assure your Excellencies, and, on behalf of my countrymen, I do most
solemnly promise and assure you, that no military force shall be kept
up in the different States of North America without the consent of the
General Congress and that of the Legislatures of those States. You
will, therefore, cause the forces of your royal master to be removed;
for I can venture to assure you that the Congress have not consented,
and probably will not consent, that they be kept up.

You have also made the unsolicited offer of concurring "in measures
calculated to discharge the debts of America, and to raise the credit
and value of the paper circulation." If your Excellencies mean by this
to apply for offices in the department of our finance, I am to assure
you (which I do with "perfect respect") that it will be necessary to
procure very ample recommendations. For, as the English have not yet
pursued measures to discharge their own debt and raise the credit and
value of their own paper circulation, but, on the contrary, are in a
fair way to increase the one and absolutely destroy the other, you will
instantly perceive that financiers from that nation would present
themselves with the most awkward grace imaginable.

You propose to us a device to "perpetuate our union." It might not be
amiss previously to establish this union, which may be done by your
acceptance of the treaty of peace and commerce tendered to you by
Congress. And such treaty I can venture to say would continue as long
as your ministers could prevail upon themselves not to violate the
faith of nations.

You offer, to use your language, the inaccuracy of which, considering
the importance of the subject, is not to be wondered at, or at least
may be excused, "in short, to establish the powers of the respective