question the dignity and reputation of the King, my master, and that of the United States. These assertions will become, in the hands of the enemies of the common cause, a weapon the more powerful and dangerous as the author is an officer of Congress, and as he takes advantage of his situation to give credit to his opinions and to his affirmations. The aforesaid Minister relies entirely on the wisdom of Congress to take measures suitable to the circumstance. It has not been owing to him that the author has not himself repaired the injury which he has done, the Minister Plenipotentiary having hastened to convince him of the wrongs of which he was guilty, when the first of these gazettes appeared in public.. GERARD, The passages referred to in the above were contained in a piece. published in the Pennsylvania Packet, under the title, "Common Sense to the Public on Mr. Deane's Affair," written by Thomas Paine, then Secretary to the Committee of Foreign Affairs; and are as follows: "If Mr. Deane, or any other gentleman, will procure an order from Congress to inspect an account in my office, or any of Mr. Deane's friends in Congress will take the trouble of coming themselves, I will give him or them my attendance, and show them, in a hand writing which Mr. Deane is well acquainted with, that the supplies he so pompously plumes himself upon (namely, those which were sent from France in the Amphitrite, Seine, and Mercury) were promised and engaged, and that as a present, before he even arrived in France, and that the part which fell to Mr. Deane was only to see it done, and how he has performed that service the public are now acquainted with." The last paragraph in the account is, "upon Mr. Deane's arrival in France, the business went into his hands, and the aids were at length embarked in the Amphitrite, Mercury, and Seine." "I have been the more explicit on this subject, not, so much on Mr. Deane's account, as from a principle of public justice. It shows, in the first instance, that the greatness of the American cause drew at its first beginning the attention of Europe, and that the justness of it was such as appeared to merit support; and in the second instance, that those who are now her allies prefaced that alliance by an early and generous friendship; yet, that we might not attribute too much to human or auxiliary aid, so unfortunate were those supplies that only one ship out of the three arrived-the Mercury and the Seine fell into the enemy's hands." TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. Translation. Sir, Philadelphia, January 10th, 1779. I cannot forbear to present to Congress the striking observations occasioned by the delay which the answer to my representation of the beginning of the past month meets with. Already the enemies of the common cause represent it as a proof of the diversity of the opinions which prevail in Congress, as if there could exist a contrariety of sentiments upon a subject so simple and a matter so clear that, to call it in question would be, at the same time, to call in question the solidity, and even the existence of the alliance. Certainly, sir, no one is farther than myself from adopting suspicions which would be so fatal to the common cause; but I have had the honor to explain the motives which should induce Congress to give to this subject a ready, formal, and explicit declaration. They know that erroneous opinions become more difficult to destroy when they have had time to take root in men's minds; it is then wished to remedy the evil, but it is found irremediable. The greater part of these reflections is applicable, in an equal degree, to the declaration which I had the honor to make to Congress on the 5th of this month, and I wait impatiently for answers which may quiet my Court against the efforts made by the enemies to draw, from the facts in question, inferences injurious to the allies and the alliance, efforts of which Congress alone can avoid the dangers. My zeal and my respect do not allow me to conceal from them apprehensions which seem to me but too well founded and worthy of all their attention. I have the honor to be, &c., GERARD. On the 12th of January, Congress, taking into consideration the publication in the Pennsylvania Packet of the 2d and 5th instant, under the title of "Common Sense to the Public on Mr. Deane's Affair," of which Mr. Thomas Paine, Secretary of the Committee of Foreign Affairs has acknowledged himself to be the author, and also the memorials of the Minister Plenipotentiary of France, of the 5th and 10th instant, respecting the said publication: "Resolved, unanimously, that in answer to the memorials of the Plenipotentiary of his Most Christian Majesty, of the 5th and 10th instant, the President be directed to assure the said Minister that Congress do fully, in the clearest and most explicit manner, disavow the publications referred to in his said memorials, and, as they are convinced, by indisputable evidence, that the supplies shipped in the Amphitrite, Seine, and Mercury were not a present, and that his Most Christian Majesty, the great and generous ally of these United States, did not preface his alliance with any supplies whatever sent to America, so they have not authorised the writer of the said publication to make any such assertions as are contained therein, but, on the contrary, do highly disapprove of the same." TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. Translation. Sir, Philadelphia, January 14th, 1779. I have received the letter with which you honored me on the 13th of this month, on sending me the resolution of Congress in answer to the representations which I had the honor to make to it on the 5th and 10th. I request you to receive, and to offer to Congress, all the sensibility with which I have seen the frank, noble, and explicit manner in which they have destroyed false and dangerous insinuations which might deceive the misinformed people, and give arms to the enemies of the common cause. The King, my master, sir, does not need these proofs, in order to place his confidence in the disposition of firmness and constancy which is exhibited by Congress in the principles of the alliance; but his Majesty will always see with pleasure the measures that Congress shall take to maintain its reputation inviolate, and it is from this same consideration that I flatter myself he will have found my representation of the 7th of December last equally worthy of his With all my eagerness for whatever can be agreeable to Congress, I have made use of their resolution relative to M. Duportail, and the officers who accompany him. They feel much honored by the praises which their services and conduct have merited, as well as by the confidence which Congress shows in them, by desiring them to pass another campaign in the service of the United States. Their letter, a copy of which is annexed, expresses their resolution to accept this invitation, and moreover contains proofs of an unlimited confidence in the justice and goodness of Congress. I do not doubt, sir, that these sentiments will increase the degree of esteem and good will, which they already deserve on account of their distinguished services. This affair being thus settled, I shall lose no time in asking of the King the consent, which the officers of engineers need. My knowledge of the dispositions of the King and his Ministry, in relation to whatever may be useful to the United States, does not allow me to doubt that my conduct, and the attachment of these officers to the American service, will be approved. I am, with respectful esteem, &c., GERARD. MESSRS. DUPORTAIL, LA RADIERE, AND LAUMOY TO M. GERARD. Translation. Philadelphia, January 15th, 1779. Sir, We have been penetrated with gratitude on seeing in the resolution of Congress, annexed to your Excellency's letter, proofs of esteem with which we are honored by our illustrious General, and which gives occasion to the proposition which is made to us of continuing in the service of the United States through the next campaign. We willingly consent to it, since your Excellency thinks that we shall thereby fulfil the intentions of the Court, and since you are so kind as to take upon yourself the trouble of asking from it the necessary permission. Relying also on the justice of Congress for the favors which we may merit from longer services, we affix no conditions to the continuance of our residence in America. But we deem it our duty to state, that being determined to remain here by our desire of serving, and of being useful to the United States, if the means of usefulness should disappear on any account whatsoever, we shall be desirous of preserving the liberty of returning into our country. Sensible of the interest which your Excellency is so kind as to take in this affair, we beg you to accept our most humble thanks. We are, respectfully, your Excellency's most obedient humble servants, DUPORTAIL, P. S. M. de Goudion has said that he would agree to whatever we should do. January 21st. A memorial from M. Gerard, Minister Plenipotentiary of France and Consul-General, was read, enclosing a commission of consul in the port of Boston, and other ports in Massachusetts Bay, to the Sieur Valnais. The commission was referred to the Marine Committee, and they were instructed to register it, and to return the original to M. Valnais, and to take measures for making him known to all whom it may concern, as consul of France in the State of Massachusetts. TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. Translation. Philadelphia, February 3d, 1779. Sir, The Minister Plenipotentiary of France has the honor to repre VOL. V.-37 |