I said to you, Sir, concerning the date of your letters
of credence, there has been no occasion for any question respecting
the consequences you have drawn from it. The conduct, which the
Empress has held during the whole course of the war, sufficiently
proves the impartiality of her sentiments, renders all discussion on
this subject unnecessary, and ought to be perfectly satisfactory to
you."

To which I returned the following answer.

TO HIS EXCELLENCY COUNT OSTERMANN.

"I have considered the answer to my Memorial, which your Excellency
gave to me, on the part of her Imperial Majesty on the 14th instant,
as contained in the written note, of which you permitted me to take a
copy. Knowing the high sense the United Status of America have, of
that strict impartiality between all the late belligerent powers,
which her Imperial Majesty has so evidently manifested during the
course of the war, and that they would not wish any propositions
should be made on their part, which she might possibly think in the
least degree repugnant to it, I omitted to make the communication of
my mission to your Excellency, till the conclusion of the preliminary
treaty between the Courts of Versailles, Madrid, and London, had been
in form communicated to her Imperial Majesty. It is to be observed,
that at the time I made it, the mediation had not taken place, the
despatches relative to it, if I am not mistaken, having arrived three
days after. The other matters being waved, I shall conform with the
utmost satisfaction, to her Imperial Majesty's manner of thinking
respecting the present mediation, and wait the conclusion of the
definitive treaty of peace. I have a most grateful sense of the
assurances, which her Imperial Majesty has been pleased to give to me,
that in the meantime, not only myself, but such of the citizens of the
United States, as affairs of commerce or others may bring into her
empire, shall enjoy the most favorable reception, and the protection
of the laws of nations.

"I pray your Excellency to accept my sincere acknowledgments of the
polite manner in which you communicated the answer to my Memorial.

"I have the honor to be, &c.

FRANCIS DANA.

"_St Petersburg, June 16th, 1783._"

You will not suppose, from anything contained in the answer to my
Memorial, that I had misstated any part of the first answer. Whether
my reasoning upon the s