-779-tuted himself debtor to the department of war, and

between those articles which the fame gentleman has bought in the way of common trade for the ufe of the United States.

2. A hint having been given to the minifter plenipotentiary, that congrefs defire to recruit their fhips in France from the English prifoners there, the court in confequence of his reprefentation is willing to facilitate this mode of recruiting feamen.

3. The king and miniftry were extremely pleased with the refolution congress has taken to maintain only one minister plenipotentiary at their court, as well as with the exclufive appointment of fo fteady and honest a.man, and fo firm and folid a patriot as Dr. Franklin.

4. The congrefs has given a very great fatisfaction to the court of France, by the convenient and fpirited step which was taken, to difavow a certain ill-grounded and pernicious doctrine, relating to the mutual obligation of the allies, to conclude no truce or peace without the knowledge and confent of each other. The court of France is of opinion, that this doctrine could only be maintained by thofe men, whofe aim would be to feek by any means to weaken the ties of the alliance, and to create difguft and diffidence between the allies.

5. This court has received with fome furprife, the intelligence, that congrefs has published the treaties concluded with her, without the previous knowledge and confent of the interefted party. It is not to be denied, that fuch proceeding is but little confiftent with reason, and with the general practice of courts and nations: nevertheless, this obfervation involves not any kind of reproach, but the king thinks that fo noble and fo ge

nerous a fyftem of politics could not but produce de- 1779• firable effects by its publication.

6. The intelligence that in the first months of last winter, there were no adequate preparations made in America toward a vigorous and fuccefsful campaign, was received at Verfailles with all the concern, which the dangers of the United States, and the prolongation of the prefent conteft can create in the most friendly mind. The court of France is fully of opinion, that the exertions of the United States are neceffary to bring the common enemy to a proper fenfe of all the disappointments which he fhall meet with.

7. This court being very defirous to acquaint congrefs exactly with the state of affairs relating to the common cause, would not delay to inform this honorable body, that the court of London fhowing on one fide difpofitions to a reconciliation with France, rejects on the other fide the very idea of a formal and explicit acknowledgment of the independence of the United States, which his moft chriftian majefty perfeveres to hold up as a preliminary and effential condition. The behaviour of the common enemy in this respect, rendered a great deal more probable the conjecture which was communicated to congrefs fome time ago, that the point of honor and pride of the king of England, will be the greateft obftacle to the conclufion of the peace upon thofe explicit terms; and perhaps the manner of overcoming this difficulty, will of courfe become the most decifive object of the deliberation of congrefs, when this honorable body fhall determine to make peace. It is prefuppofed whatever mezo termine may be hit upon, that England fhall treat with the United States as with a

1779- free people, and evacuate immediately all the territories belonging to them.

The fubftance of what the minifter faid at the conference, in explanation of the feveral foregoing articles.

1. From the bills and accounts with which congrefs have been furnished by Mr. de Beaumarchais, congrefs would be enabled to diftinguish thofe articles which were drawn from the royal magazines, and those which he supplied in a way of trade: for those last congress would without doubt make remittances to Mr. de Beaumarchais in their own way, to enable him to perform the contracts he had entered into as a merchant. That for the former articles, the king his mafter taking upon himself to be creditor to the United States, would wait. until the congrefs fhould find it convenient to make compenfation.

2. Though his court had not refolved to retaliate upon the prisoners in their hands for injuries done to prifoners by the common enemy; yet for the reasons affigned, the king his mafter had affented to the propofal; but in carrying this matter into execution, it would be proper to take fuch precautions, and to give fuch orders to the captains, or other perfons employed in the bufinefs, that it might be managed with prudence.

3. There is every reafon to believe, that congrefs will receive very foon proofs of the confidence which his court was always willing to fhow to the fervants of thefe ftates. The perfonal character of Dr. Franklin will enable the court to act with a franknefs becoming the alliance; and they will have no occafion to withhold any more the fecrets which may intereft the United States and the alliance.

4. The king his mafter, after this explicit ftep, relies 1779 with the highest confidence upon the candor and faithfulness of congrefs, in understanding as well as in executing the treaty, and in rejecting every arbitrary and unnatural interpretation or conftruction, which falfe fubtle or defigning men can contrive. Congrefs by their own feelings must be fenfible, that fuch interpretations and constructions are always hurtful, against common decency and dignity, and may oftentimes endanger mutual confidence, and of courfe the very existence of a treaty but the sense of congrefs, as manifested in this particular affair, gives his court the greatest hope, that there fhall be no further motive to the painful reflections which that affair excited.

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5. He begged leave to add, that this publication interfered with the situation of affairs in Europe, and was in a certain degree difadvantageous to the common cause; because it gave the common enemy a full knowledge of our system and our mutual engagements, without procuring us any reafon to guefs at their views and refolutions. Happily these inconveniencies have not been felt, and ample compenfation has been obtained by convincing the people of America, not only that the treaty was just and equal, but that the heavy task which France. has taken upon her was magnanimous, gratuitous and without reward: the whole world was at the fame time convinced, that war conquefts and ambition were not the objects of the alliance, nor of any of the allies, but only the peaceable enjoyment of the fovereignty, liberty, fecurity and independence of thefe United States: and this conviction gave much honor, credit and confideration to the alliance,

1779- 6. On this he obfelved, that he had endeavoured fince the laft fall, by order of his court, to imprefs on every mind, that England will never evacuate New York willingly, and could only be brought by proper exertions on the part of America, to think seriously of granting her independence. He believed that congrefs had adopted a fyftem conformable to their engagements and the fituation of affairs: his court was better informed than he was but without reflecting on paft events, the king hopes his amicable apprehenfions will be overcome by the fuccefs of the campaign: that henceforth the United States will follow the example fet them by his majefty, and that they will exert themfelves in their own cause, as his majefty exerts himself for their fake and in their caufe which he has adopted.

7. He faid, that he was authorized to tell congrefs in confidence, that this reflection is the refult of the obfervations which the court of Spain made upon the conduct of England, throughout her negotiations of mediation:-That the British miniftry feem to be folicitous to be reconciled with France, and to keep up this negotiation; that from thence probable hopes may be entertained of their internal difpofition to peace; but at the fame time they reject with haughtiness the formal acknowledgment of the independence inferted by France. and Spain. New orders have been given to the Spanish ambaffador at London, to afcertain as nearly as poffible thofe difpofitions. In thefe circumftances the king his master ordered him to communicate this intelligence to the United States, that they may if they think proper take under confideration, if it would not be expedient to give their plenipotentiary inftructions and full powers,