vested with equal powers, a treaty of amity and commerce.--Reply of the Count d'Aranda, declaring himself vested with ample powers to treat.--Visit of the Count d'Aranda to Versailles.--M. Rayneval goes to England.--Probable objects of his visit.--Conversation with Mr Vaughan on the subject of M. Rayneval's visit.--Mr Jay represents the expediency of treating with America on an equal footing; the inexpediency of attempting to exclude the Americans from the fisheries; and of restricting the western boundary and the navigation of the Mississippi.--Mr Vaughan goes to England to communicate these views to Lord Shelburne.--Proposed draft of a letter to the Count de Vergennes, containing objections to Mr Oswald's commission; it does not designate the United States by their proper title; it empowers him to treat with bodies not having authority to treat by the American constitution; it calls in question the independence of the United States; precedents from acts of Congress; America has treated with other powers as an independent State; precedents from other States under similar circumstances; detail of the history of the early negotiations of the United Provinces with Spain, showing that they treated with other powers on an equal footing, and refused to negotiate with Spain except in like manner; the independence exists in fact, and not as a grant from Great Britain.--Conversation between Mr Jay, the Count d'Aranda, and the Marquis de Lafayette, on the propriety of Spain's treating with America on an equal footing.--The Count de Vergennes states the object of M. Rayneval's visit to England to be, to judge of the real views of the English Ministry.--The claims of Spain to countries east of the Mississippi are of recent origin.--Conversation with M. Rayneval on this subject.--Mr Oswald receives a new commission, under which articles are agreed on.--Conversation between Messrs Jay and Franklin and M. Rayneval on the boundaries and fisheries.--The policy of the French Court is directed to prevent a cordial reconciliation between America and England, and thus to keep the United States dependent on France. Observations of the Editor on the above letter, 208 Pointing out the misapprehensions of Mr Jay as to the objects of M. Rayneval's visit to England. Robert R. Livingston to John Jay. Philadelphia, November 23d, 1782, 212 Complains of want of information from the Ministers in Europe.--English Commissioners will meet with no success in America.--Mr Barlow's poem.--Mr Boudinot elected President of Congress.