_July 30th._ Resolved, That Thursday next be a.s.signed for giving audience to the honorable M. Gerard, Minister Plenipotentiary from his Most Christian Majesty.
_August 5th._ Resolved, That 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 letters 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 set 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 the answer.
Having spoken, and being answered, the Minister and the 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.
Resolved, That the door of the Congress chamber be open during the audience to be given to the Minister Plenipotentiary of his Most Christian Majesty.
That the delegates of Pennsylvania be requested to inform the Vice President, the Supreme Executive Council, and the Speaker and a.s.sembly of the said State, that the Minister Plenipotentiary of his Most Christian Majesty, the King of France, will receive his audience of Congress at twelve o"clock tomorrow, when the doors of the chamber will be opened.
That each member of Congress may give two tickets for the admittance of other persons to the audience, and that no other persons except those specified in the foregoing resolution, be admitted without such a ticket signed by the members appointed to introduce the Minister to the Congress.
_Thursday, August 6th._ According to order the honorable M. Gerard was introduced to an audience by two members of Congress, and being seated, his Secretary delivered to the President a letter from his Most Christian Majesty, directed "To our very dear and great Friends and Allies, the President and Members of the General Congress of the United States," in the words following;
[See this letter above, p. 235, dated March 28th, 1778.]
The Minister was then announced to the House, whereupon he arose and addressed Congress in a speech which, when he had finished, his Secretary delivered in writing to the President, and is as follows;
Translation.
"Gentlemen,
"The connexions which the King, my master, has formed with the United States of America, are so agreeable to him, that he has been unwilling to delay sending me to reside near you to unite them more closely. His Majesty will be gratified to learn, that the sentiments which are manifested on this occasion justify the confidence, with which the zeal and the character of the deputies of the United States in France, the wisdom and the firmness which have directed your resolutions, together with the courage and the constancy which the people have displayed, have inspired him. You know, Gentlemen, that this confidence has laid the foundation of the truly friendly and disinterested plan, upon which his Majesty has treated with the United States.
"It has not rested with him, that his engagements could not secure your independence and your tranquillity without the further effusion of blood, and without aggravating the miseries of mankind, of which it is his whole ambition to secure the happiness; but the hostile dispositions and resolutions of the common enemy having given a present force, positive, permanent, and indissoluble, to engagements wholly eventual, the King, my master, has thought that the two allies should occupy themselves only with the means of fulfilling them in the manner the most useful to the common cause, and of the most effect in obtaining peace, which is the object of the alliance. It is in conformity with this principle, that his Majesty has hastened to send you a powerful a.s.sistance. You owe it, Gentlemen, to his friendship, to the sincere interest which he takes in the welfare of the United States, and to the desire which he has of concurring effectually in securing your peace and your prosperity on honorable and firm foundations. He hopes, moreover, that the principles adopted by the governments will contribute to extend the connexions, which the mutual interest of the respective nations had already begun to form between them. The princ.i.p.al point of my instructions is to make the interests of France and those of the United States keep pace together. I flatter myself, that my past conduct in affairs which interest them, has already convinced you that I have no more earnest desire, than that of executing my instructions in such a manner as to deserve the confidence of Congress, the friendship of its members, and the esteem of all the citizens."
To this speech the President returned the following answer;
"Sir,
"The treaties between his Most Christian Majesty and the United States of America so fully demonstrate his wisdom and magnanimity as to command the reverence of all nations. The virtuous citizens of America in particular can never forget his beneficent attention to their violated rights, nor cease to acknowledge the hand of a gracious Providence in raising for them so powerful and ill.u.s.trious a friend.
It is the hope and the opinion of Congress, that the confidence his Majesty reposes in the firmness of these States will receive additional strength from every day"s experience.
"This a.s.sembly are convinced, Sir, that had it rested solely with the Most Christian King, not only the independence of these States would have been universally acknowledged, but their tranquillity fully established; we lament that l.u.s.t of domination, which gave birth to the present war and has prolonged and extended the miseries of mankind. We ardently wish to sheathe the sword, and spare the further effusion of blood; but we are determined, by every means in our power, to fulfil those eventual engagements, which have acquired positive and permanent force from the hostile designs and measures of the common enemy.
