By the most unremitting assiduity, he so far succeeded as to procure, amongst others, a sum of money to be shipped in Holland by the South Carolina frigate, which was deemed, by the Court of France, a safe and convenient conveyance, as it would divide the risk which must have been incurred by placing the whole on board of one vessel. That sum was sent to this place by M. Necker, and lodged in the house of Fizeaux and Grand, to be by them delivered to me, agreeably to the following order, the original of which is now in my possession, having very fortunately for me recovered it from them after they received your instructions. * * * * * Translation. "Paris, May 12th, 1781. "Gentlemen, "This letter will be delivered to you by Mr William Jackson, captain of infantry in the service of the United States, to whom I request you to deliver the 130,655 dollars, and the 720,000 livres in crowns, which you have received on my account by the way of Brussels. Mr Jackson will give you a receipt for it, in which he will express that these two sums have been delivered to him pursuant to the intention of Mr John Laurens, an American officer now at Paris, whose orders he will follow on this subject. You will be pleased to send me afterwards this receipt, with a statement of all the expenses due to you. I will have them reimbursed here to M. Grand. "I am, Gentlemen, &c. NECKER. M. M. Grand, Fizeaux, & Co. Amsterdam." Messrs Fizeaux and Grand have, in pursuance of your Excellency's directions, refused to deliver it. This, Sir, being a distinct transaction, executed altogether at the instance of the honorable John Laurens, special Minister at the Court of Versailles from the United States, and by him committed to my further care, I conceive myself indispensably bound to remonstrate to your Excellency, on the late order given by you to Messrs Fizeaux and Grand, directing the detention of that money, and to inform you that if they are not repealed, I must embark without it; and however I may lament the disappointment and distress in which this measure must involve Congress, whose arrangements are undoubtedly taken on the certainty of this supply being sent from Europe; however much I may regret Colonel Laurens's absence which induces it, I shall possess the pleasing reflection of having done my duty, in demanding, conformably to the intentions of M. Necker, and by his order, that money which the Court of France had accorded to the United States by the application of Colonel Laurens, in virtue of his special commission, and which was particularly and expressly destined to reanimate the credit of the continental currency. The ship waits for nothing else but this money. I shall attend your Excellency's ultimate decision thereon, which I expect to receive by return of the express, who only waits your commands. I have the honor to be, &c. W. JACKSON.