That the King had, in different circumstances, taken the proper measures to deprive the enemy of all hopes, which they might have formed of introducing dissensions between his Majesty and his allies. That it was to be wished, that the Court of London was fully convinced of the impossibility of treating separately with America. That this had always been the chimerical and favorite idea of England; and that so long as it subsisted, there would perhaps be no possibility of treating seriously about the conditions of a peace. That their negotiations would only be an artifice to scatter divisions among the allies, and retard their exertions for continuing the war. That the shortest way to put a stop to their intrigues, would be to let it be known publicly in the most explicit manner, that the United States neither can nor will make any peace without the concurrence of their ally; and that if England has any overtures of peace to make to them, the American Plenipotentiaries are sufficiently empowered to receive them, and to negotiate a peace, if those overtures are admissible.
That this peremptory language would free Congress from all the embarrassments, which the English Ministers could throw in the way; that it would bring them to a sincere disposition to make peace; put an end forever to their machinations with the mediating powers; deprive them of the means of feeding the Parliament and people of England with the hopes of a separate peace; and finally save the Americans from all the difficulties, which would infallibly take place if England were allowed to negotiate in America. It would convince England, that the United States are not less attached to their engagements with their ally than sensible of the respect due to the Courts of Vienna and Petersburg, whose mediation Congress have accepted.
The Minister added, that though the situation of the belligerent powers, the distance of America, and the slowness and difficulty of communication made it advantageous that the seat of negotiation should be in Europe, and that the enemy should be informed of this resolution, yet Congress had the fullest liberty to follow the system which France had pointed out in her answer to the mediating powers, in consequence of which the American Ministers might negotiate immediately and directly, conformably to the instructions they had received from Congress; but the negotiations of France and America would be carried on in an equal progression, a continual and reciprocal communication would be given, and the two treaties signed at the same time, and one be ineffectual without the other.