informal notice, that it cannot be accepted, given in the proper quarter, may anticipate the necessity of refusal.

"You are requested to provide yourself with a sufficient supply of the despatch paper, in size and quality corresponding with the sample, herewith sent, to be exclusively used in your correspondence with this Department. It has been found highly convenient and useful to have the original despatches from our Ministers abroad bound up in volumes. For this purpose, with a view to uniformity, the despatches should be regularly numbered, and, with the copies made at the Legation of all papers transmitted with them, should be written on paper of the same dimensions, 13 inches long, 81 broad, with the edges uncut, and a margin of at least 11 inch, round all its borders, for stitching and cutting off the edges without injury to the text. The lines transmitted, mark the margin within which the manuscript should be confined; of which these instructions, also, exhibit an example.

"Minute as these particulars appear, they are found to be very essential to the good order and convenience of business in the Department.*

"I have the honour to be, with great respect, sir, your and obedient servant."

humble

* During the first term of General Washington's administration, presents of form were given to foreign Ministers ;-it consisted of a chain and medal of gold. The die for the purpose was made in Paris, by the direction of Mr. Jefferson, as will be seen by the following letter.

"NEW-YORK, APRIL 30, 1790.

"It has become necessary to determine on a present, proper to be given to diplomatic characters on their taking leave of us, and it is concluded that a medal and chain of gold will be the most convenient. I am, therefore, to ask the favour of you to order the dies to be engraved with all the despatch practicable. The medal must be of 30 lines diameter, with a loop on the edge to receive the chain. On one side must be the arms of the United States, of which I send you a written description, and several impressions in wax, to render that more intelligible; round them as a legend, must be "The United States of America"-the device of the other side we do not decide on. One suggestion has been a Columbia (a fine female figure), delivering the emblems of peace and commerce to a Mercury, with the legend "Peace and Commerce" circumscribed, and the date of our

CEREMONIAL OF RECEPTION.

In receiving the first Foreign Minister in 1778, various difficulties presented themselves to the consideration of Congress. The etiquette practised in the courts of Europe was probably known, or at least, could easily have been ascertained. But a foreign ceremonial of that description could in no way be made to apply to the actual condition of the American Congress. Neither regal with a monarch, nor a confederated republic with an executive to represent it, the single House of Delegates constituted the whole government. The foreign minister was addressed to the Congress, and by that body alone could be accredited. This part of the affair was plain and easily understood, but the details of the reception were seemingly difficult to arrange. Congress itself was the sovereign, independent body, to whom the minister was to be presented-it was the nation but every member of it was a delegate from a sovereign and independent state, and possessing equal dignity and authority with every other member. Still it could only be approached as a body. Neither was Congress furnished with officers to perform the minor parts of the ceremonial of introduction. Their own members, who composed the nation, and each of whom represented a sort of nation, were obliged to be the actors or assistants in the scene.

M. Gerard, the first foreign envoy received by Congress, arrived in this country in the summer of 1778, a Minister Plenipotentiary. The form of his presentation obviously caused some embarrassment. The subject was regularly referred, like any other matter, to a committee, (Richard Henry Lee, Samuel Adams, Gouverneur Morris) and the

Republic, to wit, IV JULY MDCCLXXVI., subscribed as an exergue, But having little confidence in our own ideas in an art not familiar here, they are only suggested to you, to be altered, or altogether postponed to such better device as you may approve on consulting with those, who are in the habit and study of medals."

report of this committee was discussed five days by Congress, though the debates have not been preserved. The business was finally arranged with uncommon care and minuteness,—not perhaps in very good taste, nor with much simplicity; but the reader will be satisfied by the extracts we are about to quote from the order of the ceremonial, that Congress had not neglected the rights or pretensions of either party.

