[1] _November 3d._ This day, on the invitation of the Minister of France, I attended at the Romish Church at a _Te Deum_, sung on account of the capture of Lord Cornwallis and his army. Soon after arrived the colors taken by General Washington with that array, which were brought by Colonel Humphreys to Chester, there met by Colonel Tilghman, and thence conducted hither by those two Aid-de-Camps of the General. The city troop of light horse went out to meet them, and became the standard bearers, and twentyfour gentlemen, privates in that corps, carried each of them one of the colors displayed. The American and French flags preceding the captured trophies, which were conducted down Market street to the Coffee House, thence down Front to Chestnut street, and up that street to the State House, where they were presented to Congress, who were sitting; and many of the members tell me, that instead of viewing this transaction as a mere matter of joyful ceremony, which they expected to do, they instantly felt themselves impressed with ideas of the most solemn nature. It brought to their minds the distresses our country has been exposed to, the calamities we have repeatedly suffered, the perilous situation, which our affairs have almost always been in; and they could not but recollect the threats of Lord North, that he would bring America to his feet on unconditional terms of submission. _Diary._ * * * * * TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. Office of Finance, November 5th, 1781. Sir, Copies of the Act of the United States in Congress assembled, of the 2d instant, have been sent to me, and were yesterday received. It would have given me pleasure to have had an opportunity of expressing my sentiments before those acts were passed; but it becomes necessary to take the liberty of doing it now. I, therefore, do myself the honor to enclose a letter written on the 28th day of August last, which was not transmitted before, because Congress were so much engaged, that, as well from that as from other circumstances, those matters, which it relates to, could not properly be brought before them. In the beginning of that letter, the reference made to me on the 23d of August, of two letters from the State of Massachusetts, and of a report upon them, is mentioned. On the 12th of September following, I received the resolutions of that State, which were referred on the 10th; and I have now to observe, that my sentiments on the subject of those resolutions are fully contained in the letter.