Gentlemen,

It is some time since I did myself the Honor of writing to you as I concluded M^r Grand informed you of what passed here I sent him the other day a Letter from Cap^t Cunningham & one from his Hostage to be forwarded to you, which I hope came duly to hand & that no further Disputes will arise about the Ransom Money. The Hostage owns that he is well treated. (I wish we could say as much for our Prisoners in England.) That he will have his Liberty on the money being paid—the Rules & Customs of Nations at War in such Cases are well known, by them we shall regulate our Conduct in this affair & it is to no purpose for the Agent to expect any other Mode of proceeding the whole Affair is exceeding simple, the Hostage is held for a certain Sum that sum paid, he shall be at Liberty to dispose of himself as he pleases, but to give other Security is out of all Rule & the Demand to say no more of it is extravagant. I can but hope the Affair will be settled without further Difficulty. I am extreamely sorry for the Trouble given you on this Occasion & wish it could have been avoided. I shall ever be happy in hearing of your Welfare, my Brother has left Paris & I am not certain of his Returning before he sees America, he as well as myself have a grateful Sense of your Civilities to him during his Stay at Dunkirk—I am [&c.]