Presidents House 19th July 1785
Sir,
The letter from his most Christian Majesty mentioned in yours of the 18th instant is to be received in the same manner as the late letter from his Majesty was - And I have the honor now to inform you that I shall be ready to receive Mr. De Marbois here tomorrow forenoon at half an hour after ten o'Clock.1
I am, with much esteem and regard Sir your most obedient and very humble Servant,
Richard Henry Lee
Receiver's copy, Papers of Continental Congress, item 78, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.
1 Jay had enclosed a July 18 letter to him from the French chargé d'affaires, the marquis de Barbé-Marbois, asking instructions on "when and in what Manner" he was to deliver a May 10 letter from Louis XVI to Congress acknowledging Congress' letter to him of December 11, 1784. And Jay had continued "I presume that this will be received as the last Letter [of March 27, announcing the birth of a prince] was, and therefore request the Favor of your Excellency to inform when it will be most convenient for you to receive Mr. Marbois for that purpose." See PCC, item 120, fols. 372 - 76.
For the original letter to the King, see JCC, 27:682 - 83; and Lee's letters to Benjamin Franklin and to the marquis de Lafayette of December 11, 1784. For Congress' response to Louis XVI's March 27 letter, see Charles Thomson to Jay, June 14, 1785.