court of France to procure, if possible, from that court, a hundred thousand stand of arms.

DECEMBER 28, 1776.

The committee appointed to prepare a plan for obtaining foreign assistance brought in a report, which was read.

Ordered, That the same be referred to a committee of the whole, and that Congress do immediately resolve itself into a committee of the whole to take the same into consideration.

Congress then resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to take into consideration the report of the committee on the plan of obtaining foreign assistance; and after some time spent thereon, the President resumed the chair; and Mr. Harrison reported, that the committee have had under consideration the report to them referred, and have made sundry amendments, but not having had time to go through the whole, desire leave to sit again.

Resolved, That Congress will tomorrow resolve itself into a committee of the whole, to take into further consideration the report of the committee.

DECEMBER 29, 1776.

Congress resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to take into consideration the report of the committee on the plan of obtaining foreign assistance; and after some time, the President resumed the chair, and Mr. Francis L. Lee reported, That the committee

have had under consideration the report to them referred, and have made sundry further amendments, which he was ready to report.

Resolved, that the report be received, and taken into consideration tomorrow.

DECEMBER 30, 1776.

The report from the committee of the whole being read, the same was taken into consideration: Whereupon,

Resolved, That commissioners be forthwith sent to the courts of Vienna, Spain, Prussia, and the grand duke of Tuscany.

That the several commissioners of the United States be instructed to assure the respective courts, that notwithstanding the artful and insidious endeavours of the court of Great Britain to represent the Congress and inhabitants of these states to the European powers as having a disposition again to submit to the sovereignty of the crown of Great Britain, it is their determination at all events to maintain their independence.

That the commissioners be respectively directed to use every means in their power to procure the assistance of the emperor of Germany, and of their most christian, catholick, and Prussian majesties, for preventing German, Russian, or other foreign troops from being sent to America for hostile purposes against these United States, and for obtaining a recall of those already sent.

That his most christian majesty be induced, if possible, to assist the United States in the present war with

Great Britain, by attacking the electorate of Hanover, or any part of the dominions of Great Britain, in Europe, the East or West Indies.

That the commissioners be further empowered to stipulate with the court of France, that all the trade between the United States and the West India islands shall be carried on by vessels either belonging to the subjects of his most christian majesty, or of these states, each having free liberty to carry on such trade.

That the commissioners be likewise instructed to assure his most christian majesty, that should his forces be employed, in conjunction with those of the United States, to exclude his Britannick majesty from any share in the cod fishery of America, by reducing the islands of Newfoundland and Cape Breton, and ships of war be furnished, when required by the United States, to reduce Nova Scotia, the fishery shall be enjoyed equally and in common by the subjects of his most christian majesty and of these states, to the exclusion of all other nations and people whatever; and half the island of Newfoundland shall be owned by and subject to the jurisdiction of his most christian majesty; provided that the province of Nova Scotia, island of Cape Breton, and the remaining part of Newfoundland be annexed to the territory and government of the United States.

That should the proposals already made be insufficient to produce the proposed declaration of war, and the commissioners are convinced that it cannot be otherwise accomplished, they assure his most christian majesty, that such of the British West India islands as in the course of the war shall be reduced by the united force of France and the United States, shall be yielded

in absolute property to his most christian majesty ; and the United States engage, on timely notice, to furnish at their expense, and deliver at some convenient port or ports in the said United States, provisions for carrying on expeditions against the said islands to the amount of two million of dollars, and six frigates mounting not less than twenty-four guns each, manned and fitted for the sea; and to render any other assistance which may be in their power, as becomes good allies.

That the commissioners for the courts of France and Spain consult together, and prepare a treaty of commerce and alliance, as near as may be, similar to the first proposed to the court of France, not inconsistent therewith, nor disagreeable to his most christian majesty, to be proposed to the court of Spain-adding thereto, "That if his catholick majesty will join with "the United States in war against Great Britain, they "will assist in reducing to the possession of Spain the "town and harbour of Pensacola; provided that the "citizens and inhabitants of the United States shall "have the free and uninterrupted navigation of the Mississippi, and use of the harbour of Pensacola ; "and will, provided it be true that his Portuguese ma"jesty has insultingly expelled the vessels of these "states from his ports, or hath confiscated any such "vessels, declare war against the said king, if that measure shall be agreeable to and supported by the "courts of France and Spain."

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That the commissioners for the court of Berlin consult with the commissioners at the court of France, and prepare such a treaty or treaties of friendship and commerce, to be proposed to the king of Prussia, as

shall not be disagreeable to their most christian and

catholick majesties.

That the commissioners at the court of France be informed of the designs of Congress to send commissioners to the courts of Vienna, and the grand duke of Tuscany, to cultivate the friendship of those princes, and to form such treaties of commerce as may be beneficial to those countries and the United States, and directed to acquaint the ambassadors from their courts to that of France with this design; and in the mean time to solicit, through those ambassadors, the interference of the emperor and the duke of Tuscany to prevent Great Britain from sending foreign troops to this country, and to procure a recall of such foreign troops as are already here.

JANUARY 1, 1777.

Congress proceeded to the election of commissioners to the courts of Vienna, Spain, &c. And thereupon, Resolved, That Dr. B. Franklin be directed to proceed to the court of Spain, and there transact, in behalf of the United States, such business as shall be entrusted to him by Congress, agreeably to the instructions that may be given him, and transmitted by the committee of secret correspondence.

Ordered, That the committee of secret correspondence prepare a commission for Dr. Franklin.

Resolved, That the appointment of commissioners to the other courts be postponed to Friday next.