THE CORRESPONDENCE OF CONRAD ALEXANDER GERARD; MINISTER PLENIPOTENTIARY FROM THE COURT OF FRANCE TO THE UNITED STATES. CONRAD ALEXANDER GERARD was the first Minister from any foreign Court to the United States. When the American Commissioners went to Paris, in the year 1776, he was principal Secretary to the Council of State, and on terms of the strictest intimacy and confidence with Count de Vergennes, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Under the auspices of that Minister, and in concert with him, M. Gerard early took a strong interest in the concerns of the United States, and abetted the cause of their independence. He negotiated, on the part of the French government, the first treaties of alliance and commerce with the United States, signed on the 6th of February, 1778, by him for one of the contracting parties, and by Franklin, Deane, and Lee for the other. His knowledge of American affairs, and his general ability, pointed him out as the most suitable person to represent the French Court as Minister to Congress. He came over to this country in the fleet with Count d'Estaing, and arrived in Philadelphia about the middle of July, 1778. After discharging the duties of a Minister Plenipotentiary for more than a year, in a manner highly acceptable to Congress and the whole country, as well as to his own government, he asked his recall, and took his final leave of Congress on the 17th of September, 1779. He returned to Europe in the same vessel, which took out Mr Jay as Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of Spain. THE CORRESPONDENCE OF CONRAD ALEXANDER GERARD; MINISTER FROM FRANCE. LETTER FROM THE KING OF FRANCE TO CONGRESS. Very dear and great Friends and Allies, The treaties which we have signed with you in consequence of the propositions made to us on your part, by your deputies, are a certain guarantee to you of our affection for the United States in general, and for each one of them individually, as well as of the interest which we take, and shall always continue to take, in their happiness and prosperity. In order to convince you of this in a more particular manner, we have appointed M. Gerard, Secretary of our Council of State, to reside near you in quality of our Minister Plenipotentiary. He is the better acquainted with the sentiments which we entertain towards you, and is the more able to answer for them to you, as he has been intrusted on our part with negotiating with your deputies, and as he has signed with them the treaties which cement our union, we request you to give full credit to all that he shall say to you on our part, par |