February 7

[In this letter dated February 7, 1783, written from Baltimore during my service as an appointed Minister Plenipotentiary under the Continental Congress, I address the Chevalier de la Luzerne, the French Minister to the United States. The strategic backdrop is marked by the closing months of the American Revolutionary War, where despite preliminary peace agreements, the Atlantic coast remained under a strict and perilous British naval blockade that paralyzed American diplomatic transit. Writing to update Luzerne on my stalled mission to Europe, I explain that intercepted intelligence indicates our capture by enemy warships is virtually unavoidable if we attempt to sail immediately, forcing me to delay my voyage to protect the French crew and vessels.]

The Chevalier de Ville Brun was so kind as to communicate to me yesterday your Excellency's letter to him of January, together with the intelligence therein referred to. I feel myself bound to return you my thanks, for your orders to the Guadeloupe frigate to receive me, if I should think a passage should be hazarded under present circumstances. According to this information (which is the most worthy of credit of any we have received here), it would seem that our capture would be unavoidable were we to go out now. This, therefore, is a risk to which I cannot think of exposing his Majesty's vessel and subjects; however I might be disposed to encounter personal hazards, from my anxiety to execute, with all the promptitude in my power, a service which has been assigned to me. I shall therefore wait with patience the arrival of the moment when the Chevalier de Ville Brun shall be of opinion that the one or the other of the vessels may venture out without any greater risk than he shall think proportioned to her proper object, independently of mine. It has been suggested to me this evening, that perhaps their safe departure might be greatly forwarded by their falling down to York, or Hampton, there to be ready at a moment's warning, to avail themselves of those favorable circumstances which the present season sometimes offers.