y a letter, a copy of which has been transmitted. An
allowance was made for the Lafayette's cargo, as well as a very
imperfect sketch of it could enable me. This list was immediately
referred to the War Department. In all my interviews with the
Ministers, I endeavored to represent in their strongest light the
following important articles. That notwithstanding the unalterable
determination of the United States to support their independence,
notwithstanding the virtue and firmness of the citizens in general,
the immense pecuniary resources of Great Britain, and her constant
naval superiority were advantages too decisive to be counterbalanced
by any interior exertions on the part of the United States. That these
must infallibly impose a term to the efforts of a nation, whose
extended maritime and inland frontier rendered her obnoxious to sudden
descents and incursions on all sides; whose army was consequently
exposed to excessive marches, attended with insupportable expense of
money and waste of soldiers, that the exhausted state of their
finances reduced Congress to the impossibility of calling the natural
resources of the country into activity; that the aggravated calamities
of a war, which in its principles had been precautionary, began now to
produce dangerous uneasinesses and discontents; that we had concealed
enemies to contend against; that the British left no measures
unattempted either of open force or secret intrigue; and finally,
unless instant succor were afforded as solicited by Congress, that
France was in danger of losing all the fruits of the part she had
hitherto taken in the contest; that if instead of being actuated by a
generous and enlightened policy, the Court of France had
systematically protracted the war, in order that Britain and America
might mutually exhaust themselves, while she had reserved her power to
decide only in the last extremity, this period with respect to America
had arrived; that the importance of the objects of the war on one
hand, and the mischiefs of suffering Great Britain to re-annex to
herself the resources of America, demanded the greatest exertions;
that the honor of the King, as well as the national interest, was
engaged, and that, considering the flourishing state of the French
marine and finances, the succor solicited was as easy as, considering
our situation, it was indispensable.

I endeavored, above all, to hasten their determinations. The general
language held by the