CONGRESS TO THE KING OF FRANCE.

The United States in Congress assembled to their Great, Faithful, and
Beloved Friend and Ally, Lewis the Sixteenth, King of France and
Navarre.

Great, Faithful, and Beloved Friend and Ally,

At a period so glorious to the arms of France, both by sea and land,
and so favorable to the fortunes of America, it is with particular
satisfaction that we congratulate the Monarch, whose wise counsels and
generous support have so largely contributed to events, illustrious in
themselves, and promising consequences truly important.

We wish to convey to your Majesty our sense of the victory obtained by
the Count de Grasse over the enemy's fleet on our coast, and the
subsequent reduction of the British armament in Virginia; and we
repeat our grateful acknowledgments for the various aids so seasonably
extended to us. From the benevolence and magnanimity, which has
hitherto interested your Majesty in the welfare of these States, we
are convinced, that you will on this occasion feel an equal pleasure
with ourselves, whose immediate advantage is the result of such
fortunate exertions.

We mention with great pleasure the zeal and ability manifested by the
Count de Rochambeau, commanding your Majesty's forces in the allied
army. His conduct, and that of his officers under him, merit our
fullest approbation; and we are made further happy by the perfect
harmony and affection, which has subsisted between the troops of the
two nations.

The distress occasioned to the common enemy by combined operations
will, we trust, point out to both nations the utility of similar
measures in future; and whilst it induces your Majesty to supply that
naval force, which the situation of our country renders necessary,
will urge the United States to every effort which their particular
interests, added to their desire of seconding your Majesty's views,
can call forth to ensure the complete success of attacks upon the
enemy's strong holds.

It is with great pleasure, that the United States continue to number
some of your Majesty's subjects amongst their most able, spirited, and
faithful officers. It affords the world a striking proof of the
intimate connexion, which subsists between the allied nations, at the
same time serves to cement the union which it manifests.

Major General the Marquis de Lafayette has in this campaign so greatly
added to the reputation he had before acquired, that we are desirous
to ob