I do myself the honor to enclose to Congress the duplicate of a letter from the Marquis de Lafayette, dated the 26th of December, together with the copy of his letter of the 18th of June last, to the Count de Vergennes; the Count's answer of the 29th of the same month; a letter to him from M. de Calonne of the 18th, and another of the 25th of December, all which were enclosed in that duplicate to me, as were also the observations on the commerce between France and the United States, which I have also the honor of transmitting. With respect to this paper, I must pray leave to refer Congress to the caution contained in the letter to me, and pray their compliance with his intention. The masterly manner in which the Marquis has treated a subject, certainly foreign to his former habits and views, merits great applause, and will I doubt not, procure that approbation from Congress, which will be to him a grateful reward for his zealous and dexterous exertions to promote the interests of America.[18] I pray leave also to submit to Congress the enclosed extract from another letter of the Marquis de Lafayette, of the 10th of January, together with the copy of M. de la Calonne's letter therein mentioned. This last, which shows the labors of that young nobleman to have been crowned with the wished for success, will I doubt not be pleasing to Congress, as it is certainly very interesting to the commerce of the United States. I have the honor to be, &c. ROBERT MORRIS. FOOTNOTES: [18] This paper on commerce, as well as the letters above referred to, are missing. * * * * * TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. Translation. Annapolis, April 21st, 1784. Sir, In the course of last summer I requested leave of his Majesty to return to France. By letters from my friends, I am informed that it is granted; but the loss of the packet, which conveyed the Minister's letter, lays me under the necessity of writing again on that subject. I should have waited his answer before I took leave of Congress, had I not reason to believe, that it will not reach me till their recess.