Franklin for not communicating it, which I am confident he did not
deserve. This government affects a secrecy in all its transactions
whatsoever, though they be of a nature not to admit a perfect secrecy.
Their _Arrêts_ respecting the islands go to those islands, and are
unpublished and unknown in France, except in the bureau where they are
formed. That of August, 1784, would probably be communicated to the
merchants of the seaport towns also. But Paris having no commercial
connections with them, if any thing makes its way from a seaport town
to Paris, it must be by accident. We have, indeed, agents in these
seaports; but they value their offices so little, that they do not
trouble themselves to inform us of what is passing there. As a proof
that these things do not transpire here, nor are easily got at,
recollect that Mr. Adams, Dr. Franklin, and myself were all here on the
spot together, from August, 1784, to June, 1785, that is to say, ten
months, and yet not one of us knew of the _Arrêt_ of August, 1784.
September the 18th and 25th, 1785, the second was passed. And here alone
I became responsible. I think it was about six weeks before I got notice
of it, that is, in November. On the 20th of that month, writing to Count
de Vergennes on another subject, I took occasion to remonstrate to him
on that. But from early in November, when the Fitzhughs went to America.
I had never a confidential opportunity of writing to Mr. Jay from hence,
directly, for several months. In a letter of December the 14th, to
Mr. Jay, I mentioned to him the want of an opportunity to write to him
confidentially, which obliged me at that moment to write by post via
London, and on such things only, as both post-offices were welcome to
see. On the 2nd of January, Mr. Bingham setting out for London, I wrote
to Mr. Jay, sending him a copy of my letter to Count de Vergennes, and
stating something, which had passed in conversation on the same subject.
I prayed Mr. Bingham to take charge of the letter, and either to send it
by a safe hand, or carry it himself, as circumstances should render most