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1778. against the subjects of the faid kingdom." On the third, May during the Sunday's adjournment, Mr. Simeon Deane, brother to Silas Deane efq; arrived express from France, with fundry important dispatches, whereupon congress was convened, and the dispatches opened and read, among which, to their inconceivable joy, were a treaty of commerce, and a treaty of alliance, concluded between his most Christian majesty the king of France, and the United States of America. The treaties were duly weighed and confidered feparately the next day, and upon each it was unanimously resolved, "That the fame be and is hereby ratified." There was an act feparate and fecret in the following terms-" The moft Chriftian king declares, in confequence of the intimate union which fubfifts between him and the king of Spain, that in concluding with the United States of America this treaty of amity and commerce, and that of eventual and defenfive alliance, his majesty hath intended and intends to referve expressly, and he referves by this present separate and fecret act to his faid Catholic majesty, the power of acceding to the said treaties, and to participate in their ftipulations at fuch time as he fhall judge proper.It being well understood nevertheless, that if any of the ftipulations of the faid treaties are not agreeable to the king of Spain, his Catholic majefty may propose other conditions analagous to the principal aim of the alliance, and conformable to the rules of equality, reciprocity and friendship." This act being duly weighed, it was refolved unanimously, "That the fame be and is hereby ratified." The next refolution was, "That this congress entertain the highest sense of the magnanimity and wisdom of his most Christian majefty, so

ftrongly exemplified in the treaty of amity and com- 1778. merce, and the treaty of alliance; and the commiffioners representing these states, at the court of France, are di rected to prefent the grateful acknowledgments of this congrefs to his moft Chriftian majefty, for his truly magnanimous conduct refpecting thefe ftates, in the faid generous and difinterested treaties, and to affure his majefty, on the part of this congrefs, it is fincerely wifhed that the friendship fo happily commenced between France and thefe United States may be perpetual." On the 5th they refolved, "That the commiffioners be inftructed to inform the court of France, that although congrefs have readily ratified the treaties and the act feparate and fecret; yet from a fincere defire of rendering the friendship and alliance fo happily begun, permanent and perpetual, and being apprehenfive that differences may arife from the 11th and 12th articles in the treaty of amity and commerce, congrefs are defirous that the faid articles may be utterly expunged." Mr. Lee was against admitting these articles, and affigned his reasons to Meffrs. Franklin and Deane on the 30th of January; who on the rft of February wrote to Mr. Gerard, that they concurred in defiring that the fame might be omitted, notwithstanding which they were retained. You will not expect me to delineate the inexpreffible fatisfaction that the report of these treaties spread through the United States. The people were in raptures. The fe veral brigades of the army, by gen. Washington's orders, affembled in the morning of the 6th, when their chaplains communicated the intelligence, offered up a thankfgiving, and delivered a difcourfe fuitable to the occafion. They were then formed into two lines, when thir

$778. teen cannon were discharged; at the firing of the last, a running fire of infantry began on the right, and continued through the whole front line; it was then taken up on the left of the fecond line, and continued to the right. A fignal was given, and the whole army huzzaed, "Long live the king of France." The artillery fired as before, which was fucceeded by a fecond general discharge of all the musketry in a running fire, and by a "Long live the friendly European powers." The military ceremony was reiterated, and clofed with an huzza" for the American ftates." The remainder of the day passed away in univerfal joy and gladness. Every American will foon have, from the publication of the treaties, an opportunity of learning their contents; mean while congrefs have recommended to all," to confider the fubjects of his most Christian majefty as their brethren and allies, and to behave toward them with the friendship and attention due to the fubjects of a great prince, who with the higheft magnanimity and wisdom hath treated with thefe United States on terms of perfect equality and mutual advantage, thereby rendering himfelf the protector of the rights of mankind."

The congrefs, after receiving the treaties, had a ftronger feeling of their own importance than before, and refolved, "That the commiffioners appointed for the courts of Spain, Tufcany, Vienna, and Berlin, fhould live in fuch ftile and manner at their refpective courts as they may find fuitable and necessary to support the dignity of their public character." They elected Ralph Izard efq; commiffioner for the court of Tuscany; and William Lee efq; for the courts of Berlin and Vienna. On May the 8th they agreed to a draught of " An addrefs to the

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inhabitants of the United States of America." In it 1778. they recapitulate in a masterly and affecting manner the occurrences and state of the three preceding years. Their language is calculated to feize and lead the paffions captive at pleasure. When they come to the French treaties, they fay "You have ftill to expect one fevere conflict. Your foreign alliances, though they secure your independence, cannot fecure your country from desolation, your habitations from plunder, your wives from infult or violation, nor your children from butchery. Foiled in the principal defign, you must expect to feel the rage of disappointed ambition. Arise then to your tents! and gird you for battle. It is time to turn the headlong current of vengeance upon the head of the deftroyer. They have filled up the measure of their abo-" minations, and like fruit muft foon drop from the tree. Although much is done, yet much remains to do. Expect not peace, while any corner of America is in poffeffion of your foes. You must drive them away from this land of promife, a land flowing indeed with milk and honey. Your brethren at the extremities of the continent, already implore your friendship and protection. It is your duty to grant their request. They hunger and thirst after liberty. Be it yours to difpenfe to them the heavenly gift. And what is there now to prevent it?" They afterward hold up to their view-the fweets of a free-commerce with every part of the earth, foon to reimburse them for all the loffes they have sustained; the full tide of wealth to flow in upon their fhores, free from the arbitrary impositions of those, whose interest and whofe declared policy it is to check their growth;--and the nourishing and foftering of their in

3778. teen cannon were discharged; at the firing of the last, a running fire of infantry began on the right, and continued through the whole front line; it was then taken up on the left of the fecond line, and continued to the right. A fignal was given, and the whole army huzzaed, "Long live the king of France." The artillery fired as before, which was fucceeded by a fecond general discharge of all the mufketry in a running fire, and by a "Long live the friendly European powers." The military ceremony was reiterated, and clofed with an huzza "for the American ftates." The remainder of the day paffed away in univerfal joy and gladness. Every American will foon have, from the publication of the treaties, an opportunity of learning their contents; mean while congrefs have recommended to all," to confider the subjects of his most Christian majefty as their brethren and allies, and to behave toward them with the friendship and attention due to the fubjects of a great prince, who with the highest magnanimity and wisdom hath treated with thefe United States on terms of perfect equality and mutual advantage, thereby rendering himfelf the protector of the rights of mankind."

The congrefs, after receiving the treaties, had a ftronger feeling of their own importance than before, and refolved, "That the commiffioners appointed for the courts of Spain, Tufcany, Vienna, and Berlin, fhould live in fuch ftile and manner at their refpective courts as they may find fuitable and neceffary to fupport the dignity of their public character." They elected Ralph Izard efq; commiffioner for the court of Tufcany; and William Lee efq; for the courts of Berlin and Vienna. On May the 8th they agreed to a draught of " An addrefs to the

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