In this case, the
Count de Moutier has the promise of succeeding to him, and if I do not
mistake his character, he would give great satisfaction. So that I think
you may calculate on seeing one or the other, by midsummer.
It had been suspected that France and England might adopt those
concerted regulations of commerce for their West Indies, of which your
letter expresses some apprehensions. But the expressions in the
4th, 5th, 7th, 11th, 18th, and other articles of their treaty, which
communicate to the English the privileges of the most favored European
nation only, has lessened, if not removed those fears. They have clearly
reserved a right of favoring, specially, any nation not European; and
there is no nation out of Europe, who could so probably have been
in their eye at that time, as ours. They are wise. They must see it
probable, at least, that any concert with England will be but of
short duration; and they could hardly propose to sacrifice for that, a
connection with us, which may be perpetual.
We have been for some days, in much inquietude for the Count de
Vergennes.
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