ortant, 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
Minis