Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 August 1877 — A Historic Letter. [ARTICLE]

A Historic Letter.

Minister Washburne, in his examination of the archives of the French Government, has discovered the following interesting letter, which, by the permission of the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, he has caused to be photographed. A copy of this letter, with his certificate attached, was lately received at the State Department at Washington: Paris, December 23, 1876. Sib : We beg leave to acquaint your Excellency that we are appointed and fully empowered' by the Congress of the United States of America to propose and negotiate a treaty of amity and commerce between France and the said States. The just and generous treatment their trading ships have received, by a free admission into the ports of this kingdom, with other considerations of respect, has induced Congress to make this offer first to Franco. We request an audience with yout Excellency,., wherein we may have an opportunity of presenting our credentials, and we flatter ourselveb that the propositions we are instructed to make are such as will not be found unacceptable. With the greatest regard, we have the honorto be, your Excellency’s most obedient servants, Benjamin Fbankdin, Silas Dean, Abxhur Lee. This letter was in the handwriting of Benjamin Franklin, and the transmission of it was the first official act of the United States after the Declaration of Independence, the object of which was to secure foreign recognition of the infant republic. An enthusiastic Texas newspaper asserts that the census of 1880 will show that Texas has a population of 2,000,000, and will be entitled to eighteen Representatives at Washington.