Office of Foreign Affairs, September 11th, 1782.
I have the honor to lay before Congress a number of letters received last night by Captain Smedley, from Mr Adams, Mr Dana, and Mr Barclay. I have arranged and numbered them, and translated those of Mr Dumas. The compliment of the merchants of the town of Schiedam being very long, it is not yet translated, when it is, it will be laid before Congress. Mr Dana has by some accident neglected to put up the first sheet of his letter, so that the subject is broken in upon, and we are ignorant of its date.
I take the liberty to recommend that some attention be paid to Mr Adams's request with respect to Mr Dumas, who has certainly been a very assiduous servant of the United States; I could wish at least to be enabled to inform him of the sense of Congress thereon. Perhaps it would be expedient to commit it to the committee appointed to consider the salaries of foreign Ministers, &c. Mr Adams has as yet received no answer to the letter on the subject of his purchase at the Hague. Should Congress approve the form, which Mr Adams proposes for the ratification of his agreement, I presume Mr Thomson will have their orders for endorsing it, and the agreement will be immediately returned to this office, so that Congress may avail themselves of the means, that now offer for transmitting it.
I also lay before Congress a large packet, containing Mr Deane's accounts, which I shall deliver to the Office of Finance, unless Congress would choose to have it disposed of in some other way. I must beg, Sir, that the letters be returned to this office, as soon as Congress have examined them as I wish to avail myself of the present opportunity to answer them.
Office of Foreign Affairs, September 12th, 1782.
I have the honor to lay before Congress two letters from Messrs de Neufville and Son, under cover of which last I received the enclosed letter, which contains what I suppose to be the first sheet of Mr Dana's letter, probably sent immediately after he had discovered his mistake. I send the other parts with it. I also enclose for the perusal of Congress an act of the British Parliament for the exchange of American prisoners, which, when returned to the office I shall have published.