Secret
No 1
My Lord

I inclose a duplicate, of my Letter by Lord Fitzwilliam, least by any Accident, He should have been detained upon the Road. 

I have received, through a Secret Channel, the following Intelligence, which I can by no means warrant, but think it deserves some degree of Attention.

Doctor Franklin certainly was at Versailles soon after his Arrival here, (some accounts Say, that he stopped there in his ,vay to Paris, and staid several Hours) He did not see any of the Ministers, but had a Secret Interview with the youngest M Gerard, who I suppose was chose, on account of his speaking English: The Interview was in the Depot des Archives.

Franklin gave him a Memorial, the Substance of which, was as follows: To Demand a formal Guarantee, of the Independence of the Colonies, this Guarantee to be given by the whole House of Bourbon.

To offer on the part of the Colonies, any Treaty of Commerce, that should be thought most advantageous, to their several Dominions.

To propose, that the Colonies shall engage, never to enter into any Treaty, or agreement, with Great Britain, nor accept any proposals from Her, How advantageous so ever; Besides this, the Colonies in case of a War with England, offer to assist the House of Bourbon, with their whole force, in the prosecution of that War, and leave it to them, to determine, in what Manner this force is to be employed.

The Colonies demand, in return for this offer, the immediate Assistance of France, and Spain, in the present Emergency, they ask fifteen Ships of the Line, and twenty frigates, and promise as soon as their Independency is established, to pay fifty thousand Pounds Sterling, as an acknqwledgement for this Assistance.

such, I am told, is the Substance of this Memorial. After perusing it. the french Ministers sent a verbal answer, through the same M Gerard, to this Effect. His Most Cn Majesty being determined, to give his principal Attention, to the Reestablishment of his Finances, and the improvement, of the internal Government of his Dominions, in all its several Branches, cannot think of entering into a War; He will however, be disposed to listen to the proposals of the Colonies, and Second their views, when they have given more Consistency and stability, to the Independence they have assumed, but in the present moment, unless I'Angleterre contre toute Attente lui declare la Guerre, he can only give Refuge, and Protection to such Individuals, as chuse to come into his Dominions, but is determined, to take no part whatever, in this Contest, but continue to observe the Strictest Neutrality.

This answer seems to me My Lord, the more probable, as it falls in with the present Intentions, and Designs of this Court, which as far as I can judge, are not to take the Americans by the Hand, till they appear able to defend themselves better than they have hitherto done.

Franklin, who came back from Versailles, much dissatisfied, has since that time, made several endeavours, to be admitted to see M de Vergennes, and I strongly suspect, did see him on Saturday last [December 28), I know at least, that He, and Dean, went to Versailles that day. M de Vergennes has affected to say, to several Persons, of late, that it would be impossible for him to refuse to see Mr Franklin, as it was a General Rule with Ministers, to see and hear everybody. Franklin who is much at home, is, I am told, frequently visited by different Persons of the Choiseul Party, but particularly by M de Shainville. The Duke of Choiseul, Franklin, and Deane, met on Monday Evening, at a Ladys House of my acquaintance, and I am much inclined to believe, that the Meeting was not Accidental. It is certain, that the Choiseul Party take Franklin by the Hand, openly espouse the cause of the Rebels, and Rail, in all companies, at the Weakness of the present french Ministers, who say they lose such an opportunity, of giving the Natural Rival, and enemy of France, a Mortal Blow. Your Lordship sees that by this Means, Franklin will become an Instrument of Faction, which I hope will rather obstruct, than facilitate his Negotiations. The language he Affects to hold, to his intimates, is, that He accepted this Commission very unwillingly, that he told the Congress, that all he could do, was to go to France, and die there in their Service, that the stuff was almost worn out, but that the last thread of it was at their Disposar: I purposely repeat all this, to shew your Lordship, the Cantering Tone he assumes.

I cannot yet pretend to form any decisive Judgement, as to his success: My poor opinion is, that the present French Ministers wish to wound, but are afraid to strike, and tho the offers he makes, may tempt them, they will think twice, before they expose themselves, and their Country, to the Hazard of an unnecessary War; however this may be, I am persuaded, that it is on our constant Vigilance, at Home, and uninterrupted Success in America, that the Continuance of the public Tranquillity, must ultimately depend.

I am with the greatest Truth and Respect My Lord [&c.]