"Congress have reason to believe, that the a.s.sistance so wisely and generously sent will bring Great Britain to a sense of justice and moderation, promote the interests of France and America, and secure peace and tranquillity on the most firm and honorable foundation.
Neither can it be doubted, that those who administer the powers of government, within the several States of this Union, will cement that connexion with the subjects of France, the beneficent effects of which have already been so sensibly felt.
"Sir, from the experience we have had of your exertions to promote the true interests of our country as well as your own, it is with the highest satisfaction Congress receive as the first Minister from his Most Christian Majesty, a gentleman, whose past conduct affords a happy presage that he will merit the confidence of this body, the friendship of its members, and the esteem of the citizens of America."
The Secretary of Congress delivered to the Minister a copy of the foregoing speech, dated "In Congress, August 6th, 1778," and signed "Henry Laurens, President." Whereupon the Minister withdrew, and was conducted home in the manner in which he was brought to the House.
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Translation.
Philadelphia, November 9th, 1778.
Sir,
The Minister Plenipotentiary of France has the honor to inform the Congress of the United States of North America, that he has obtained, on account of his Majesty, the cargo of two schooners; the one called the Gentil, George Andre, Captain, and the other the Adventurer, commanded by Captain Joseph Taffier, these two vessels being now in the port of Petersburg, Virginia, and their cargoes delivered, consisting of from twelve to thirteen hundred barrels of flour, and about fifty barrels of biscuit. The destination of these provisions, requiring that they should depart immediately, the undersigned Minister Plenipotentiary requests Congress to be pleased to take the measures which it shall judge necessary, in order, that the departure of these two vessels with their cargoes may meet with no obstacle. An express will wait for the orders, which it may be necessary to send into Virginia, in relation to this object.
GERARD.
Whereupon Congress ordered, that the President write to the Governor of Virginia, explain to him the nature of this transaction, and the necessity of the vessels" immediate departure, and desire him to give orders accordingly.
_November 18th, 1778._ Two letters from the Honorable the Minister Plenipotentiary of France were read, requesting a pa.s.sage on board of one of the continental frigates, for the Chevalier de Raymondis, Captain of the Caesar, and that a vessel on board of which are a number of invalids, may be taken under convoy of the frigate until she be safe at sea. These were referred to the Marine Committee, with directions to comply with the request therein contained.
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Translation.
Philadelphia, November 20th, 1778.
Sir,
The Minister of France thinks it his duty to have the honor of communicating to the President of Congress the reflection that, according to ordinary rules, treaties are not published until the respective ratifications have been exchanged, and that so far as he is informed, that of the King has not arrived. If Congress, however, has motives to proceed immediately to this publication, the Minister requests it not to be stopped by his reflection; the wisdom of their views deserving all preference over what can only be regarded as a mere formality.
GERARD.
Philadelphia, December 2d, 1778.
The President communicated to Congress the following unsigned note from the Minister of France.
"It is thought proper to inform persons, who have business in France, that all judicial and extra-judicial acts, powers of attorney, &c.
which are destined to be sent thither, ought to be invested with the authorisation of the Minister Plenipotentiary, or the Consuls of this Crown established in the different States of America. By means of this formality, all the acts valid in America will have the same validity in France in all cases."
_December 4th._ The President communicated to Congress another unsigned note from the Minister of France, relative to a plan he had proposed for discharging the debt due to Roderique Hortalez & Co.
namely, by furnishing the French fleet in America with provisions, for the amount of which the Court would procure the United States a credit with Hortalez & Co. The note was delivered in English, in the words following.
"Leave is begged from the Honorable the President of Congress to submit to him some reflections upon a late conversation. The insinuation made was founded upon the consideration, that the method proposed would be more simple, more easy, and more convenient, than any other, and that besides, the troubles, the expenses, the dangers of the sea, and of the enemy, the spoiling of the cargoes, &c. would be avoided.
"The manner of executing this plan, if adopted, would be very simple, and attended with no inconveniency; the Court shall take upon itself to satisfy the furnisher of the articles in question, and Congress shall receive the discharge for ready money, in their accounts with the Court."