The Secretary of the United States for the Department of foreign Affairs to whom was referred a Letter to him from Mr. Lewis Littlepage of 25 Ult. Reports

That the Duke de Crillon with the Permission of the King of Spain, took Mr. Littlepage with him, as one of his Volunteer Aids de Camp to ^the^ Sieges of Mahon and Gibraltar.1

The Letters of Recommendation to Congress which he received from that General, and other distinguished officers make very express and honourable mention of his Bravery, Intelligence, Activity and good Conduct at both those Places.

That although his Catholic Majesty did not give him any Commission or other Reward except thanks, yet he directed his Minister to recommend him to Congress; which he accordingly did in very advantageous Terms, by his Letter to his Excellency the President of 23 Decr. 1783.2

That he does not hold any Commission, but had been offered a Captaincy in Prince Nassau’s Regiment3 which he refused to accept.

That he means to go into the Service of the King of Poland, and requests a Letter of Recommendation from Congress to that Sovereign

On this State of Facts the first Question that arises is, whether it will be proper for Congress to grant this Request?

Your Secretary thinks the following Remarks are just, and applicable to this Case.

• 1 That Congress being the Sovereign of the American Nation cannot with Propriety recommend to a foreign Sovereign, especially to one with whom they have no connection, any private Individual however meritorious, except perhaps for Reasons of State on very extraordinary occasions.
• 2 That as Congress must look with an equal Eye on all such of their Citizens as may be of equal merit, they should either refuse such Favors to all, or grant them to all, who on equal Ground may ask for them. To grant them to all would involve the necessity of frequent and irksome Investigations of the real and relative merit of the several applicants; and being a Practice unusual at other Courts, would lend to diminish the Respect due to Congress and to their Recommendations—
• 3 That the Conduct of Congress on this point has always been exceedingly delicate and reserved. That they have never recommended any private Gentleman to any Sovereign. That they have never given such Letters to any Person whatever except to the Marquis de la Fayette, and in his Case, only to his own proper Sovereign4

That although Count De Rochambeau5 commanded the auxiliary army here, with so much Honor to his master and himself, and so much to the Satisfaction of the United States, yet Congress did not honor him with a Letter of Recommendation even to his own King, and their Ally who had sent him and his Army to their Aid.

That if Congress should recommend Mr. Littlepage to his polish Majesty, they would not easily find good Reasons for refusing the like Honor to any of the american officers who during the late War became conspicuous for their Valour and military Talents and who possess as ample Testimonials of their good Conduct from their own Sovereign as those with which he has been honored by a foreign one.

Your Secratary is therefore of opinion That Congress should direct Mr. Littlepage to be informed—That Congress are greatly pleased to find that one of their Citizens has so distinguished himself by his Bravery, Intelligence and Activity as to have merited the very honorable Testimonials which he has received of them—but that his Request is of such a nature as that Congress cannot with propriety grant it.

All which is Submitted to the Wisdom of Congress.