Of this
order, made at Bernis, his Excellency, Count de Vergennes, was pleased
to honor me with a communication, by a letter of the 30th of May, 1786;
desiring that I would publish it as well in America as to the American
merchants in France. I did so; communicating it to Congress at the same
time. This order, thus viewed, with the transactions which produced
it, will be seen to have been necessary; and its punctual and candid
execution has been rendered still more so, by the speculations of the
merchants, entered into on the faith of it. Otherwise it would become
the instrument of their ruin instead of their relief. A twelvemonth
has elapsed some time since; and it is questioned, whether the Farmers
General have purchased, within that time, the quantity prescribed, and
on the conditions prescribed. It would be impossible for the merchants
to prove the negative; it will be easy for the Farmers General to show
the affirmative, if it exists. I hope that a branch of commerce of this
extent, will be thought interesting enough to both nations to render it
the desire of your Excellency to require, as I deem it my duty to ask,
a report of the purchases they have made, according to the conditions
of the order of Bernis, specifying in that report, 1.
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