a loss about your
cypher, and because it would be of little use, considering the
accident which you say has happened to it.

I have the honor to be, &c.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

* * * * *

TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

Madrid, April 28th, 1782.

Dear Sir,

My letter to his Excellency, the President of Congress, of the 3d of
October last, of which a copy has also been since sent, contained a
full and accurate account of their affairs here. Many minute and not
very interesting details of little difficulties were omitted, and
among others, those which arose from my having no funds for the bills
payable in October and November, &c. &c. The experience I had gained
of the disposition of this Court, and the delays which attend all
their decisions and operations, induced me to consider my obtaining
timely supplies from hence as very uncertain. I therefore wished to
have an occasional credit from Dr Franklin, to be made use of as
necessity might require, and, for that purpose, wrote him the
following letter on the 10th of September, viz.

TO DR BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

"St Ildefonso, September 10th, 1781.

"Dear Sir,

"My last to you was of the 20th day of August last, by Dupin, the
French Ambassador's courier. Major Franks, with despatches from
Congress, and from Mr Robert Morris, is now with me, and will proceed
to Passy as soon as I shall be enabled to write to him.

"He will bring you a copy of Mr Morris's letter to me, from which you
will see the present state of American finances, and the measures he
is prosecuting to ameliorate them. My former letters mentioned my
apprehensions, that many more bills had been drawn upon me, than those
for which the sum you authorised me to draw upon you for would
satisfy. Near seventy thousand dollars will be wanted to pay those
which have since arrived, and although I cannot think it improbable
that provision may here be made for at least a part of that sum, yet
the delays which usually attend operations of this kind render it
highly necessary, that occasional resources be elsewhere had.

"This consideration, so far as it applies to the payments to be made
in the two succeeding months, obliges me again to recur to you.

"The sanguine expectations entertained by our country