and may
want money to bear his expenses on his further journey. Mons. Gerard
desires he may be supplied on his account, with any sum to the amount
of twenty thousand livres.

* * * * *

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Philadelphia, 28th July, 1778.

Sir,

I had the honor of receiving on the 4th of March last, in a letter
from Mr Lovell, (a copy of which I now enclose,[12]) the orders of
Congress, announcing my recall, and directing my immediate return.

This was the first and only intimation I ever received of the
resolutions of Congress on the subject; I immediately complied with
it, and left Paris the 1st of April, with hopes of arriving in season
to give Congress that intelligence, which in the order for my return,
they express their want of.

Unfortunately my passage has been much longer than I expected, and I
but now begin to find myself recovering from the fatigues of it; yet
my desire of giving Congress, as early as possible, an account of the
state of their affairs in Europe, when I left France, as well as the
peculiar situation in which my recall has placed me personally, has
induced me to address them through your Excellency, to solicit for as
early an audience as the important business in which they are engaged
will admit of.

I have the honor to be,

With the most sincere respect, &c.

SILAS DEANE.

FOOTNOTES:

[12] See above, page 117.

* * * * *

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Philadelphia, 8th September, 1778.

Sir,

I pray your Excellency to remind the Congress, that I still wait to
receive their orders, and though I am sensible that they have many and
important affairs under their consideration, yet I must entreat them
to reflect on the peculiar situation I have for some time past been
placed in, and inform me if they desire my further attendance.

I have the honor to be, with the highest respect, your Excellency's,
&c.

SILAS DEANE.

* * * * *

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Philadelphia, 11th September, 1778.

Sir,

I received your note, in which you politely informed me that you had
la