I received your Letter of the twenty eighth of April by Major Franks.1 It came too late for I had already applied the Copy of a certain Correspondence in the Manner you intended when you sent it.2 I decyphered and read your Letter to the Minister of foreign Affairs.3 If I were with you or had Time to use my Cypher,4 I would say somewhat on it. I think that Congress will not be silent— Should you have done nothing I advise you to the Maxim festina lente.5 You will know the Reasons when this reaches you or soon after, Wind and Weather permitting, for both must you know be consulted before Instructions can be ascertained to an ultramarine Agent.

I am surprized that you have not had of my Letters since last Autumn but that Circumstance proves the Position I have just advanced. A Question. Are you acquainted with the organization of the Office for foreign Affairs? Letters from the Minister are submitted to Congress in Toto.6 I learn you are going to Versailles if the Account be true, and it came from yourself, this will find you there. I do not however expect any Thing like Peace at present, because I do not expect Peace— This may not be so intelligible to every Body else as it is to you. Sed festina lente I repeat again Your Friends here are well—your Brother James has I am told, gone to England. If so his political Race like a New Market Course has run round in a Circle and brought him back to where he started. I am sorry for him or rather I reciprocate your Feelings on the Occasion.7 It is somewhat extraordinary, Doctor Franklin’s Son your Brother and Mr. Lawrence’s Self are in England—8 Mr. Adams I suppose has no Connection there, tho by the bye situated as he is he should be cautious not to connect himself with those who have. You will see by our News Papers that the States resolve away at an enormous Rate not to make Peace nor Truce nor any Thing else with Britain: nimium ne crede Colori.9 Look at the other Side of the Question and you will find that, to use a vulgar Expression they pay Taxes like nothing at all. I use this Expression almost literally for the only Difference is that they ^pay^ Nothing, instead of paying like nothing. With this ^Hint^ however you must combine one Consideration which is that nobody will be thankful for any Peace but a very good one. This they should have thought on who made War with a Republic. I am among the number who would be extremely ungrateful for the Grant of a bad Peace— My public and private Situation will both concur to render the Sentiment as coming from me unsuspected. Judge then of others. Judge of the many headed fool whose Sense can feel no more than his own wringing. I am not extravagant in my Demands nor impressed with the Quixotism of destroying either a Giant or an Enchanter because I fear not the Force of one nor Charm of the other but I wish that while the War lasts it may be real War, and that when Peace comes it may be real Peace— Adieu Yours