peace with Great Britain began in Congress early in the summer of 1779, and August 4 a committee of five was selected "to prepare instructions for the minister plenipotentiary of these United States to be appointed for negotiating a treaty of peace."* August 13 Robert Morris, Henry Laurens, Samuel Huntington, John Dickinson, and Thomas McKean, the members chosen, submitted a draft, which was debated paragraph by paragraph and adopted the next day. This was the method usually pursued in the case of important communications, the Foreign Affairs Committee having no participation, as a committee, in their prepara

tion.

The first Consul of the United States was William Palfrey, appointed December 9, 1780, to France, "with powers adequate to a general agency in our commercial concerns there."§

*Secret Journals of Congress, II, 219.

† lbid., 224 et seq.

Ibid., 353.

Department of State MS. archives.

His commission, as, indeed, the commissions to our other agents abroad, did not differ materially from those now in use.

The necessity for a more adequate provision for managing the increasing foreign business of the country necessitated a change. "There is really," wrote Lovell to Arthur Lee, August 6, 1779, "no such thing as a committee of foreign affairs existing-no secretary or clerk further than I persevere to be one and the other. The books and the papers of that extinguished body lay yet on the table of Congress, or rather are locked up in the secretary's private box. There was a motion, as I have before told you, to choose a new committee; the house would not so insult me. An indifference then took place as to filling the old one, upon presumption, I suppose, that a little leaven would leaven the whole lump."* Nevertheless, in January, 1781, "a plan for the Department of Foreign* Affairs" was reported to Congress as follows:

* Department of State MS. archives.

That the extent and rising power of these United States entitles them to a place among the great potentates of Europe, while our political and commercial interests point out the propriety of cultivating with them a friendly correspondence and connection.

That to render such an intercourse advantageous, the necessity of a competent knowledge of the interests, views, relations and systems of these potentates, is obvious.

That a knowledge, in its nature so comprehensive, is only to be acquired by a constant attention to the state of Europe, and an unremitted application to the means of acquiring well grounded information.

That Congress are, moreover, called upon to maintain with our ministers at foreign courts a regular correspondence, and to keep them fully informed of every circumstance and event which regards the publick honour interest and safety.

That to answer these essential purposes, the committee are of opinion, that a fixed and permanent office for the department of foreign affairs ought forthwith to be established, as a remedy against the fluctuation, the delay and indecision to which the present mode of managing our foreign affairs must be exposed:

Whereupon:

Resolved, That an office be forthwith established for the

department of foreign affairs, to be kept always in the place where Congress shall reside.

That there shall be a secretary for the despatch of business of the said office, to be styled "secretary for foreign affairs.'

That it shall be the duty of the said secretary to keep and preserve all the books and papers belonging to the department of foreign affairs, to receive and report the applications of all foreigners; to correspond with the ministers of the United States at foreign courts, and with the ministers of foreign powers and other persons, for the purpose of obtaining the most extensive and useful information relative to foreign affairs, to be laid before Congress when required; also to transmit such communications as Congress shall direct, to the ministers of these United States and others at foreign courts, and in foreign countries; the said Secretary shall have liberty to attend Congress, that he may be better informed of the affairs of the United States, and have an opportunity of explaining his reports respecting his department; he shall also be authorized to employ one or if necessary more clerks to assist him in his office; and the Secretary, as well as such clerks, shall, before the President of Congress, take an oath of fidelity to the United States, and an oath for the faithful execution of their respective trusts.*

*Secret Journals of Congress, II, 580 et seq.

It was not until August 10 that the new Department was organized, when, on motion of William Floyd, of New York, Robert R. Livingston, of New York, was elected Secretary.* He had been a member of the Committee of Foreign Affairs for a brief period in 1779; but he declined the new office, until informed of the extent of his powers. Having been satisfied on this score, he accepted, September 23. Until then Lovell acted for the old Committee, his last communication bearing date September 20.†

In the meantime the Articles of Confederation had been adopted, and the United States had at least the form of a government.

Upon Livingston devolved the task of forming the new Department. He wrote, soon after he took office, to Count Vergennes, informing him of the change.

"Congress," he said, "having thought it expedient to dissolve the committee of their own

*Secret Journals of Congress, II, 587.

† Department of State MS. archives,