questing a
conference, report,

That they have this day held a conference with the said Minister
Plenipotentiary, and received the following communications contained
in sundry despatches from Count de Vergennes, Minister for Foreign
Affairs to his Most Christian Majesty, viz.

_From a letter of the 19th of April._--That Count de Vergennes had
transmitted to the Minister the details respecting the proposed
mediation of the Courts of Vienna and Petersburg. The Minister
observed, that this had already been communicated to Congress through
a committee. He repeated, for our recollection, that the acceptance on
the part of France of the proposed mediation depended entirely, at
that time, on the concurrence of the United States; and that with
respect to Spain, its conduct would be determined by the dissolution
of the negotiation with Mr Cumberland. That the Court of Spain had
informed the Court of London, on the first proposal of the mediation
of the Imperial Courts, that as a direct negotiation with the King of
Great Britain was opened through Mr Cumberland, a mediation was
unnecessary.

That affairs since that time had taken a different turn. Mr Cumberland
has been recalled; and the Catholic King, being now entirely at
liberty, has accepted the mediation of the two Imperial Courts. That
the King, our ally, had done the same; but that both Kings had
declared at the same time to the two mediators, that the mediation
could not possibly have any activity, without previously establishing
some fundamental preliminaries. Of this observation the two mediating
Courts had already felt the propriety. That France was then (viz. the
19th of April) expecting the effect, which this communication would
produce on the Court of London. That the first question proposed by
France, related to _the admission of an American Plenipotentiary_; and
that the object of the second was to know, _upon what footing the King
of England intended to treat with the United States_. The Court of
France, not knowing that the United States had agreed to accept the
mediation, again invite us to it.

The Minister here observed, that Congress would judge by the questions
proposed to the mediating powers, by the King his master, of the
principles, by which his Majesty was actuated with respect to the
United States. He assured us, that his Majesty is invariably resolved
to abide by those principles, and will enter into no negotiation
whatever before he shall rece