ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
HEADS OF A VERBAL COMMUNICATION MADE TO THE SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS BY THE MINISTER OF FRANCE.
In Congress, November 23d, 1781.
The Secretary of Foreign Affairs laid before Congress the following heads of a verbal communication made to him by the Minister of France.
The Minister of France informed the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, that the Count de Vergennes, in a letter to him of the 7th of September, 1781, assured him that the King of France had received with great pleasure, an account of Mr Adams, Mr Franklin, and Mr Jay's appointment to the place of Ministers for the negotiation of peace; and after expressing favorable sentiments of them and of Mr Jefferson, from his general reputation, adds, that they have little reason to hope for the assistance of Mr Laurens, since the enemy will probably continue his captivity during the war. That the King accepted with pleasure the proofs, which Congress have given him of their confidence, when they intrusted to his care the interests of the United States. That he would use his influence and credit for the advantage of his allies, whenever a negotiation should render their interests a subject of discussion. That if he did not obtain for every State all they wished, they must attribute the sacrifice he might be compelled to make of his inclinations, to the tyrannic rule of necessity. That, however, he had no reason to believe, that the events of the campaign would make an unfavorable change in the situation of affairs; and that from the present view of them, he had no cause to dread a disadvantageous peace.
The Count adds, that he presumes Mr Adams has communicated to Congress his Majesty's refusal to accede to the terms of the mediation of the Imperial Courts, until they should agree to acknowledge the American Plenipotentiaries in the manner most conformable to the dignity of the United States; and observes thereon, that if the King was so attentive to a matter of form, though it might indeed in our present situation be considered as important, he would not be less tenacious of our more essential interests, which he will be zealous to promote, as far as circumstances will allow. But that if notwithstanding this, Congress, or even a considerable part of its members, should regret the confidence they had placed in his Majesty, or wish to free their Ministers from this restraint, his Majesty would not disapprove the measure; provided they made their Ministers answerable, as in justice they should be, in proportion to the powers, with which they invested them. He expresses his satisfaction at the extensive powers, with which the Ministers are invested as to the matter of boundary, and the truce, which he says, the interests of France as well as of us, require to be as long as possible.
With respect to the statu quo, he says, that though from the number of their conquests it would be beneficial both to France and Spain, yet it has not entered into their system so far as it regards America, and that his Majesty accordingly refused to accede to the plan of negotiation proposed by the mediating powers, which held up that idea. He exhorts the Minister to recommend to Congress the most vigorous exertions, and to assure them, that the expulsion of the enemy from this continent depends in a great measure on the exertion of the United States; that France would be able to afford us very little assistance; and that Britain, so far from discovering any inclination to peace upon reasonable terms, absolutely refused the plan of negotiation proposed by the mediating powers; so that arms alone could compel her to it. He mentions, that the King being apprehensive, that the capture of the Marquis de Lafayette might reduce us to some difficulties, had ordered her cargo to be replaced immediately; and that in consequence of applications from the States of Virginia and Maryland, he had ordered a number of arms and military stores to be shipped to them, subject however to the order of Congress. That this and the cargo designed to replace that of the Marquis de Lafayette, were to be paid for out of the loan negotiated in Holland, which he had occasion to think would be completed. He expresses a desire, that the plan for the appointment of Consuls should be digested and adopted, as the Court of France wished to make it the basis of some commercial arrangements between France and the United States.
The Secretary for Foreign Affairs further informed Congress, that the Minister of France had communicated to him the following extract of a letter from the Count de Vergennes, which he had transmitted to the Superintendent of Finance.
Extract of a letter from the Count de Vergennes, September 7th, 1781.