I have had the honor to make known to you the reasons of my perplexity, with regard to transmitting to my Court some ideas respecting certain persons strongly suspected of being emissaries of the Court of London, as well as concerning the doctrine of the liberty, which it is pretended the United States have preserved of treating with this power separately from their ally, so long as Great Britain has not declared war upon the King my master. I have expressed to you how far it is from my character to pay regard to public rumors and to the reports of any individuals, in a matter as important as it is delicate, and the desire which I feel that Congress would be pleased to furnish me with the means of placing my Court, and by its means, all the present and future friends of the United States in Europe, on their guard against the impressions which these ideas might produce. They appeared to me particularly dangerous in relation to England, where they would nourish the hope of sowing domestic divisions in the bosom of the United States, and of separating them from their ally, by annulling, also, the treaties concluded with him. It seems, in fact, that as long as this double hope shall continue, England will not think seriously of acknowledging your independence on the footing expressed in the treaty of Paris. Your zeal, Sir, for your country, and for the maintenance of the harmony so happily established, is too well known for me not to hope that you will be pleased to lay before Congress this subject, which my solicitude for whatever concerns the maintenance of the reputation of the alliance has caused me to regard as very important. I am persuaded, Sir, that you will at the same time have the goodness to inform Congress of the proof of firmness, and of attachment to the interests of the United States, to the common cause and to the alliance, which the King my master has given, in rejecting the overtures which the Court of London has made through Spain. I have the honor to be, with sentiments of respect, &c. GERARD. * * * * * To the memorial respecting masts, an answer was returned on the 16th. And in answer to the above letter Congress passed a resolution on the 14th of January, 1779, as follows; "Whereas it has been represented to this House by M. Gerard, Minister Plenipotentiary of France, that it is pretended that the United States have preserved the liberty of treating with Great Britain separately from their ally, as long as Great Britain shall not have declared war against the King, his master, therefore,