ber, 1783.

Mr Dana was a member of the Convention at Annapolis, and of the
Convention of Massachusetts for ratifying the Constitution of the
United States. In this latter body he took an able and decided stand
in favor of the Constitution. He was afterwards for many years Chief
Justice of the State of Massachusetts, and died in 1811, at the age of
sixtyseven years.

THE

CORRESPONDENCE

OF

FRANCIS DANA.

* * * * *

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Paris, August 10th, 1780.

Sir,

Mr Adams having left Paris the 27th of last month, to visit the Low
Countries, I do myself the honor of forwarding to your Excellency two
packets, the one containing his letters to you from No. 89 to 99
inclusive, and two private letters from a gentleman in London to him,
the other containing letters numbered in their order from No. 1 to 10,
inclusive. I shall also forward to your Excellency, if the bearer can
take them, all the newspapers we have on hand. The whole will be
committed to the care of Captain Jones, who will sail in the Ariel.

Had I been apprized less suddenly of the time of Captain Jones'
departure, I should also have sent translations of the declarations of
the Courts of Copenhagen and Stockholm to the belligerent powers,
conforming to that of the Empress of Russia, relative to the commerce
of the neutral powers, and the armed neutrality. These declarations
are in the "_Suite des Nouvelles d'Amsterdam_," of the 8th of August,
No. 63. The fleet, which left Virginia the 14th of last June, under
the convoy of the _Frere Roderique_, bound for France, are all except
one, which foundered at sea, the crew being saved, safely arrived. A
vessel, which left New London the 27th of June, was cast away on the
rocks entering Rochelle. We have no letters by any of these vessels,
but learn from them, that no intelligence had been received from M. de
Ternay, when they left America. We cannot but lament our total want of
intelligence respecting the state of our country.

I am, Sir, with the greatest respect, &c.

FRANCIS DANA.

* * * * *

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Paris, August 24th, 1780.

Sir,

I did myself the honor on the 10th instant to write to your
Excell