PARIS, January 7, 1787.
SIR,--I had the honor, on the 2d of November last, to acknowledge the
receipt of your Excellency's letter of October the 22d, wherein you are
so good as to communicate to me the arrangements which the King had
been pleased to make for the encouragement of the commerce of the
United States of America with his subjects. I immediately made known
the same to the agents of the United States in the several seaports of
this kingdom, that they might give information thereof to the persons
concerned in that commerce. Unacquainted with the forms in which his
Majesty usually declares his will in cases of this kind, and the manner
in which it is communicated to the officers of the customs at the
seaports, I am unable to answer those agents who inform me that the
officers of the customs and farms do not as yet consider themselves
bound to conform to the new regulations. I take the liberty, therefore,
of soliciting your Excellency's interposition for the issuing such
orders as may be necessary for carrying into effect the gracious
intentions of the King, and of repeating the assurances of those
sentiments of perfect respect and esteem, with which I have the honor
to be your Excellency's most obedient, and most humble servant.