[5] _May 13th_: This day the Chevalier de la Luzerne had a public audience of Congress, when he announced the birth of the Dauphin of France. I attended at the ceremony, being admitted into the Congress hall within the bar, and I took my place next to the members of Congress, the left of the President, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of War next to me. We stood during the whole ceremony, as well also the President and Council of the State of Pennsylvania. When the ceremony was ended, Mr Livingston, General Lincoln, Mr Gouverneur Morris and myself, went to his Excellency, the Minister of France, to pay our compliments. Afterwards we repaired to the City Tavern to an entertainment ordered by Congress, thence to an exhibition of fireworks at the State House, and then to an entertainment given by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. _Diary._ * * * * * CIRCULAR TO THE GOVERNORS OF THE STATES. Office of Finance, May 16th, 1782. Sir, I have heretofore taken occasion to observe, that the former expenditures of the United States were at a medium rate of twenty millions of dollars annually, for the support of the war. At the present moment, while laboring under a large debt, only eight millions have been asked for. It is evident, therefore, that the sum now required is as little as can possibly answer the purpose. I venture to say that it is not enough. According to the estimates for the year 1782, which were laid before Congress by the late Board of War, the present establishment of the army would require for pay, exclusive of the half pay, near three millions and a half, for rations near two millions and a half, for clothing, about twelve hundred thousand, for forage above three hundred thousand, for the Quarter Master's department, (exclusive of articles on hand) above eight hundred thousand, for military stores (exclusive of articles on hand) near two hundred thousand, for the hospitals (exclusive of medicine and also of sundry stores on hand) above one hundred thousand. If to all these be added the sum of four hundred thousand for the Departments of the Pay Office, Commissary of Prisoners, and the various other contingencies of service, which naturally and necessarily arise, without mentioning the losses, which happen in war, here will be an aggregate amount of nine millions, and in this sum nothing is estimated for the interest of our debts, for the Marine, and for the Civil List, and the Department of Foreign Affairs.