1To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, [before 4 July 1779] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We begg leave to address oúr selfs again to Your Excellency, and to begg for her favoúrs by the personall appearance of oúr Worthy frend Mr. Dumas, the Worthy Agent for Congress— He would be Kind enough to charge himself with this present, and we dare promitt oúr selfs from his frendship, that if yoúr Excellence already had some goodness for ús he will...
2To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, [before 10 June? 1779] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We should have been extreemly happy, if Y: E: had granted us already the papers relating the Loan, to be in the terms we had reqúested, in case we could there on succeed to engage oúr Subscribers; for we should have gone already a great way and do no doúbt as we had the honoúr to observe; we should have offerd Y E a Sufficient summ to go on upon before...
3To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 31 May 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We intended Severall times to write to yoúr Excellency aboút the Loan for America recomanded to oúr care, for which she was so good, as to allow ús what patience we wanted, Some time ago; and which we are to begg for again: tho’ we found circumstances, and by the late news that came in from Virginia, groing better from time to time. We cannot however...
4To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 10 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The principall motive of the present is to desire Yoúr Excellency’s Kind assistance in forwarding the annexed Mercantile Letter by the first conveyance from France, it contains the arrivall of Some Vessells with ús; the Independance came to oúr adress from Virginia, which we may reckon we hope de bonne aúgúre. It hath not been possible as yett to gett a...
5To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 17 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The spirit for the American caúse beginns to revive here, and may be I feel the more impulse for this manner of thinking, which hath been always so agreable to me as we enjoi’d many Conversations on true liberty with Mr Van der Capellen Mr. Dúmas and severall American Gentlemen, among which, one introdúces himself every where with proposalls, after having...
6To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, [after 28 June 1779] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Will yoúr Excellency give me leave to transcribe at the foot of the present the latest important news we gott here from the Continent if she knew it already, She will excúse ús Zeal from the pleasúre we natúrally felt on the Arrivall of two bottoms from oúr frends in those qúarters, we have seven Sail in oúr harboúr and some more are dayly expected; may we...
7To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 28 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We hope yoúr Excellency may have approved of the plan of the Loan which we had the honoúr to convey by oúr last; or that we may come to some alterations, which should prove agreable and practicable at the same time, bútt we heard the former loan should not you be shúre, before we should attempt to any further measúres this we should be glad to know exactly,...
8To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 7 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We have the honoúr to mention to yoúr Excellency the Arrivall of John Paul Jones Esqr. Commander of the Continentall Squadron; he did ús the favoúr of writing ús a very polite Letter from board of the Serapis; and we execúted already part of his orders, as múch as Circúmstance and time would permitt; we continúe to attend to them with all Care and...
9To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 11 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society As it hath been the favoúr of yoúr Excellency that we have found our Selfs honourd with the providing of the Squadron of Comandore J P. Jones Esqr. we thought it oúr duty again to assure yoúr Excellency that we will pay the utmost attention to this expedition; and obey his orders in every respect. We were informed that Sr. Joseph York made private...
10From Benjamin Franklin to Jean de Neufville & fils, 15 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; copy: Library of Congress I received the Letter you did me the honour to write to me the 7th. Instant, acquainting me with the Arrival of Commodore Jones at Amsterdam, for which I am obliged to you, as well as for the friendly Reception and Assistance you have afforded that brave Officer. I suppose M. de Chaumont who is your Correspondent, and had the Care of equipping...
11To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 21 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society May we begg leave to troúble the attention of your Excellency, and ask his assistance for oúr selfs and oúr American frinds, in a misfortúne the last English maill Acquaints ús With: Those are the Circúmstances by extracts oút of a letter from Capn. Moses Grinnell fm. Boston to oúr adress. “On the 17 Sept: I was drove on shore at shetland in a violent gaill...
12To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 25 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We acknowledge with the greatest regard yoúr Excellencys last favoúr of the 15th., and will be very anxious in execúting to satisfaction the orders Mr. De Chaumont and Mr. Dumas gave and will give ús for the supplies of the American Squadron. We hope we may likewise meet there in with the approbation of your Excellency; What the influence of the English...
13From Benjamin Franklin to Jean de Neufville & fils, 29 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; copy: Library of Congress I received your respected Favour of the 21. Inst. and shall take what Care I can that the Bills endors’d to you, and taken by the English, be not paid without your Endorsement. The others which you mention that have come to your Hands in Mr Sears’s Letters, have already been presented, & tho’ not endorsed by him will be accepted on your...
14To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 1 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mr. Dumas left us last week, as he told us his presence should be required at the Hague from whence we gott his advice how to supply Mr Landay with money for his voyage to Paris, agreable to the orders of Your Excellency. At the same time our homme d’affaires at the Helder mentiond some matters to us we thought best to look into ourSelfs, and have arranged...
