I have received a packet from you containing several letters of various dates. As I shall probably have a safe opportunity of conveyance to you when Mr Laurens leaves this country, I am now sitting down to write to you an _omnium_ kind of letter of various matters as they occur. The late Ministry being departed, I may now speak of things more freely. I will take a sentence in one of your letters for my text. Vide yours of April 13th, 1782, in which you say, _you were of opinion that the late Ministry desired SINCERELY a reconciliation with America, and with that view a separate peace_ with us was proposed. I must qualify this sentence much before I can adopt it as my opinion. As to _reconciliation_, I never gave much credit to them for that wish. _It is a sweet expression. It certainly means MORE than peace._ The utmost I ever gave the late Ministry credit for, was a wish for peace. And I still believe, that the wisest among them grew from day to day more disposed to peace, or an abatement of the war, in proportion as they became more alarmed for their own situations and their responsibility. Had the war been more successful, I should not have expected much relenting towards peace or reconciliation. That this has always been the measure of my opinion of them, I refer you to some words in a letter from me to you, dated January 5th, 1780, for proof--"but for the point of sincerity; why, as to that, I have not much to say; I have at least expected some hold upon their _prudence_." My argument runs thus, it is a _bargain_ for _you_ (Ministers) to be sincere _now_. Common prudence may hint to you to look to yourselves. It has amazed me beyond measure, that this principle of common selfish _prudence_ has not had the effect which I expected. I have not been disposed to be deceived by any conciliatory professions, which I considered only as arising from prudence, and I hope that I have not led you into any deception, having so fully explained myself to you on that head. Had the American war been more prosperous on the part of the late Ministry, I do not believe the late resignation would have taken place. But it is evident, from the proposition to the Court of France, which you have communicated to me, (and which I have communicated to the present Ministry your letter) that even to the last hour some part of the late Ministry were still set upon the American war to the last extremity; and probably another more _prudent_ part of the Ministry would proceed no further; which, if it be so, may reasonably be imputed as the cause of the dissolution of the late Ministry.