Silas Deane to John Jay, 9 October 1780
Passy Oct r 9 th 1780
Dear Sir,
This is my fifth Letter since my arrival, and having received no Acknowledgment from you of the Rec t : of any one of them I am a little uneasy for the Fate of them in particular for that which inclosed a Letter from Don Juan to the Minister;–my last was of the 18 th Ult o . in which I wrote you my Sentiments on political Affairs, 1 nothing New has since occurred to induce a Change. Letters are receiv–d at L–Orient as late as the 3 d . of last M o . when every thing remained in Status quo. A good Understanding prevailed between the American & French Troops. The latter are entrenched at Rhode Island. Adm l Arbuthnot was off the harbor with a Superior Fleet, & Clinton threatned an embarkation of Ten thousand Troops at New York to attack them, The NEngland militia were called in to their Aid. 2 The Northern Privateers had captured & brought into Boston Nineteen shipps of the Quebec Fleet, Valued at Four Hundred Thousand pounds St g . 3 they could not indeed have been Worth much less, this, every thing considered, is of more consequence than the Capture off Cape Finistere. 4 From the West Indies nothing New. The British Parliament meet the last of this Month and it is said will ^ be ^ entertained with a pacific Speech from the Throne, indeed from all I can learn, it is probable that some Overture will be made, which I wish may lead to an honorable Peace, 5 but I dare not make any dependance on it, though I think there is a greater prospect of it ^ at present ^ than for some Time past. M r . Searle 6 sets off for Holland Tomorrow where M r . Adams 7 has fixed himself & Family. No News of M r . Laurens whence M r . Searle sets him down as lost. I beleive We are so much of the Christian & Philosopher, as to be resigned on the Occasion. His Arrival can do no good at this Time, for there is no Money to be borrowed in Holland nor any where else on Our Acc t : and if there was, We have so many Agents of Private States bidding on one Another, & proclaiming thereby our Wants, as well as Our Folly, that no prudent Man would venture his Money– 8 pray let me know your True Situation & prospects in Spain. I wish to know them from the Interest I take in whatever affects You as well as on Acc t . of Our Country. In short I do not aprove of the Conduct of Fr[ance ]. or Sp[ain ]. to Am[erica]. Sp[ain ]. evidently trifles with us in the Face of all Europe. France does near the same but labors to save appearances. Our Cause has lost ground greatly in Fra[nce]. Europe is more & more indifferent ab[ou] t . us . The Armed Neutrality is at an End or rather will never take place. Our Liberty & Indep[endence] is an Object which becomes every Day more out of Sight. Am[erica] begins to grow uneasy, and this Fruitless Campaign with other Circumstances will I fear totally discourage us. Every American goes from France in disgust, though I think without Cause. The Language held by J[ohn]. A[dams]. our minister for peace & his retiring to Hol[lan]d in disgust, has had more serious Effects than is suspected by most. 9 in short all these Circumstances laid together I fear if a peace or Truce takes place the first Object of the war on our part, will have but little Weight with our Friends , especially with Spain who I am convinced is very far from wishing us to succeed farther than to [ Aid ] 10 her Revenge against England .– You can doubtless set me right on this Subject but if you do not think it prudent to do so I will not blame You. My best Compliments wait on M rs . Jay & Col. Livingston, and am with sincere Friendship, Dear Sir Your most Obedient & Very Humble Serv t .
S. Deane
M r Jay