Produced by Frank van Drogen, Melissa McDaniel and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica) at http://gallica.bnf.fr) THE DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. VOL. VI. THE DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION; BEING THE LETTERS OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, SILAS DEANE, JOHN ADAMS, JOHN JAY, ARTHUR LEE, WILLIAM LEE, RALPH IZARD, FRANCIS DANA, WILLIAM CARMICHAEL, HENRY LAURENS, JOHN LAURENS, M. DE LAFAYETTE, M. DUMAS, AND OTHERS, CONCERNING THE FOREIGN RELATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES DURING THE WHOLE REVOLUTION; TOGETHER WITH THE LETTERS IN REPLY FROM THE SECRET COMMITTEE OF CONGRESS, AND THE SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. ALSO, THE ENTIRE CORRESPONDENCE OF THE FRENCH MINISTERS, GERARD AND LUZERNE, WITH CONGRESS. Published under the Direction of the President of the United States, from the original Manuscripts in the Department of State, conformably to a Resolution of Congress, of March 27th, 1818. EDITED BY JARED SPARKS. VOL. VI. BOSTON: NATHAN HALE AND GRAY & BOWEN; G. & C. & H. CARVILL, NEW YORK; P. THOMPSON, WASHINGTON. 1830. Steam Power Press--W. L. Lewis, Printer. No. 6, Congress Street, Boston. CONTENTS OF THE SIXTH VOLUME. JOHN ADAMS'S CORRESPONDENCE, CONTINUED. Page. To the President of Congress. Amsterdam, May 16th, 1781, 3 Diplomatic arts of the English.--A war in Holland is not to be expected, unless there should be an acknowledgment of the independence of America. To the President of Congress. Amsterdam, May 21st, 1781, 5 Ordinance of Prussia relative to navigation and commerce. To B. Franklin, Amsterdam, May 23d, 1781, 13 Drafts made on him by Congress.--Encloses despatches for Dr Franklin and Mr Jay.--Thinks it advisable to obtain the acknowledgment of independence from other powers, before opening the conferences for peace.--His mission is a subject of deliberation.--Taxation in America. To the President of Congress. Amsterdam, May 24th, 1781, 15 Proposition of Amsterdam in the States of Holland, urging the speedy adoption of measures of defence and protection.--The example of Amsterdam has great influence on the rest of the country. To the President of Congress. Amsterdam, May 25th, 1781, 21 Enclosing the convention concerning recaptures between France and Holland. To the President of Congress. Amsterdam, May 27th, 1781, 24