Permit me now, Sir, to express the high sense I have of the honor you have done me, in communicating the favorable opinion entertained of my conduct by the Court and nation of France, and to acknowledge my obligations to those officers who have inspired these sentiments. To stand well in the eyes of a nation, which I view as one of the first in the world, and in the opinion of a Monarch, whom I consider as the supporter of the rights of humanity, and to whom I am personally indebted for the command he has been pleased to honor me with, is highly flattering to my vanity, at the same time it has a first claim to all my gratitude.
It is unnecessary I hope to add fresh assurances of the respect and esteem, with which I have the honor to be, Sir, &c.
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
COMMUNICATION OF THE FRENCH MINISTER TO THE SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
In Congress, May 1st, 1782.
The Secretary of Foreign Affairs having laid before Congress the following minutes of a communication, made to him the 28th of April, by the Minister of France, from letters of the Count de Vergennes, dated the 24th of December and the 22d of January last, viz.
"After expressing his satisfaction in the success of our arms in Virginia, he laments the weakness of our army, and the incapacity in which it leaves us of pursuing so important a blow, before England can recover from it, he says, though the plan of the ensuing campaign is not yet determined on, he has reason to believe, that means will be used to aid us in the exertions we shall make to expel the enemy from this continent; and he wishes that this consideration, and the obstinate adherence of the British to their plan of subduing this country, evidenced by their answer to the mediators, may rouse the United States to an early and animated exertion. He observes, that the British are much embarrassed with respect to the measures they ought to pursue; that they still continue to represent us as a weak and divided people, in the hope, that this may have some effect upon the powers of Europe, more particularly upon the mediators. He is of opinion, that England will endeavor to make proposals to the several States separately; and though he does not apprehend, that they will succeed in their attempt to detach them from the alliance, yet he presumes, while the issue is unknown, that they will avail themselves of it to induce a belief, that they have a considerable interest in this country, and that the people at large wish to be connected with them. He hopes the wisdom of Congress will devise some means to frustrate this design. He expresses in strong terms the resolution of his Majesty to adhere to the principles of the alliance, and to form no treaty of peace, which does not secure to the United States the objects of it."
And this communication having been referred to a committee, and the committee having reported thereon, it was
Resolved, That the Secretary of Foreign Affairs be, and he is hereby directed to make a confidential communication to the several States of the intelligence received by Congress on the 29th of April last through his department, in order that the States may be more fully impressed with the necessity of such united and determined exertions, as, with the co-operation of our generous ally, will expel the enemy from their remaining posts within the United States, and display to the world the falsehood of the assertions of the British Court, that the people of these States are neither united nor determined in support of their national independence.