[marginalia, upper right of cover, written at right angle:] [26^h Feby / [undecipherable] / 1798 / [undecipherable]] [FILED] The Honble James McHenry Esq. Sec^y of War of the U.S. Philadelphia [undecipherable] Dear Sir London 26^th Feby. 1798. when I last had the pleasure to see you last you requested me to write to you — and if I have not availed myself of this Request it is only because I have not had any thing to communicate which w.^d not come to you more promptly as well as more satisfactorily from other channels. — Of the progress of our Commission you w.^d naturally be apprized by our Despatches to the Sec.^y of State — and of the great Events of which Europe has been the Theatre, my letters could give you no Information equal to that which you have better means of acquiring. — I think however that my silence has been blameable. and that I sh.^d have written if it were merely to remind you of my Claim to a place in your recollection, and to evidence the value I do not cease to put upon your friendship & good opinion. — I beg you to pardon me if you believe me to have been faulty in this respect. and to allow my promise of Amendment with this Specimen of it, to make my peace. I am aware that in saying this much I appear to make myself of more Importance than I am entitled to do — but you will be good enough to ascribe the seeming vanity to the Proofs I have heretofore received of your Regard. — You have doubtless been much gratified by observing that, notwithstanding the temporary Obstacles the Execution of our Treaty has equaled our best Expectations and you will, more gratified by learning that the prospect of an Armistice close to our Commission becomes every day more certain. — We had supposed it possible that we sh.^d differ from the B. Com^rs on a point of more Consequence than has hitherto occurred & upon the Decision of which w.^d depend whether the Article sh.^d be idle and illusory or a substantial efficacious Provision. The Treaty [strikethrough: providing] prescribing 18 Months for the Exhibition of Claims in the first Instance— & giving us a Discretion to receive them within 6 Months after the Expiration of the 18. — It is now perfectly certain that the judicial Remedy, will not have been exhausted in the front [undecipherable] of the cases within either of three [undecipherable] — as the Lords of Appeal decide nothing or at least very little. The Treaty makes it an essential Ingredient & in every Complaint that it sh.^d be shewn that the Compl.^d C.^d not procure Redress, in the ordinary Course of Judicial proceedings — and so Complainant can come to us until he is in a Situation to allege & substantiate that fact. — of course it w.^d become important to determine whether a Man whose Cause is still prejudiced without any fault on his part, at the End of the 18 Months, is not authorized to demand our Aid upon the Ground that he has tried the Judicial Remedy to the Extent required by the Treaty. — For if he is not then demand it & his Cause sh.^d remain undecided by the Lords until the End of the 6 Months it is obvious that he w.^d be forever without the pale of this provision, and consequently the Treaty w.^d be almost a dead Letter. — Upon this point, on which we had anticipated difference of Opinion, we shall probably be unanimous — and I do not foresee any other on with we are likely to have any considerable Difficulty. — I have Hopes of being able to return to America in the Course of the next Year — and it will I am sure give you pleasure to learn that my Health is so much recruited as to enable me to go back to the Bar without Inconvenience. — If it shall happen that our Labours here have not been in vain (and there is every reason to hope so) I shall be so far from having Cause to regret my Absence from my Country that may justly felicitate myself upon it. — [strikethrough: undecipherable] [undecipherable] our Envoys at Paris are still Status quo. — The French [undecipherable] of the last Month denouncing indiscriminately Hostility [undecipherable] neutral Commerce — a [undecipherable] motion [undecipherable] another, by which all Neutral Vessels are to be brought in for Adjudication & [undecipherable] — condemned without further [undecipherable] (a regulation obviously in aid of the former) [undecipherable] to be an unequivocal Answer to our Demands of Redress for past Injuries. — My Information does not enable me to form any decisive Judgment, but I sh.^d think that our Com^rs cannot remain much longer in France. — If a Rupture with this proud Republic is to be unavoidable [undecipherable] the Sacrifice of our national Honor and Interests, (and of this there does not appear to be any Room to doubt) I hope & trust that the public Mind in America will be prepared for it & that we shall meet the Calamity with all the Spirit & Resources of the Country. — — Europe presents every Day fresh Instances of French Ambition and the dreadful System by which it is to be gratified. Switzerland is upon the point of being Revolutionized, & probably annexed to France, not only by the Troops of that Nation, but by the operation of that detestable policy which plays off the lower & unprincipled portion of Society against the Government. — Berne is supposed to be prepared for a considerable Stand; but the Prospect of its being [an] efficacious one is not such as could be wished. — The Ecclesiastical States are on the Eve of being democratized or sunk into a French province. — Portugal is menaced with a powerful Invasion — & Spain has consented to the March of the assisting Forces thro' her Territories — the Consequences of which will obviously be fatal to both. — Thus for the want of a timely Coalition among their different Powers of the Continent, each will in its Turn become a Prey to the inordinate Views of a Nation which with Union they are still able to resist. — G: Britain alone preserves the firm Attitude with which she commenced the Contest — but [her] Efforts can only be defensive & can resist [undecipherable]. — The threatened Invasion of this Country is probably more postponed but if attempted to be carried into Execution [undecipherable] every possible Chance & it. — I ought to make an Apology for troubling you with politics — I did not intend to do so because I can [undecipherable] state nothing upon these Topics but what I collect from Newspapers & common Conversation, & because you have infinitely more Sources of Knowledge. — Mr King's Despatches have I presume made you acquainted with the State of our Claim to the Bank Stock. — His good Offices have been constantly employed to secure to Maryland [undecipherable] its Result, & it is to be hoped will be finally successful. — Every Motion of Justice & Policy points to an absolute Transfer of the Stock to the States that must ultimately produce it. — Harper's Book has given [a] uncommon — celebrity here — perused with avidity by people of every Description. — Monroe is republished in London but I have not seen it. — From what I have heard of it, it contains [strikethrough: undecipherable] that which only the [undecipherable] of the U.S. could [strikethrough: undecipherable] give to the World. — His Instructions &c. — Whence a diplomatic Agent derives its Authority for the publication of such Documents is in a considerable [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] the Gov.^t has given it to him. — I will not add more to this [undecipherable] letter than to tell you that we pass our Time pleasantly enough in London & that my Family enjoys better Health than formerly; but that I am anxious to return to Maryland. — We do not [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the Value of our Country & our Friends till we are separated from them. — I beg you to be assured my D:^r Sir that of the latter there is no one whom I remember with warmer Sentiments of Regards than you. — I do not ask you to write to me; but I cannot help [undecipherable] that [undecipherable] you shall have — leisure [undecipherable] to give me a Line you will gratify me highly by doing so. — Yours sincerely [undecipherable: probable reading W^m Pinkney]