permit, and when finished, shall convey this
letter by the first prudent _American_ that may go from hence to
Nantes or L'Orient.

My reception here was as friendly as an American Minister might expect
from this polite and politic Court; for I think they deceive
themselves, who suppose that these kinds of attentions are equally
paid to their private, as to their public characters.

Soon after the enabling act was passed, I was shown a copy of it, and
I confess it abated the expectations I had formed of the intention of
the British Ministry to treat in a manly manner with the United
States, on the footing of an unconditional acknowledgment of their
independence. The act appeared to me to be cautiously framed to elude
such an acknowledgment, and, therefore, it would depend on future
contingencies, and on the terms and nature of the bargain they might
be able to make with us.

Mr Grenville, indeed, told the Count de Vergennes, that his Majesty
would acknowledge our independence unconditionally, but, on being
desired to commit that information to writing, he wrote that his
Majesty was _disposed_ to acknowledge it. This had the appearance of
finesse.

About this time, that is, in June last, there came to Paris a Mr
Jones[3] and a Mr Paradise, both of them Englishmen, the former a
learned and active constitutionalist. They were introduced to me by Dr
Franklin, from whom they solicited recommendations for America. The
story they told him was, that Mr Paradise had an estate in the right
of his wife in Virginia, and that his presence there had been rendered
necessary to save it from the penalty of a law of that State,
respecting the property of absentees. Mr Jones said he despaired of
seeing constitutional liberty re-established in England, that he had
determined to visit America, and in that happy and glorious country to
seek and enjoy that freedom, which was not to be found in Britain. He
spoke in raptures of our patriotism, wisdom, &c. &c. On speaking to me
some days afterwards of his intended voyage, he assigned an additional
reason for undertaking it, viz. that his long and great friendship for
Mr Paradise had induced him to accompany that gentleman on an
occasion, which, both as a witness and a friend, he could render him
most essential services in Virginia.

I exchanged three or four visits with these gentlemen, and, in the
meantime, was informed that Mr Jones was a rising character in
England, that he had refused