| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 1783
On a report of the Secretary for foreign affairs:
The minister plenipotentiary of his Most Christian Majesty having communicated to Congress, through the Secretary for foreign affairs on the 7th instant the resolution taken to embark the army under the command of the Count de Rochambeau, and on the 29, their having actually embarked and sailed; together with his Majesty's intention to direce them to return whenever an object should offer, in which they might effectually co-operate with the troops of the United States:
Resolved, That the Secretary for foreign affairs inform the Minister of France, that though Congress cannot see without regret, the departure of an army to whose bravery and good conduct they are so greatly indebted for the reduction of the enemy's force in this country, yet that they have too much confidence in the attention of his Majesty to the interests of the alliance, not to be persuaded that the order for their departure was dictated by a conviction that they could elsewhere be more usefully employed against the common enemy:
That they wish him to make known to his Majesty the grateful sense they entertain of his attention to their immediate interest, manifested in the important aid thus long afforded them, and in his generous determination to direct
Page 2 | Page image
his troops to return to this country whenever circumstances will admit of an advantageous co-operation with the arms of the United States; that they desire through him, to recommend in a particular manner the Count de Rochambeau and the army under his command, to the favour of his Majesty, having the highest reason to be satisfied with their bravery and good conduct, and with that strict discipline to which they are indebted for the perfect harmony which has so happily subsisted between them and the soldiers and citizens of the United States.
Resolved, That the President make the acknowledgments of Congress in a particular manner to his Excellency the Count de Rochambeau, and signify to him the high sense they entertain of the distinguished talents displayed by him with so much advantage to these states, in the most important conjunctures, as well as of the strict and exemplary discipline which have been uniformly conspicuous in the troops under his command, and which have deservedly acquired the admiration and esteem of the citizens of these states, by whom his signal services, and the delicate attention at all times paid to their private rights, will ever be held in affectionate remembrance.1
[Note 1: 1 These resolutions were also entered in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs.
On this, or an approximate date, was read a letter, dated Brest, December 3, from the Marquis de la Fayette. It is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 156, folio 300, and is printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton) VI, 102.
On this day, as the indorsement states, was read a letter of January 1, from Major General St. Clair and referred to Mr. [Richard] Peters, Mr. [Alexander] Hamilton and Mr. [Philemon] Dickinson It is in No. 161, folio 533. Committee Book, No. 186, states that the Committee reported January 17, 1783.]
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |