The Minister Plenipotentiary of France, being ordered to communicate to Congress subjects of the highest importance, has the honor to inform the President of it, and requests him to inform him, whether he wishes him to execute his orders through him, or if he prefers that he should communicate them to Congress in an audience.
GERARD.
"Ordered, that the President acquaint M. Gerard, Minister Plenipotentiary of France, that Congress will admit him to a private audience, when he shall present himself, to make the communication he is instructed to make to Congress."
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Translation.
Philadelphia, February 9th, 1779.
Sir,
By instructions addressed to the undersigned on the 29th of October last, he is ordered to transmit to Congress the answer of the King to certain communications made to his Majesty by the Commissioners of the United States.
1st. These Commissioners having desired his Majesty to continue the subsidy which he had granted them, he gave them to understand, that his affairs did not permit him to make this engagement, since the war which he is carrying on against England, and the general situation of Europe, require expenses which absorb all his resources, yet in consequence of the representations made by the deputies, of the difficulty which they found in honoring the bills of exchange which Congress had drawn upon them, for the interest due upon money which had been borrowed, his Majesty has been pleased to grant a sum of seven hundred and fifty thousand livres, as a new proof of his friendship for the United States.