We are encouraged to hope for your arrival here. I shall be extremely happy to be able to testify to you in person the joy, which I have received from your That joy is universal, and it can but increase the attachment and esteem of all orders of citizens, and of my own countrymen, to your Excellency.

success.

I have received the letter, with which you honored me on the 2d instant, with the resolutions of Congress of the 28th of October, which accompanied it. I have no doubt that they will be most agreeable to his Majesty, and that he will learn with great pleasure, that the remembrance of the success obtained by the allied arms is to be preserved by a column, on which a relation of this event wili be inscribed, and mention made of the alliance.

I shall be glad, before any farther resolutions are taken on this subject, to communicate to you some ideas relative to this monument. It is so honorable to the two nations, and so well adapted to perpetuate the remembrance of their union, that we ought to be mutually desirous of giving it all the solidity and durability of which the works of man are susceptible. Besides, Sir, I observe that the United States are named before the King in these resolutions. This is

the second time within my knowledge, that this form has been adopted. I remarked on it the first time, and was then positively assured, that it was an error, which should be corrected on the journals. I entreat you to be pleased to let me know distinctly what usage Congress intends to adopt on this subject, in order that I may make it known to my Court.

I have the honor to be, &c.

LUZERNE.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON TO M. DE LA LUZERNE.

Office of Foreign Affairs, November 6th, 1781.

Sir, Having been honored with your letter of the 4th instant, I remark with pleasure, that the mode in which Congress propose to perpetuate the success obtained by the allied armies at York, is such as will in your opinion be agreeable to his Most Christian Majesty. As Congress must concur with you in wishing to render this monument of the alliance, and of the military virtues of the combined forces as lasting, if possible, as the advantages they may reasonably hope to reap from both, they will, without doubt, pay all due deference to any ideas you may think proper to suggest relative to the manner of carrying the resolutions of the 28th of October into effect. I shall receive, Sir, with pleasure, and submit to Congress any communications, that you will do me the honor to make on this subject. I am sorry to find, that you consider the order, in which the allied nations or their Sovereigns are placed

mode of expression might perhaps be justified by the absolute equality established between sovereign powers, and the common practice of independent nations to recognise no superior in acts to be executed by themselves, within their own limits. But, Sir, I am so well satisfied that Congress wish to avoid discussions, which must be treated with great delicacy by nations situated as ours are, where every demand on the one part, not strictly authorised by the law of nations, might derogate from the generous protection, which we make it our boast to have received, and the denial of just rights on the other subject us to the imputation of ingratitude, that I think you may safely rely upon their practice, when some future occasion shall present, to evince that the order in which the allied nations are mentioned did not originate in any settled rule, and above all, that no want of respect for his Most Christian Majesty dictated the resolution to which you object. Be persuaded, Sir, that regardless as the United States are of form and ceremony, in matters that relate to themselves alone, they will think their endeavor to support France in the high rank which her extent, wealth, and power have given her, a small return for the wise and generous use she makes of these advantages.

I have the honor to be, with sentiments of the greatest respect and esteem, &c.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Sir,

Office of Foreign Affairs, November 6th, 1781.

I do myself the honor to submit to Congress a letter to the Minister of France, which covered their resolutions of the 28th of October, his answer thereto, and the draft of a letter in reply to his. As the last implies a promise on the part of Congress, I did not think myself authorised to send it without their approbation.

Congress will observe, that I endeavor to wave a question, which perhaps it might have been imprudent to answer by a direct avowal of the propriety of the resolution, or in the present circumstances to yield in express terms. By seeming to slight matters of mere ceremony, we may avoid troublesome discussions in future, and teach the old world by the example of the new to get rid of a clog, which too often fetters the most important transactions. I take the liberty to submit to Congress the propriety of directing in the next vote, which they shall have occasion to pass, in which France and America, or their Sovereigns, are mentioned, the preference to be given to the first, and so that we may seem to have established no rule on a subject of so little moment as rank or precedence.

I have the honor to be, &c.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON TO M. DE LA LUZERNE.

Office of Foreign Affairs, November 21st, 1781.

Sir, Finding by frequent applications from the French Islands, that their Courts of Admiralty are not fully acquainted with the resolutions of Congress, passed the 14th of October, 1777, which vest in the captors the property of such of the enemy's vessels as are taken by their mariners; and being called by the letter, a copy of which I do myself the honor to enclose, to attend particularly to the case of Captain Jones and his crew, I must beg, Sir, that you will do me the favor to recommend it to the notice of the General and Commander in Chief of the French Leeward Islands, for whose use I enclose a certified copy of the above mentioned resolutions of Congress, presuming that the Court of Admiralty will pay some respect to them in their decisions, though they may not be strictly agreeable to the rules they have adopted, since it would be highly disadvantageous to both nations to have that considered as lawful prize in one port, which is not so in another. But should the Court think they are not warranted in condemning the vessel, she should at least be restored to Captain Jones or his agent, that she might, by being brought to a port of the United States, become lawful prize.

I have the honor to be, &c.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.