly released us from these concessions, which, indeed,
authorized the exercise of powers very offensive in a free state. After
much discussion, the Convention was reformed in a considerable degree,
and was signed by the Count Montmorin and myself, on the 14th of
November, '88; not indeed, such as I would have wished; but such as
could be obtained with good humor and friendship.

On my return from Holland, I found Paris as I had left it, still in
high fermentation. Had the Archbishop, on the close of the Assembly of
Notables, immediately carried into operation the measures contemplated,
it was believed they would all have been registered by the Parliament;
but he was slow, presented his edicts, one after another, and at
considerable intervals, which gave time for the feelings