It seems as if my chief Business here was to fatigue you and our good Allies with incessant Sollicitations on the Subject of theeir ^ill-^timed, & I had almost said cursed Bills drawn upon me by Congress— It is happy for yo me that you are are a Philosopher, and for our Country that our allies are indeed our Friends— Amicus certus in re incerta cernitur—1 This Court continues to observe the most profound Silence respecting the ^our^ Propositions, we can I ^cannot as yet^ obtain any answer of any kind to ^any of^ my applications for aids—heretofore the minister was too sick & too busy, at present his Secretary is much indisposed— I have requested that he wd. lend us for the present only as much as wd. satisfy the Bills for of December viz 31′809— Dollars—no answer—what is to be done—2 I must ^again^ try & borrow again of my Banker ^a little^ & as usual recur to you— Thank God no new Bills arrive ^If they did I should refuse to accept them^—only a few straggling old ones now & then appear—Dont you think ^wd not^ the Court of France would on your representing this matter to them enable to you to put an End to all our Dangers on this Head ^this unhappy Business^ ^but^— Thirty thousand pounds Stirling would do it, an I am sure the Evils of we shd experience from the protest of these Bills wd cost our Country ^cost even France^ a vast Deal more. My Situation is You see my Situation— I am sure I need not press Your speedy answer ^to deliver me from it if in yr power^— I cannot ^yet^ believe that all the assurances of this Court will vanish into Air— I still flatter myself that they will afford us some Supplies tho not in in Season— I think we might very safely offer to repay the french Court the proposed Sum, in America, for surely Congress wd not hesitate to prefer that to a the Loss of their Credit—

I enclose a News Paper which gives us much Reason to endulge the most pleasing Expectations— God grant they may be realized—3 I have a Letter from Mr Gerry dated at Marblehead the 9 Octr.— He was then in daily Expectation of hearing that Ld Cornwallis & his Army were our Prisoners— He describes the last Harvest as very abundant & the general State of our affairs as very promising—much more ^so indeed^ than ever they have been—4 I am dr Sir with perfect Gratitude & ^sincere^ Regard & Attachmt Your obliged Fd & Servt