It is true we are at present in such a situation as to have no apprehensions for the final establishment of our independence; but surely it is a matter of some moment to us, whether we shall obtain it, or at least be freed from the ravages of the enemy and the burden of the war in the course of six months at the expense of eight millions of dollars, or whether we shall wait for it till a general and perhaps a distant peace, and be subject in the meanwhile to infinitely more expense, and all the distress that attends a country which is the seat of war. But, Sir, it is time to dismiss a subject, which wants no arguments to illustrate it. I am confident that you will use every means to convince the State over which you preside, of the danger which will result from relying more upon the weakness of the enemy than their own strength, more upon the aid of their allies than their own exertions, more upon unjust, partial, hazardous, and expensive expedients, than upon an equal and regular support of the measures, which Congress, upon the most mature deliberation have recommended to their attention. I have the honor to be, &c. ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON. * * * * * TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. Office of Foreign Affairs, February 21st, 1782. Sir, I do myself the honor to lay before Congress the enclosed note from the Minister of France, a letter from the Marquis de Bouille with translations of both, and the proceedings of the Council of Assembly of Dominique; all of which relate to the case of the ship Resolution's cargo, part of which was adjudged lawful prize by the sentence of the Court of Appeals; and the case of the brigantine Eeirsten and her cargo, which was also adjudged lawful prize by the said Court.[21] The case of the ship Resolution, as far as I have been able to learn, was simply this, she was a Dutch vessel, freighted on account of capitulants at Dominique, and bound for Holland, agreeably to the seventh Article of the capitulation. She was taken by a British ship, retaken by one of our privateers, and condemned by the Court of Admiralty of this State, whose decree was reversed and the ship and cargo acquitted, except a small part of the latter, on the principle of its not being the property of capitulants, and because, as was alleged, it was not protected by the ordinances of Congress, approving the principles of the armed neutrality, Great Britain and Holland being at open war; from whence it was inferred by the Court, that the Dutch vessel could not be considered as sufficiently neutral to protect the property of an enemy. The papers referred to in the memorial of the Minister of France serve to show, that the whole cargo belonged to capitulants.