s in Congress assembled to their Great, Faithful, and
Beloved Friend and Ally, Louis the Sixteenth, King of France and
Navarre.

Great, Faithful, and Beloved Friend and Ally,

Your Majesty's letter of the 13th of August last, has been received by
the United States in Congress assembled, with a degree of satisfaction
and pleasure, which those only can conceive, who, to the highest
sentiments of respect, unite feelings of the most affectionate
friendship.

The portraits of your Majesty and of your royal consort having arrived
at Philadelphia, have been carefully preserved by your faithful
Minister, the Chevalier de la Luzerne, whose attention on this, as on
all other occasions, merits the acknowledgements of Congress.

These lively representations of our august and most beloved friends
will be placed in our council chamber; and can never fail of exciting
in the mind of every American, an admiration of the distinguished
virtues and accomplishments of the royal originals.

We beseech the Supreme Ruler of the universe constantly to keep your
Majesty and your royal consort in his holy protection, and to render
the blessings of your administration as extensive as the objects of
your Majesty's benevolent principles.

Done at Annapolis, in the State of Maryland, this 16th day of April,
1784, by the United States in Congress assembled.

Your faithful Friends and Allies,

THOMAS MIFFLIN, _President_.

* * * * *

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Office of Finance, April 16th, 1784.

Sir,

I do myself the honor to enclose to Congress the duplicate of a letter
from the Marquis de Lafayette, dated the 26th of December, together
with the copy of his letter of the 18th of June last, to the Count de
Vergennes; the Count's answer of the 29th of the same month; a letter
to him from M. de Calonne of the 18th, and another of the 25th of
December, all which were enclosed in that duplicate to me, as were
also the observations on the commerce between France and the United
States, which I have also the honor of transmitting. With respect to
this paper, I must pray leave to refer Congress to the caution
contained in the letter to me, and pray their compliance with his
intention. The masterly manner in which the Marquis has treated a
subject, certainly foreign to his former habits and views, merits
great