It is with Regret that we find ourselves obliged by our Duty to the ^our^ Country to object to entering with You into negociations for Peace on the plan proposed—one Nation can treat with another Nation only on Terms of Equality, and it can not be expected that we should be the first and only Servants of Congress ^who^ would admit Doubts of their Independence.1

The Tenor of your Commission affords Matter for a Variety of Objections which your good Sense will save us the Necessity of enumerating. The Journals of Congress present to you unequivocal and uniform Evidence of the Sentiments and Resolutions of Congress on the Subject, and their positive Instructions to us to speake the same Language—2

The Manner of removing these Obstacles is obvious, and in our Opinion no less consistent with the Dignity than the Interest of G. Britain— If the Parliament meant to enable the King to conclude a Peace with us on Terms of Independence, they necessarily meant to enable him to do it in a Manner compatible with his Dignity, and consequently that he should previously regard us in a point of View that would render it proper for him to negociate with us— What this point of View is, you need not be informed—

We also take the Liberty of submitting to your Consideration how far his Majesty’s now declining to take this Step, would comport with the assurances lately given on that Subject; and whether Hesitation and Delay would not tend to lessen the Confidence which those assurances were calculated to inspire—3

As to referring an acknowledgmt. of our Independence to the first article of a Treaty, permit us to remark, that this implies that we are not to be considered in that Light until after the Conclusion of it ^the Treaty^, and our agreeing to it ^acquiescing^, would be to admit the propriety of our being considered in another Light during that Interval— Had this Circumstance been attended to, we presume that the Court of Great Britain would not have pressed a Measure which certainly is not delicate, and which cannot be reconciled with the recd. Ideas of national Honor.

You may rest assured Sir of our Disposition to peace on reasonable Terms, and of our Readiness to enter Seriously into Negociations for it, as soon as we shall have an opportunity of doing it in the only Manner in which it is possible for one Nation to treat with another vizt. on an equal footing. Had your Commission been in the usual form, we might have proceeded,4 and as we can percieve no legal ^or other^ objection to this, or some other such like Expedient, it is to be wished that his Majesty will not permit an Obstacle so very unimportant to Great Britain, but so essential & insuperable with Respect to us, to delay the Reestablishmt. of peace, especially as in Case the Business could be but once begun, the Confidence we repose have in your Candor and Integrity would probably render the settling all our Articles, only the Work of a few Hours—5