3173. FRANCE, Republic recognized.—
I have laid before the President of the United
States your notification of the 17th instant,
in the name of the Provisory Executive
Council, charged with the administration of
your Government, that the French nation
has constituted itself into a Republic. The
President receives, with great satisfaction,
this attention of the Executive Council and
the desire they have manifested of making
known to us the resolution entered into by
the National Convention, even before a definitive
regulation of their new establishment
could take place. Be assured, Sir, that the
Government and the citizens of the United
States view with the most sincere pleasure
every advance of your nation towards its
happiness, an object essentially connected
with its liberty, and they consider the union
of principles and pursuits between our two
countries as a link which binds still closer
their interests and affections. The genuine
and general effusions of joy which you saw
overspread our country on their seeing the
liberties of yours rise superior to foreign invasion
and domestic trouble, have proved to
you that our sympathies are great and sincere,
and we earnestly wish on our part that these,
our mutual dispositions, may be improved to
mutual good, by establishing our commercial
intercourse on principles as friendly to natural
right and freedom as are those of our
Government.—
To J. B. Ternant. Washington ed. iii, 518.
Ford ed., vi, 189.
(Pa.,
Feb. 23, 1793)
