Sir, TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. Translation. Philadelphia, November 26th, 1779. The Minister Plenipotentiary of France has the honor of communicating to the Congress of the United States, a letter of Don Juan de Miralles, containing sundry propositions, which appear to him to deserve the most serious attention. Although the Chevalier de la Luzerne has no instructions from his Catholic Majesty, he is too sensible of the good understanding and intimate connexion subsisting between the Courts of Versailles and Madrid, not to recommend these overtures in the most pressing manner to the consideration of Congress. The great design is to act against the common enemy, and the more pains that are taken to unite the strokes aimed against them, the more certain will be their effects. As to what regards the concurrence of the royal fleet in the operations proposed, the underwritten has the honor to observe, that he is entirely uninformed touching the part it will be able to take. He has, however, written a letter to the Count de Grasse, which that commander will receive on his arrival at Hampton. As soon as the underwritten shall have received an answer, and the necessary information, he will take the earliest opportunity of communicating them to such of the delegates as Congress shall be pleased to appoint. LUZERNE. Sir, TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. Translation. Philadelphia, December 6th, 1779. The undersigned Minister Plenipotentiary of France has the honor of informing Congress, that he has received from St Domingo intelligence of the capture of the Greyhound, by eight American sailors. He annexes a summary of some facts relative to this capture. In the terms of the intelligence, given on the 4th of August, of the present year, by the officers of the Admiralty of Port Paix, "the eight American sailors, having taken the said schooner, without being provided with any commission, have been sent back before Congress, in order that this affair may be decided in conformity with the laws of their country.' The undersigned Minister is then desirous, that Congress would be pleased to inform him, what use they shall judge proper to make of the thirteen thousand nine hundred and eightynine livres, ten sols, which remain in the registry of the Admiralty of Port Paix; whether it be thought proper that this sum should be remitted to the agent of Congress at St Domingo, in order that he may transmit it to the eight men interested, in such manner as he shall think fit, or whether Congress shall adopt an entirely different mode of proceeding. The Chevalier de la Luzerne will hasten to communicate to the commandants of the Island of St Domingo, whatever resolution may have been adopted, in order that they may without delay make arrangements accordingly. The undersigned would have wished to spare Congress the detail of this affair, by ad dressing himself directly to the States of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, in order to ascertain their intentions, but the intelligence upon which the order of the General and Intendant of St Domingo has intervened, obliges the parties to come before Congress; besides, this form is the best adapted to prevent all delays, and to cause this money to arrive promptly at the destination, which shall be determined upon. LUZERNE. PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO M, DE LA LUZERNE. In Congress, December 16th, 1779. Sir, I am directed to inform you, that Congress in order to testify their attention to the interest of his Catholic Majesty, appointed a commissioner to confer with General Washington on the subject of your letter, accompanying the representation of Don Juan de Miralles ;* and though from the result of their conference, they have reason to believe that our grand army cannot be weakened while the enemy retain their present force at New York, without considerable danger, yet they have upon mature deliberation determined rather to incur that danger, than not to comply, as far as is consistent with our circumstances, with the views of his Catholic Majesty, to whom they feel themselves bound by that union of interest, which a common enemy creates, by the favorable disposition manifested by his Catholic Majesty to these United States, and by those ties, which connect the House of Bourbon with the happiness of mankind. See above pp. 373. 375. Under these impressions they have ordered a considerable detachment from the grand army to join the troops in Carolina, which, together with the forces already there or on the way, will amount to about four thousand men, exclusive of the militia of the Southern States, whom Congress have called for upon this occasion. Congress have also ordered three of their frigates to Charleston, to be put under the direction of the commanding officer in that department. You This force they conceive will make so powerful a diversion in favor of his Catholic Majesty's army, as to afford probable hopes of their being crowned with success. will perceive, Sir, that any other co-operation with the troops of Spain is impossible, while Savannah opposes a barrier to a junction of our force. This, from its present strength, it will not be easy for us to remove, till a more decided superiority in this quarter enables us to transfer a greater proportion of our army thither. Unless, in the meantime, the Governor of Havana shall think proper to furnish such aid, as when joined with the forces of the United States in that quarter, will be sufficient to effect the purposes before mentioned. But as Congress were desirous of extending their views still further, and conceiving the conquest of East Florida to be an object of great importance, as well to his Catholic Majesty, as to these States, they have therefore directed me to inform you, and through you Don Juan de Miralles, by whom the intentions of his Catholic Majesty are communicated, that they have given full power to their General commanding in the Southern department to correspond and concert with the Governor of Havana, or any other person or persons, authorised by his Catholic Majesty for that purpose, such plan as can be agreed upon between them for carrying our views into execution. I am, Sir, directed further to inform you, that though Congress cannot promise any considerable quantity of provisions until the army of the United States are supplied, yet as soon as that can be done, every means will be used to furnish provisions for his Catholic Majesty's Islands and fleet. But in the meantime they conceive, that a large supply of rice may be afforded by the State of South Carolina, while Congress will readily aid the agents of Spain in procuring the same. I have the honor to be, &c. SAMUEL HUNTINGTON, President. M. HOLKER TO M. DE LA LUZERNE. Sir, Translation. Philadelphia, January 10th, 1780. I have the honor of transmitting to you the annexed letter, and copy of a late law of the State of Maryland, which I have this moment received from Mr William Smith, a merchant at Baltimore. As it is of a nature to alarm us in relation to all the operations, which have been concerted in the Islands, or contemplated with respect to other places during the course of the ensuing summer; as, moreover, the vessels and store-ships, which I expect from Martinique, to supply the place of those which were destined by the Count d'Estaing for the Chesapeake Bay, and which the officers of the King have thought it their duty to sacrifice and sell to the State of Carolina, with a view to contribute, as far as lay in their power, to the se |