.

Permit me now, Sir, to express the high sense I have of the honor you
have done me, in communicating the favorable opinion entertained of my
conduct by the Court and nation of France, and to acknowledge my
obligations to those officers who have inspired these sentiments. To
stand well in the eyes of a nation, which I view as one of the first
in the world, and in the opinion of a Monarch, whom I consider as the
supporter of the rights of humanity, and to whom I am personally
indebted for the command he has been pleased to honor me with, is
highly flattering to my vanity, at the same time it has a first claim
to all my gratitude.

It is unnecessary I hope to add fresh assurances of the respect and
esteem, with which I have the honor to be, Sir, &c.

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

* * * * *

COMMUNICATION OF THE FRENCH MINISTER TO THE SECRETARY OF FOREIGN
AFFAIRS.

In Congress, May 1st, 1782.

The Secretary of Foreign Affairs having laid before Congress the
following minutes of a communication, made to him the 28th of April,
by the Minister of France, from letters of the Count de Vergennes,
dated the 24th of December and the 22d of January last, viz.

"After expressing his satisfaction in the success of our arms in
Virginia, he laments the weakness of our army, and the incapacity in
which it leaves us of pursuing so important a blow, before England can
recover from it, he says, though the plan of the ensuing campaign is
not yet determined on, he has reason to believe, that means will be
used to aid us in the exertions we shall make to expel the enemy from
this continent; and he wishes that this consideration, and the
obstinate adherence of the British to their plan of subduing this
country, evidenced by their answer to the mediators, may rouse the
United States to an early and animated exertion. He observes, that the
British are much embarrassed with respect to the measures they ought
to pursue; that they still continue to represent us as a weak and
divided people, in the hope, that this may have some effect upon the
powers of Europe, more particularly upon the mediators. He is of
opinion, that England will endeavor to make proposals to the several
States separately; and though he does not apprehend, that they will
succeed in their attempt to detach them from the a