Resolved, That the Superintendant of Finance or Secretary at War take order that suitable apartments be provided for the accommodation of the Honorable the Minister Plenipo. from their High Mightinesses the States General of the United Provinces of the Netherlands during his Residence attendance on Congress at Princeton. Ordered, That the Superintendant of finance and Secretary at War, or either of them, take order for an entertainment to be given at the public expence, to the hon. P. J. Van Berckel, minister plenipotentiary from their High Mightinesses the States General of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, to the United States of America, and that the Superintendent of Finance and Secretary at War or either of them direct the same on Thursday next, the day assigned for the public audience of the said minister." A COPY OF THE CEREMONIAL ON THE RECEPTION OF FOREIGN MINISTERS, WITH WHICH MR. VAN BERCKEL WAS FURNISHED BY ORDER OF CONGRESS. When a minister plenipotentiary or Envoy shall arrive within any of the United States he shall receive at all places, where there are guards, sentries and the like, such military honors as are paid to a general officer of the second rank in the armies of the United States. When he shall arrive at the place in which Congress shall be, he shall wait upon the President and deliver his credentials or a copy of them. Every minister on his being admitted to his first audience shall be introduced by the Secretary for foreign affairs to a seat provided for him facing the President of Congress, the President and members being seated, and the President covered, the minister being uncovered and so to remain unless he be of the rank of an Ambassador. 1 These two paragraphs in the writing of James Duane and Charles Thomson, are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 25, II, folio 305. The first paragraph, as a motion, in Charles Thomson's writing is in No. 149, III, folio 261. The indorsement states that it was referred to the Secretary at War to take order. The minister being seated shall deliver his letter of credence to the Secretary of Congress by his own secretary who shall stand by him during his audience. If the minister chuses to address Congress he shall rise when he speaks. The letter of credence being delivered by the Secretary of Congress to the interpreter, when such officer shall be necessary, he shall read it in its original language and then present a translation of it to the Secretary of Congress who shall read the same. Upon which the President after reading his answer uncovered shall deliver the same to the Secretary of Congress who shall present it to the minister who shall rise to receive it. The minister then shall be reconducted to his carriage by the Secretary for foreign affairs. If the minister is of the rank of an Ambassador ordinary or extraordinary he shall be covered when he takes his seat. In that case too the President shall rise when the Ambassador is introduced and also when he reads his answer. In any subsequent public audience of a foreign minister the same ceremonial shall be observed except so far as relates to the delivery and reading the credentials. Every minister after his first audience shall pay the first visit to the President and other members of Congress. A foreign minister on his arrival at the place where Congress shall reside shall be informed by the Secretary for foreign affairs that if in any audience he shall chuse to speak, it will be necessary previously to deliver in writing to the President what he intends to say at the audience, and if he shall not incline thereto, it will, from the constitution of Congress, be impracticable for him to receive an immediate answer. All speeches or communications in writing may if the public ministers chuse it, be in the language of their respective countries and all replies or answers shall be in the language of the United States. 76112°—22—vol 25—15 The committee of the week [Mr. Benjamin Huntington, Mr. John Montgomery and Mr. David Howell] report that the petition of Enos Granniss lieutenant late of Colonel Baldwin's regiment of Artificiers be referred to the Secretary at War to report." MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1783 Only three states attended; namely, Massachusetts, New York and Pensylvania; and from Rhode Island, Mr. [William] Ellery; from New Jersey, Mr. [Abraham] Clark; from Maryland, Mr. [Daniel] Carroll, and from North Carolina, Mr. [Hugh] Williamson. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1783 Only six states attended; namely, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pensylvania and Maryland; and from the State of Connecticut, Mr. B[enjamin] Huntington; from the State of Delaware, Mr. [James] Tilton, and from North Carolina, Mr. [Hugh] Williamson. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1783 On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [Hugh] Williamson, Mr. [Arthur] Lee and Mr. [Abraham] Clark, to whom was referred a memorial from General Armand: Resolved, That though Congress are desirous to accommodate all the officers and soldiers who are entitled to land, in such a manner as may be most convenient and acceptable to the army, they cannot at present make any appropriations, much less can they assign certain districts to any particular corps. 1 This report, in the writing of Benjamin Huntington, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, III, folio 255, the petition being on folio 254. It was referred to the Secretary at War, as the indorsement states. On this, or an approximate date, was read the act of October 20 of the General Court of Massachusetts granting to Congress power to levy an impost tax. It is in No. 74, folio 197. That the Secretary at War Commander in Chief be, and he is hereby directed to discharge all the troops in the service of the United States, who are now in Pensylvania or to the southward thereof, except the garrison of Fort Pitt.1 1 A letter, of 26, from the hon. P. J. Van Berckel, was read; Whereupon, Resolved, That the audience to be given to the said minister, be postponed till Friday next.2 On the report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [James] Duane, Mr. [Arthur] Lee and Mr. [Samuel] Huntington, to whom was referred a letter from Major-General Lincoln: Resolved, That the resignation of Major-General Lincoln as Secretary at War for the United States, be accepted, in consideration of the earnest desire which he expresses, (the objects of the war being so happily accomplished) to retire to private life. And that he be informed, that the United States in Congress assembled, entertain a high sense of his perseverance, fortitude, activity and meritorious services in the field, as well as of his diligence, fidelity and capacity in the execution of the office of Secretary at War, which important trusts he has discharged to their entire approbation. Resolved, That notwithstanding the foregoing acceptance, it is the intention of Congress, that General Lincoln shall continue to exercise the duties of Secretary at War, until the 12 day of November next.3 3 The committee, consisting of Mr. S[amuel] Huntington, Mr. A[rthur] Lee and Mr. [James] Duane, to whom 1 The first paragraph of this resolution is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, I, folio 93; the second in No. 36, II, folio 259. Both are in the writing of Hugh Williamson. Armand's memorial, dated October 2, is in No. 164, folio 477. 2 This resolution was also entered in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs. A translation of Van Berckel's letter, asking for a postponement of his audience, is printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton), VI, 716. 3 This report, in the writing of James Duane, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, III, folio 573. From this point to the end of the day the proceedings were entered only in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs, and in Secret Journal No. 4. A copy is in Secret Journal No. 6, Vol. III. were referred sundry resolutions passed on the 29 of September and 1 October, instant, reported a draft of instructions, which was agreed to as follows: By the United States in Congress assembled. To the ministers plenipotentiary of the United States of America at the Court of Versailles empowered to negotiate a peace, or to any one or more of them: First. You are instructed and authorised to announce to his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Germany, or to his ministers, the high sense which the United States in Congress assembled entertain of his exalted character and eminent virtues, and their earnest desire to cultivate his friendship, and to enter into a treaty of amity and commerce for the mutual advantage of the subjects of his Imperial Majesty, and the citizens of these United States. Secondly. You are instructed to meet the advances and encourage the disposition of the other respectable commercial powers in Europe for entering into treaties of amity and commerce with these United States. In negotiations on this subject, you will lay it down as a principle in no case to be deviated from, that they shall respectively have for their basis the mutual advantage of the contracting parties, on terms of the most perfect equality and reciprocity, and not to be repugnant to any of the treaties already entered into by the United States with France and other foreign powers. That such treaties shall, in the first instance, be proposed for a term not exceeding fifteen years, and shall not be finally conclusive until they shall respectively have been transmitted to the United States in Congress assembled, for their examination and final direction; and that, with the drafts or propositions for such treaties, shall be transmitted all the information which shall come within the knowledge of the said ministers respecting the same; and their observations, after the |