f the King. You will find a statement of it in a
Memorial which I annex, requesting you to be pleased to return it when
read; I have addressed it to the State of South Carolina; I request
you to be pleased to read the resolutions taken in consequence of it
by the Assembly of that State, and the annexed copies of which you may
keep. I have also the honor of sending you, Sir, some new demands
against that officer, which I have lately received. I shall make no
reflection respecting the resolutions of Carolina; but I entreat you
to be pleased to point out the most proper course for obtaining
justice, and to inform me whether it would seem to you proper, that I
should lay this matter before Congress.

I have the honor to be, &c.

LUZERNE.

* * * * *

COUNT DE VERGENNES TO M. DE LAFAYETTE.

Translation.

Versailles, June 29th, 1783.

Sir,

I have received the letter, which you did me the honor to write on the
17th of this month. You desire to know what is meant by _free port_.

By this term, Sir, we mean a place to which all merchandises, as well
foreign as domestic, may be imported, and from which they may be
freely exported. You will judge, Sir, by this definition, that all the
merchandises of the north, without exception, may be imported into
L'Orient, and exported from it by the Americans. In a word, L'Orient
will be reputed foreign with regard to France, as far as it respects
commerce. The prohibitions and duties upon foreign merchandises will
take effect only in case any person desires to introduce into the
interior parts of the realm the merchandises subjected to the one or
the other.

I have the honor to be, &c.

DE VERGENNES.

* * * * *

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Translation.

Philadelphia, September 17th, 1783.

Sir,

The undersigned Minister Plenipotentiary has the honor of
communicating to Congress an extract from a letter of the Count de
Vergennes, and a copy of a contract between the King and the Thirteen
United States. He requests Congress to be pleased to send the
ratification of it to their Minister at his Majesty's Court, in order
t