_Request of the Merchants, &c. to their Regency._ "Noble, Great, and Venerable Lords, "It is for us a particular satisfaction to be able to offer to your Noble and Great Lordships, as heads of the Regency of this city, this well-intentioned request, that a multitude of our most respectable fellow-citizens have signed. It was already ready and signed by many, when we learnt, as well by the public papers, as otherwise, the propositions of a particular peace, with an offer of an immediate suspension of hostilities on the part of Great Britain, made to this State by the mediation of the Russian Ambassador. This is the only reason why no immediate mention was made of it in the address itself; it is by no means the idea, that these offers would have made any impression upon the merchants, since we can, on the contrary, in truth, assure your Noble and Great Lordships, that the unanimous sentiment, nearly, of the exchange of Amsterdam, at least, as much as that interests it, is entirely conformable to that, which the merchants of Rotterdam have made known in so energetic a manner. That we have, consequently, the greatest aversion to like offers, as artful as dangerous, which being adopted, would very probably throw this Republic into other situations very embarrassing, the immediate consequences of which would be to ruin it utterly; whereas, on the other hand, these offers show, that we have only to deal with an enemy exhausted, that we could force to a general and durable peace in the end, by following only the example of France, Spain, and North America, and by using the means, which are in our own hands. "It is improper for us, however, to enlarge further upon this project, important as it may be, being well assured, that your Noble and Grand Lordships see those grievous consequences more clearly than we can trace them. "The merchants continue to recommend the commerce and the navigation to the constant care and protection of your Noble and Great Lordships, and to insist only, that in case, that these offers of the Court of England should be at any time the cause, that the affair of the admission of Mr Adams, in quality of Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of North America, met with any difficulty or delay, on the part of the other confederates, that your Noble and Great Lordships, according to the second article of our requisition inserted in this request, would have the goodness to think upon measures, which would warrant this Province from the ruinous consequences of such a proceeding." To this request was joined the address presented to the Burgomasters, and to the Council, which is of the following tenor. "Noble, Great, Venerable, and Noble and Venerable Lords,