tention be paid to Mr
Adams's request with respect to Mr Dumas, who has certainly been a
very assiduous servant of the United States; I could wish at least to
be enabled to inform him of the sense of Congress thereon. Perhaps it
would be expedient to commit it to the committee appointed to consider
the salaries of foreign Ministers, &c. Mr Adams has as yet received no
answer to the letter on the subject of his purchase at the Hague.
Should Congress approve the form, which Mr Adams proposes for the
ratification of his agreement, I presume Mr Thomson will have their
orders for endorsing it, and the agreement will be immediately
returned to this office, so that Congress may avail themselves of the
means, that now offer for transmitting it.

I also lay before Congress a large packet, containing Mr Deane's
accounts, which I shall deliver to the Office of Finance, unless
Congress would choose to have it disposed of in some other way. I must
beg, Sir, that the letters be returned to this office, as soon as
Congress have examined them as I wish to avail myself of the present
opportunity to answer them.

I have the honor to be, &c.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

* * * * *

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Office of Foreign Affairs, September 12th, 1782.

Sir,

I have the honor to lay before Congress two letters from Messrs de
Neufville and Son, under cover of which last I received the enclosed
letter, which contains what I suppose to be the first sheet of Mr
Dana's letter, probably sent immediately after he had discovered his
mistake. I send the other parts with it. I also enclose for the
perusal of Congress an act of the British Parliament for the exchange
of American prisoners, which, when returned to the office I shall have
published.

I find in a Leyden paper some account of Mr Grenville's negotiation,
and the alterations proposed by the committee of the States General to
the treaty submitted to their consideration by Mr Adams. These may be
objects of curiosity, and as such I enclose them. They will be printed
on Saturday if the papers are returned in time.

A Dutch paper of the 13th of July, mentions that the Baron Viomenil,
the Marquis de Lavall, and other officers, left Paris the beginning of
July, in order to sail in the ---- frigate; that the Marquis de
Lafayette was not to accompany them, as i