The Minister of France informed the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, that the Count de Vergennes, in a letter to him of the 7th of September, 1781, assured him that the King of France had received with great pleasure, an account of Mr Adams, Mr Franklin, and Mr Jay's appointment to the place of Ministers for the negotiation of peace; and after expressing favorable sentiments of them and of Mr Jefferson, from his general reputation, adds, that they have little reason to hope for the assistance of Mr Laurens, since the enemy will probably continue his captivity during the war. That the King accepted with pleasure the proofs, which Congress have given him of their confidence, when they intrusted to his care the interests of the United States. That he would use his influence and credit for the advantage of his allies, whenever a negotiation should render their interests a subject of discussion. That if he did not obtain for every State all they wished, they must attribute the sacrifice he might be compelled to make of his inclinations, to the tyrannic rule of necessity. That, however, he had no reason to believe, that the events of the campaign would make an unfavorable change in the situation of affairs; and that from the present view of them, he had no cause to dread a disadvantageous peace. The Count adds, that he presumes Mr Adams has communicated to Congress his Majesty's refusal to accede to the terms of the mediation of the Imperial Courts, until they should agree to acknowledge the American Plenipotentiaries in the manner most conformable to the dignity of the United States; and observes thereon, that if the King was so attentive to a matter of form, though it might indeed in our present situation be considered as important, he would not be less tenacious of our more essential interests, which he will be zealous to promote, as far as circumstances will allow. But that if notwithstanding this, Congress, or even a considerable part of its members, should regret the confidence they had placed in his Majesty, or wish to free their Ministers from this restraint, his Majesty would not disapprove the measure; provided they made their Ministers answerable, as in justice they should be, in proportion to the powers, with which they invested them. He expresses his satisfaction at the extensive powers, with which the Ministers are invested as to the matter of boundary, and the truce, which he says, the interests of France as well as of us, require to be as long as possible.