On my return here at the close of the last week from Amsterdam I received your favour of the 24th: ultimo:1 and request you to accept my thanks for the communications it contains. By public report I had already heard not only that the Treaty was signed, but the pretended purport of many articles of its contents. I had already felt myself obliged ^to leave^ ardent, and in some instances inquisitive curiosity in the same suspence in which I found it upon this subject. Upon the state of the negotiation when I left London, I could give our friends here no other information, than what resulted from public report in that place, from which all I had collected was that the affair was in a probable train of settlement. Since the receipt of your Letter I have taken the liberty to mention the stipulation which you observe requires not to be kept secret.

The desire of Peace among all the friends and supporters of the Government in this Country is animated to the highest degree, by the prevailing opinion of an irresistible necessity. The task of essentially contributing to reconcile opposing interests, to preserve Dignity from Humiliation and to harmonize discordant circumstances, is in the public opinion once more assigned to the same person, who in that opinion has recently performed it with so much ability. The hopes which have been indulged in this particular are at this moment however restrained by the general idea, that an allied government is irrevocably determined upon the experiment of another campaign.

I have been informed since my return from Amsterdam that Mr: Valltravers is gone to England. He made the a similar application to that mentioned in your letter, to me, for which he assigned the same reason. I told him that such an appointment from me, would certainly afford him no protection in England; and even if it could, a compliance to ^with^ his request on my part was inconsistent with my ideas of propriety.2

I received this day from Amsterdam a Baltimore Newspaper of 30th. September. It contains no intelligence of consequence.3

The armies in this Country do not at present appear to be very active. The Duke of York is here. There appears to be some difficulty about the reception of british troops into the cities. It is said the magistracy of Amsterdam have taken a resolution against the measure as it respects that capital. I am, with every Sentiment of respect and attachment, Dear Sir, your very humble & obedient Servant,