1. This was Dumas’ letter to Congress of 22 March (Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. description begins Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States, Washington, 1889; 6 vols. description ends , 4:322–323). There he commented on the agreement of the Dutch provinces to Russia’s mediation offer, the impending court decision regarding the role of the Regency of Amsterdam in the Lee-Neufville treaty, the capture of St. Eustatius, and rumors that Britain had refused the Russian mediation offer. In the postscript, dated 2 April, Dumas indicated that he was expecting interesting news from St. Petersburg and noted a proposal by Amsterdam merchants to send representatives to Britain to plead for the return of goods seized at St. Eustatius, a course of action the merchants of Rotterdam rejected.