Decoding Revolutionary Correspondence

November 23, 1782 from Robert R. Livingston to John Jay

Code/Cipher: WE008
Source: Papers of the Continental Congress, Roll 131, Page 340 (Code appears on Pages 343 and 344)
Manuscript:
PCC at Footnote.com
Jay Papers ID 835 (encoding worksheet); ID 7942 (with blind-copied translation); ID 7944 (with translation)
Electronic Text of Wharton (The Libary of Congress | American Memory)
Searchable Text of Sparks (Google)

In Plaintext

(plaintext pages omitted)
... at least till the principles of his government shall be changed, and he gives evident proofs of the want of justice and moderation.
I see but one source from which differenc[e] between us and France can ever arise.
If Spain should persist in her wild pretention to boundless territory in [--] and be supported in those pretentions by the other branch of the House of Bourbon, she will share in the resentments and jealoussies that such pretentions must excite.
I learn from Mr [--] that the Marquis d'Aranda's powers are not yet expedited so that, as far as I can see, the farce of negotiation is the same though the scene and the player are altered.
I think it unnecessary to repeat to you what I have already written to Dr. Franklin, presuming that you communicate with freedom to each other. Mr. Jefferson will afford, I dare say, a very acceptable aid to your commission; I have not yet learned from him whether he will take the duties upon him.
We continue to be as much distressed for money as ever. Taxes come in very slowly and the five percent duty, which would produce a considerable revenue, is not collected. By some cause, Rhode Island refuses to lay it though every other state unless it be Georgia, from which we have not heard, have passed law for that purpose.
Mr. Barlow, a poet of New England, has requested me to transmit you his proposals for printing, by subscription, a poem of which he is the author.
(plaintext pages omitted)

Verification Dump

(Page 343)
68 <if> 167 <spain>
153 <sho> 392 <ul> 241 <D> 535 <por[per?]> 220 <si[sy]> 310 <st> 583 <in[inn]> 29 <her> 555 <wi> 640 <L> 241 <D> 508 <pr> 352 <et>
197 <en> 239 <tion> 379 <to[too]> 166 <bo> 291 <un> 241 <D> 397 <les> .497 <ter> 218 <ri[ry]> 379 <to[too]> 218 <ri[ry]> 583 <in[inn]> 357 <and>
141 '38 <su> 496 184 <port> 80 <ed> 583 <in[inn]> 579 <tho> .'508 <pr> 352 <et> 197 <en> 239 <tion> .304 <bi[by]> 19 <th> '531 <other>
195 191 <an> 264 <ch> 606 <of> 19 <th> '652 <house> 606 <of> 166 <bo> 215 <ur> 166 <bo> 119 <N> 544 <sh> '495 <wil[will]>
370 <sha> 73 <R> '583 <in[inn]> 19 <th> '73 <R> 651 <es[ess]> 234 <ent> 76 <ment> .357 <and> 143 30 <ea> 436 <lo> 16 .220 <si[sy]> -
42 <E> .303 <that> 38 <su> 264 <ch> 508 <pr> 352 <et> 197 <en> 239 <tion> .224 <mu> 310 <st> 4 <ex> 235 <ci[cy]> 559 <T> '143 
640 <L> 126 <ear> 119 <N> 467 <from> 476 <M> 73 <R> [-]303 <that> 19 <th> '566 <mar> 329 <qui> .241 <D> 448 <ar> 357 <and> 140 <A> .-
447 <po> 231 <wer> .448 <ar> [e] 206 <not> 361 <yet> 4 <ex> 496 80 <ed> 32 <it> 80 <ed> 601 <so> 303 <that> 140 <A> .44 <far>
657 <as[ass]> 143 169 <can> 365 <S> ''19 <th> '44 <far> 55 <C> '606 <of> 119 <N> 481 <eg[egg]> 516 <O> 50 <li[ly,ti?]> 140 <A> 239 <tion>
143 .19 <th> '313 <same> 579 <tho> 19 <th> '365 <S> 55 <C> 197 <en> '357 <and> 19 <th> '434 <pla[play]> 325 <er[err]> 448 <ar> '485 <al[all]> -
497 <ter> 80 <ed>
(Page 344)
258 <W> '250 <con> 50 <li[ly,ti?,ty?]> 416 <nu> '379 <to[too]>
141 '657 <as[ass]> 419 <much> 78 <dis> 213 <str> 651 <es[ess]> 80 <ed> 94 <for> 460 <money> 657 <as[ass]> 45 <ever> 471 <tax> 42 <E> .
187 <com> '583 <in[inn]> 592 <very> 40 <sl> 154 <ow> 384 <li[ly]> 357 <and> 19 <th> '487 <five> 535 <por[per?]> 55 <C> 234 <ent> 608 <duty>
573 <which> 1 <would> 72 <pro> 109 <du> 55 <C> '140 <A> 250 <con> 220 <si[sy]> 241 <D> 325 <er[err]> 422 <able> 73 <R> 320 <eu>
197 <en> 416 <nu> 143 .206 <not> 199 <col> 640 <L> 245 <ec[eck,ek]> 559 <T> 80 <ed> 141 [y] 24 <some> 588 <cause>
136 <Rhode Island> 73 <R> 360 <ef> 16 365 <S> 651 <es[ess]> 379 <to[too]> 353 <lay> 32 <it> 579 <tho> 42 <E> 592 <very> 531 <other>
310 <st> 642 <at[att]> '5 <unless> 32 <it> 141 '492 <georgia> 467 <from> 573 <which> 258 <W> '142 <have> 206 <not> 246 <hear> 241 <D>
142 <have> 484 <pa> 365 <S> . [e] 241 <D> 146 <la> 258 <W> 94 <for> 303 <that> 330 <pu> 73 <R> 447 <po> 365 <S> [e]

Notes

Although Livingston mentions a "farce" here, he says in his letter of January 4, 1783 that "we are far from regretting that the Marquis d'Aranda has no powers to treat. We think, with you, that it is time to adopt the Spanish system. We may treat at any time with more advantage than at present."