"Great Britain, not long since so proud of its forces, that she feared not to declare war against an ancient and faithful ally, already repents of that unjust and rash proceeding; and succumbing under the weight of a war, which becomes more and more burdensome, she sighs after peace, whilst the harmony among the members of the supreme government of this country increases with our arms, according as your political system, whose necessity and salutary influence were heretofore less acknowledged, gains every day more numerous imitators. The resolution lately taken by the States of Friesland, and so unanimously adopted by our Province, furnishes, among many others, one incontestable proof of it, whilst that the naval combat, delivered last year on the Doggerbank, has shown to astonished Europe that so long a peace has not made the Republic forget the management of arms, but that on the contrary, it nourishes in its bosom warriors, who tread in the footsteps of the Tromps and Ruiters, from whose prudence and intrepidity, after a beginning so glorious, we may promise ourselves the most heroic actions; that their invincible courage, little affected with an evident superiority, will procure one day to our country an honorable and permanent peace, which, in eternizing their military glory, will cause the wise policy of your Noble, Great, and Venerable, Noble and Venerable Lordships to be blessed by the latest posterity." LEYDEN. "To the Noble, Great and Venerable Lords, the Great Council of the city of Leyden. "The undersigned, manufacturers, merchants, and other traders, interested in the manufactures and fabrics of this city, give respectfully to understand; that a number of the undersigned, having taken on the 18th of March, the liberty to present to your Noble and Great Lordships a respectful request, 'to obtain the conclusion of connexions of commerce with United America,' the petitioners judge, that they ought to hold it for a duty, as agreeable as indispensable, to testify their sincere gratitude, not only for the gracious manner in which your Noble and Great Lordships have been pleased to accept that request, but also for the patriotic resolution, that your Noble and Great Lordships have taken upon its object; a resolution in virtue of which the city of Leyden (as the petitioners have the best reasons to suppose) has been one of the first cities of this province, from whose unanimous co-operation has originated the resolution of their Noble and Grand Mightinesses, of the date of the 28th of March last, 'to direct things on the part of their Noble and Grand Mightinesses in the Assembly of the States-General, and to make there the strongest instances, to the end that Mr Adams may be admitted and acknowledged, as soon as possible, by their High Mightinesses, as Minister of the United States of America.'