[Extract]
No. 300

I had the honor, Sir, to write you a private letter concerning the news that arrived from Canada and I took advantage of the immediate departure of a reliable person. I received more information in the course of the evening, according to which I consider Canada as lost for this country, because it is already an accomplished fact, or, which is the same, because it cannot be prevented. These Americans are a hundred times better soldiers and politicians than the English, and it is not surprising that they finally tired of considering the latter as such; the conquest of Canada will decide the freedom of America. Once the Rebels are in control of Quebec, Montreal and the St. Lawrence river, and join forces with the Canadians, their rearwill be protected and America will be independent: The preliminary step of this great operation was the capture of Ticonderoga; but before breaking out they waited until communications between England and Canada would stop for six months and give them all the time needed to complete this great work. The Congress of Philadelphia, neither divided nor corrupted, is more capable of great undertaakings than the English parliament.

The capture of Halifax is not as certain as the conquest of Canada, however, according to the information I have, I feel it deserves credence to some degree.

I have just received notice that the Ministry has sent an order to all ports to the effect that no ship whatever be allowed to sail. I shall be certain that this fact is correct only when I receive confirmation from the ports themselves. At all events, the courier who carriers this dispatch will surely go through because I am giving him the order, should he meet with any obstacle, to charter a packet-boat for himself, and that could not be refused to him.