owed
the least attention either on the propositions or different memorials
on commercial matters, which I had submitted to the Minister.

It was natural to expect, that our successes in Virginia would have
made a very grateful impression on this Court; but I am far from
being persuaded that they considered these events as favorable to
their views. Of this, some judgment may be formed from their
subsequent conduct.

On the 6th of December I sent the Minister the following card, and a
memorial from Mr Harrison at Cadiz, the nature of which will be best
explained by a recital of it.

"Mr Jay presents his compliments to the Count de Florida Blanca, and
has the honor of requesting his attention to the enclosed memorial.

"Mr Jay had the honor of calling at his Excellency's on Tuesday
evening last, but had the misfortune of not finding him at home. As Mr
Jay wishes to regulate his visits by his Excellency's convenience, he
begs the favor of his Excellency to inform him when it would be
agreeable that Mr Jay should wait on his Excellency, and have an
opportunity of conversing with him on the object of Mr Jay's mission."

The answer I received to the letter, which accompanied this memorial,
is as follows.

Translation.

"The Count de Florida Blanca will receive Mr John Jay whenever he may
please to come, in the evening at half past seven or later, in his
Secretary's office in the palace, except on Saturday evening next,
when he will be engaged."

This note was not dated, but I received it the 7th of December. On the
same day I received a letter from General Washington, dated the 22d of
October, and enclosing copies of the articles of capitulation of
Yorktown, and returns of prisoners, &c.

This letter was brought to France by the frigate, which carried there
the first intelligence of that important event, and yet it is
remarkable that it did not reach me until after these articles had
been published in the Paris and Madrid gazettes. I nevertheless
immediately sent copies to the Minister.

As to Mr Harrison's Memorial, no answer has been given it to this day.
Nor indeed have any of the representations I have hitherto made to the
Ministers relative to commercial grievances procured the least
redress. Even the hard case of the Dover cutter still remains
unfinished, notwithstanding my repeated and pressing applications on
behalf of the poor captors. It is now more than a year since