rafts on you as fast as they shall appear. His Excellency, the
Minister Plenipotentiary of France at this place, now writes to his
Court, at my request, desiring that five hundred thousand livres
tournois may be placed in your hands thirty days after the receipt of
his letter, the said sum to be subject to my drafts or orders, and I
shall proceed to draw upon you as fast as purchasers offer for the
bills; therefore, I beg you will be prepared to honor my bills, drawn
as Superintendent of Finance, whenever they offer; for I would not, on
any account, that there should be the least demur; and I am confident,
that his Most Christian Majesty's Minister of Finance will enable you
punctually to make payment as they fall due. I shall communicate this
matter to his Excellency, Benjamin Franklin, Minister Plenipotentiary
from these States to the Court of Versailles, who will join you in any
application that may become necessary in this business; which,
however, I expect will be conducted much to your satisfaction. And as
it may become important, I hope your attention to it can be relied on,
and that you will render the charges as moderate as possible.

I have the honor to be, &c.

ROBERT MORRIS.

* * * * *

TO M. DE LA LUZERNE, MINISTER OF FRANCE.

Philadelphia, June 8th, 1781.

Sir,

The honorable Congress having thought proper to invest me with the
power, disposition, and management of the moneys granted by his Most
Christian Majesty to the United States, for the purpose of assisting
them to carry on the present campaign with vigor, I have, with your
concurrence, taken some arrangements for drawing it into the uses for
which the grant has been made; and in conformity with your promise, I
pray you to write immediately to his Majesty's Ministers, that they
cause the sum of five hundred thousand livres tournois to be
deposited with Messrs Le Couteulx & Co., bankers in Paris, for account
of the United States of North America, and subject to my drafts or
orders as Superintendent of Finance of the said United States.

This deposit I hope may, without inconvenience, be made in thirty days
after the receipt of your letter; and I shall proceed to draw on
Messrs Le Couteulx & Co. in full confidence thereof, until my bills on
them shall amount to the said sum of five hundred thousand liv