ir unanimous disposition and desire to cultivate the most
liberal and friendly intercourse between your Majesty's subjects and their
citizens; and of their best wishes for your Majesty's health and
happiness, and for that of your royal family.

"The appointment of a Minister from the United States to your Majesty's
Court, will form an epoch in the history of England and of America. I
think myself more fortunate than all my fellow citizens, in having the
distinguished honor to be the first to stand in your Majesty's royal
presence, in a diplomatic character; and I shall esteem myself the
happiest of men, if I can be instrumental in recommending my Country more
and more, to your Majesty's royal benevolence, and of restoring an entire
esteem, confidence and affection, or in better words, 'the old good
nature, and the old good harmony,' between people, who, though separated
by an ocean, and under different governments, have the same language, a
similar religion, and kindred blood. I beg your Majesty's permission to
add, that although I have sometimes before been intrusted by my country,
it was never, in my whole life, in a manner so agreeable to myself."

George III. replied with dignity, but not without some manifestations of
excitement:--

"The circumstances of this audience are so extraordinary, the language you
have now held is so extremely proper, and the feelings you have discovered
so justly adapted to the occasion, that I must say that I not only receive
with pleasure the assurances of the friendly disposition of the People of
the United States, but I am very glad the choice has fallen upon you to be
their Minister. I wish you, sir, to believe, and that it may be understood
in America, that I have done nothing in the late contest, but what I
thought myself indispensably bound to do, by the duty which I owed my
people. I will be frank with you--I was the last to conform to the
separation, but the separation having been made, and having become
inevitable, I have always said, as I say now, that I would be the first to
meet the friendship of the United States, as an independent power.

"The moment I see such sentiments and language as yours prevail, and a
disposition to give this country the preference, that moment I shall say,
let the circumstances of language, religion and blood have their natural
and full effect."

The kindly feelings expressed by the King, were, however, comparatively,
only the language of cere