With respect to the civil list, I shall say but one or two words. I know well the connexion, which ties together all the public servants, and I lament every comparison, which implies a distinction between them. The civil list consists chiefly of persons whose salaries will not do more than find them food and clothing. Many of them complain, that with great parsimony they cannot obtain even those necessaries. The difference then between them and the army, supposing the latter to get but four months' pay out of twelve, is that both would be alike subsisted, and the army would have an arrearage of eight months' pay to receive at a future period, but the civil list would have to receive nothing. I am, my Dear Sir, &c. ROBERT MORRIS. * * * * * TO B. FRANKLIN. Office of Finance, July 1st, 1782. Sir, I have deferred until this moment my answer to your letters of the 4th, 9th, and 30th, of March, in expectation that I should have heard from you by the Marquis de Lafayette. A vessel now about to depart induces me to address you. I enclose an Act of Congress, by which you are empowered to adjust the public accounts with the Court of France. I wish this may be done, and the amount transmitted hither, that arrangements may be taken for ascertaining the times and the modes of payment. You will at the same time observe, that it is determined to appoint a commissioner for liquidating and finally adjusting the accounts of the public servants of Congress in Europe. The Minister here, in a letter to me of the 25th of May last, gives the following state of moneys granted by France, viz. "These advances have been made at the following periods, and are payable with interest, according to the obligations and acknowledgements of Dr Franklin. "In 1778, 3,000,000 1779, 1,000,000 1780, 4,000,000 1781, 10,000,000 ---------- Total 18,000,000 "From this sum must be deducted the gratuitous subsidy of last year, 6,000,000 ---------- Remains 12,000,000 "To this must be added, 1st. The produce of the loan in Holland, 10,000,000 2dly. The loan made by his Majesty for the current year, 6,000,000 ---------- "Capital of the debt due to His Majesty by the United States, 28,000,000"