"Resolved, that the ceremonial for a Minister Plenipotentiary or Envoy shall be as follows. 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 honours 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 thereof. Two members of Congress shall then be deputed to wait upon him, when and where he shall receive audience of the Congress. At the time he is to receive his audience, the two members shall again wait upon him in a coach belonging to the States, and the person first named of the two, shall return with the Minister Plenipotentiary or envoy in the coach, giving the Minister the right hand, and placing himself on the left with the other member on the first seat. When the Minister Plenipotentiary or Envoy is arrived at the door of the Congress Hall, he shall be introduced to his chair by the two members, who shall stand at his left hand." "When the Minister is introduced to his chair by the two members, he shall sit down. His Secretary shall then deliver to the President the letter of his Sovereign, which shall be read and translated by the Secretary of Congress. Then the Minister shall be announced, at which time the President, the House, and the Minister shall rise together. The Minister shall then bow to the President and the House, and they to him. The Minister and the President shall then bow to each other, and be seated, after which the House shall sit down. The Minister shall deliver his speech standing. The President and the House shall sit while the Minister is delivering his speech. The House shall rise and the President shall deliver the answer standing. The Minister shall stand while the President delivers his answer. Having spoken, and being answered, the Minister and President shall bow to each other, at which time the House shall bow, and then the Minister shall be

conducted home in the manner in which he was brought to the House." "Those, who shall wait upon the Minister, shall inform him, that if, in any audience, he shall choose to speak on matters of business, 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. The style of address to Congress shall be, Gentlemen of the Congress.' All speeches, or communications, in writing, may, if the public Ministers choose it, be in the language of their respective countries. And all replies or answers shall be in the language of the United States. After the audience, the members of Congress shall be first visited by the Minister Plenipotentiary or Envoy."

No one can much applaud this arrangement; and in 1783 the ceremonial was wisely abolished, and a simple form substituted. Even in a government like our own, some slight degree of etiquette is occasionally necessary. It is proper and extremely convenient on such occasions, that every one should know what he has to do, for whatever is done by public functionaries before the public, should be done decently, and with dignity. The mode, just described, of receiving foreign ministers in the bosom of the assembly, was adopted by the National Convention in France; but they threw into the ceremony all the enthusiasm and exaltation that belonged to the times and the people, and, by their vivacity of character and well known susceptibility of excitement, contributed some portion of relief and animation to a scene, in itself, possessing neither grace nor dignity. Under the present constitution, the form of receiving and accrediting public ministers, is exceedingly simple. The individual is presented by the Secretary of State to the President in his House, (without any other ceremony than takes place on the occasion of a common visit) when his credentials are examined. The constitution directs the President to " receive ambassadors and other public ministers," but this government does not make the distinction, which, we believe, is maintained by the European states in relation to agents of the rank of Chargé d'Affaires and under, who are accredited only by the Secretary, or Minister of Foreign Relations; whereas all public officers, above the rank of Chargé, are accredited by the sovereign in person.

CHAPTER II.

TREATIES OF AMITY AND COMMERCE, AND OF ALLIANCE OF 1778, WITH FRANCE.

Confederation little hopes, or means, of obtaining foreign assistanceDeane sent to France in '76 to obtain supplies-Remarkable letter of Vergennes-Franklin, Deane and Jefferson elected Commissioners in '76-Jefferson excused from going-Private aid early from France-Lee chosen in his place—Not officially received-Alarming situation-Private account of affairs at French Court-France disposed to withdraw all succour-Commissioners had secret Correspondence in London-News of Burgoyne's Surrender-Treaties signed-Account of Negotiation-Difficulty respecting MolassesCommissioners presented at Court-Treaty of alliance dangerous— Great attention to Franklin-Anecdotes of him-Gerard appointed Minister to America-Sails in d'Estaing's Flag Ship-Presented to Congress Ceremonial-Franklin elected to Versailles—Franklin complains of number of Ministers-Complimentary Letter to Luzerne-Misunderstanding between Adams and Vergennes-Franklin's request to return-Medal to Luzerne-Returns to America— Succeeded by Jefferson-De la Luzerne succeeds Gerard-Jefferson buys Deane's papers.

THE means of intercourse with foreign nations, accessible to the confederation, were exceedingly limited; of the States in Europe, most able to afford assistance, little was known, except as enemies, and, while under the royal government, the provinces, entering with spirit into various wars against France, had powerfully and very cheerfully contributed to the conquest of the French possessions in North America. Indeed, one of the principal motives of the Convention at Albany, held in 1754, and consisting of commissioners from eight of the colonies, was to agree on a scheme of mutual protection against the encroachments of