such part of the interest or principal of the foreign and
domestic debt as the United States shall judge expedient to pay and
discharge.

We feel ourselves attached by the strongest ties of friendship, kindred,
and of interest with our sister States, and we can not without the
greatest reluctance look to any other quarter for those advantages of
commercial intercourse which we conceive to be more natural and
reciprocal between them and us.

I am, at the request and in behalf of the general assembly, your most
obedient, humble servant,

JOHN COLLINS, _Governor_.

His Excellency the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

UNITED STATES, _February 9, 1790_.

_Gentlemen of the Senate_:

Among the persons appointed during the last session to offices under the
National Government there were some who declined serving. Their names
and offices are specified in the first column of the foregoing list.[2]
I supplied these vacancies, agreeably to the Constitution, by temporary
appointments, which you will find mentioned in the second column of the
list. These appointments will expire with your present session, and,
indeed, ought not to endure longer than until others can be regularly
made. For that purpose I now nominate to you the persons named in the
third column of the list as being, in my opinion, qualified to fill the
offices opposite to their names in the first.

Go. WASHINGTON.

[Footnote 2: Omitted.]

UNITED STATES, _December 14, 1790_.

_Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives_:

Having informed Congress of the expedition which had been directed
against certain Indians northwest of the Ohio, I embrace the earliest
opportunity of laying before you the official communications which have
been received upon that subject.

Go. WASHINGTON.

[The following was transmitted with the message of January 26, 1791 (see
Vol. I, p. 95).]

[From Annals of Congress, Vol. II, 2116-2118.]

PARIS, _June 20, 1790_.

Mr. PRESIDENT:

The National Assembly has worn during three days mourning for Benjamin
Franklin, your fellow-citizen, your friend, and one of the most useful
of your cooperators in the establishment of American liberty. They
charge me to communicate their resolution to the Congress of the United
States. In consequence I have the honor to address to you, Mr.
President, the extract from the proceedings of their session of the 11th
which contains the deliberations.

The National Assembly hav