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234 EXPEDITION TO RHODE ISLAND.
Another cause with these combin'd, To throw him in the dumps, sir,
For Clinton's name alarmed his mind/' And made him stir his stumps, sir.
1 Monsieur Gerard came. M. Gerard was the first ambassador from any nation to the United States. The following minute account of his reception by the Continental Congress, at Philadelphia, appeared in the papers of that period. " On Thursday, the sixth of August, 1778, the day appointed by the Congress for the reception of the minister, Richard Henry Lee, delegate from Virginia, and Samuel Adams, delegate from Massachusetts Bay, waited upon his Excellency, in a coach and six, provided by Congress, at his house. In a few minutes, the minister and the two delegates entered the coach, Mr. Lee placing himself at the minister's left hand on the back seat; Mr. Adams occupying the front seat. The minister's chariot being behind received his secretary. On the arrival of the carriages at the State House, the two members of Congress, placing themselves at the minister's left hand, a little before one o'clock, introduced him to his chair in the Congress Chamber; the President and Congress sitting. The chair was placed fronting the President. The minister being seated, he gave his credentials into the hands of his secretary, who advanced and delivered them to the President. The secretary of Congress then read and translated them, after which Mr. Lee announced the minister to the President and Congress. At this time, the President, the Congress, and the minister rose together. He bowed to the President and Congress, and they bowed to him, whereupon the whole seated themselves. In a moment, the minister rose and made a speech to the Congress, they sitting. The speech being finished, the minister sat down, and giving a copy of his speech to his secretary, he pi'esented it to the President. The President and Congress then rose, and the President pronounced the answer to the speech, the minister standing. |
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