Philadelphia, August 9th.
Sir:
The Pacific disposition of the Parliament and People of England towards the thirteen Provinces has already been communicated to you, and the Resolutions of the House of Commons of the 27th of February last have been placed in your Excellency’s hands, and intimations given at the same time, that further Pacific measures were likely to follow, since which, until the present time, we have had no direct communications from England, but a mail is now arrived which brings us very important information. We are acquainted, Sir, by authority, that negotiations for a general Peace
have already commenced at Paris, and that Mr. Grenville is invested with full Powers, to treat with all the parties at War, and is now at Paris in the Execution of his Commission.And we are further, Sir, made acquainted, that his Majesty, in order to remove all obstacles to that Peace which he so ardently wishes to restore, has commanded his Minister to direct Mr. Grenville that the Independency of the thirteen Provinces should be proposed by him in the first instance instead of making it a condition of a General Treaty—however not without the highest confidence that the Loyalists shall be restored to their possessions or a full Compsensation made them whatever confiscations may have taken place.
Rear Admiral.