1. In his old age JM wrote “Connecticut” above “Cont.” without deleting the abbreviation. Although the “decision” is not noted in the printed journal of Congress for 1 January, the record kept by the clerk of the congressional “court of commissioners” sitting at Trenton, N.J., from 12 November until 30 December 1782, when the five commissioners unanimously decided in favor of Pennsylvania, was spread on the journal of 3 January 1783 (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, 1904–37). description ends , XXIV, 6–32). See also Papers of Madison description begins William T. Hutchinson, William M. E. Rachal, et al., eds., The Papers of James Madison (6 vols. to date; Chicago, 1962——). description ends , V, 289–90; 291, n. 12; 416; 419, n. 23.

2. For the dispatch of John Jay and the intercepted letter of the Marquis de Barbé-Marbois, secretary of the French legation and consul of France in Philadelphia, see ibid., V, 436; 438, n. 5; 441; 443, n. 2; 466. On 1 January Congress listened to Robert R. Livingston’s written summary of his conversations on 30 and 31 December with the Chevalier de La Luzerne, minister plenipotentiary of King Louis XVI to the United States, and to La Luzerne’s letter of 31 December 1782 to Elias Boudinot, president of Congress. These communications stressed “the good faith” of France in the peace negotiations, her determination to prosecute the war “with vigor” to a successful conclusion, and her appreciation of the resolutions of Congress and several of the state governments declaring their firm adherence to the alliance. These assurances evidently allayed the distrust of French policy aroused by the dispatches of Jay and Barbé-Marbois (Wharton, Revol. Dipl. Corr description begins Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States (6 vols.; Washington, 1889). description ends ., VI, 177–82, 187–88).

During or shortly after a visit at Montpelier, 19–23 April 1830, Jared Sparks recorded: “In speaking of Mr. Jay’s suspicions respecting the policy of the French court at the time of making peace, Mr. Madison observed that ‘he had two strong traits of character,—suspicion and religious bigotry’” (Va. Mag. Hist. and Biog., LX [1952], 267). See also JM Notes, 19 March 1783.

3. For the Comte de Rochambeau, who was about to leave Philadelphia to embark at Annapolis for France, see Papers of Madison description begins William T. Hutchinson, William M. E. Rachal, et al., eds., The Papers of James Madison (6 vols. to date; Chicago, 1962——). description ends , V, 344, n. 7; 429, n. 5; 443, n. 3. For the two resolutions of “thanks,” see JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, 1904–37). description ends , XXIV, 1–2. In a letter of 12 April 1783, Elias Boudinot, president of Congress, asked Lafayette why Rochambeau had left America “without taking the least Notice of” the resolutions, or even acknowledging Boudinot’s covering letter (Burnett, Letters description begins Edmund C. Burnett, ed., Letters of Members of the Continental Congress (8 vols.; Washington, 1921–36). description ends , VI, 136).