"George Washington, President of the United States of America, to the Representatives of the French people, members of the Committee of Public Safety of the French Republic, the great and good friend and ally of the United States. "On the intimation of the wish of the French republic that à new Minister should be sent from the United States, I resolved to manifest my sense of the readiness with which _my_ request was fulfilled, [that of recalling Genet,] by immediately fulfilling the request of your government, [that of recalling Morris]. "It was some time before a character could be obtained, worthy of the high office of expressing the attachment of the United States to the happiness of our allies, _and drawing closer the bonds of our friendship_. I have now made choice of James Monroe, one of our distinguished citizens, to reside near the French republic, in quality of Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America. He is instructed to bear to you our _sincere solicitude for your welfare, and to cultivate with teal the cordiality so happily subsisting between us_. From a knowledge of his fidelity, probity, and good conduct, I have entire confidence that he will render himself acceptable to you, and give effect to your desire of preserving and _advancing, on all occasions, the interest and connection of the two nations_. I beseech you, therefore, to give full credence to whatever he shall say to you on the part of the United States, and _most of all, when he shall assure you that your prosperity is an object of our affection_. "And I pray God to have the French Republic in his holy keeping. "G. Washington." Was it by entering into a treaty with England to surrender French property on board American ships to be seized by the English, while English property on board American ships was declared by the French treaty not to be seizable, _that the bonds of friendship between America and France were to be drawn the closer?_ Was it by declaring naval stores contraband when coming to France, whilst by the French treaty they were not contraband when going to England, that the _connection between France and America was to be advanced?_ Was it by opening the American ports to the British navy in the present war, from which ports the same navy had been expelled by the aid solicited from France in the American war (and that aid gratuitously given) (2) that the gratitude of America was to be shewn, and the _solicitude_ spoken of in the letter demonstrated? 1 The italics are Paine's. Paine's free use of this document suggests that he possessed the confidence of the French Directory.--_Editor._ 2 It is notable that Paine adheres to his old contention in his controversy with Deane. See vol. i., ch. aa of this work; and vol. i., ch. 9 of my "Life of Paine."--_Editor._.