15To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 11 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We begg leave to give your Excellency our most sincere thanks for the contents of her most obliging favour of the 29h. October; we are happy for our American frinds that no bills will be payd in a manner that they or the states could be losers by; the Captors of the vessell which we mentiond have already attempted to receive money in England on some letters...
16To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, [after 18 November 1779] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We doubt not butt your Excellence will be informd that Comodor Jones is gone to the Texel, and with the measures he hath here taken with the French Ambassador, who hath send his Secretarÿ down and Mr Dumas was acompanÿing Mr. Jones, we may hope and expect, that every thing there will be soon arranged, as what hath depended from us is gone down, and nothing...
17To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 18 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We make bold with the inclosed Letters left to our care, to mention to your Excellency, that we have send last saturday by Expres the dispatches received from Passi for Mr. Dumas to the Texel; I went my self to the Hague, and those H. E. the Ambassador had received, caused him to write for the Comodor of the American Squadron, whome he had some conferences...
18To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 23 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society May this serve for an introduction with your Excellence for Capn. Moses Grinnell, who saild many years from Boston to our consignment in the employ of Colonel Isaac Sears; and now had the misfortune to fall into the Ennemy’s hands on the Coast of Schotland. He saw here both Comodor Jones and Capn. Cunningham. Your Excellencys directions to procure him or...
19To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 25 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society How favourable matters stood here in regard to the American Comodor, we had the honour to mention to your Excellence; we convey however to night to Mr. Dumas a copey of the last resolution taken by the states in this respect during the Absence of the French Ambassador from the Hague; of which however we hope he will prevent the effect; it contains the same...
20From Benjamin Franklin to Jean de Neufville & fils, 28 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; copy: Library of Congress I received the Letter you did me the honour to write to me by the last Post, (it is without Date) and am glad to hear that Commodore Jones was so well fitted and ready for sailing. I hope he will arrive safe with his Ships in a good Port. I have wrote to Capt. Cunningham at Dunkerque, where he informed me he was soon to be.— The Letter you...
21To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 9 December 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We Kindly thank your Excellence for her most Esteem’d favour of the 28h. of past Month, we are sorry to have troubled her with Such a non Sensical letter; butt it was not possible for us to detect what it could have been. Though our Clarck who left the Texel yesterday morning, told us that all the vessells there were preparing for Sail, & Mr. Dumas even...
22To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 10 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mr. Dumas hath informed your Excellency with every particular which related to the Squadron under the comand of the brave Comodor JP Jones, we have thought it needless to trouble her attention with a repetition of the same. As we have heard that some of those vessells have safe arrived in Dunkerque we give your Excy. joy there with; true it is that we could...
23To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 20 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society On the refusal of Mrs. Hope & Co: the owners of the vessel in favour of who’s Captn. a Bill was drawn agreeing with the inclosed Copeÿ, theÿ have apply’d to us, we have promis’d them that we Should directlÿ write about it, as we had no orders, nor were acquainted with the drawer; so we make bold to applÿ to ÿour Excellencÿ; and in case she might think...
24From Benjamin Franklin to Jean de Neufville & fils, 27 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received duly the Letters you did me the honour of writing me, of the 10th. and 20th. Instant. The Accounts were very properly sent to Mr. De Chaumont; who has no doubt given such orders as are necessary relating to Supplies for Capt. Jones at L’orient, if any are wanted there. I know nothing of the Drawer of the Bill of which you sent me a Copy; nor do I know that...
25To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, [February? 1780] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We most kindly thank you for your agreable last favour, we have duely noted its contents, we hope your Excellency hath been Satisfied with our Account of the American Squadron, and will always be so with what She Causes to pass throw our hands. We doubt not butt your Excellency hath received the Account of Comodor JP. Jones Esqr. arrivall at the Coruña...
26To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 1 May 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society May it please your Excellency That after a longer Silence then we could wish, we take on now the liberty of recalling ourselfs to her remembrance, with assurance that we will be ever devoted to her, and to the American cause which we have the pleasure now, to see more and more of consequence in our Country; the Influence of the French Court the declaration...
27To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 29 May 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society May it please your Excellency; That we lay before her, that by bills of Exchange drawn on Henry Lawrence Esqr. as Commissioner of the United States, to reside in Amsterdam, it appeard to us that it was expected in America this Gentleman was to be here before this; butt neither here nor at the Hague we could have the pleasure to learn anything about it. That...
28To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, [1] June 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We had the honour to write to Your Excellency by last maill, acquainting her that we were willing to protect the American Creditt in accepting personally some bills drawn by order of Congress on Henry Lawrence Esqr. residing in Amsterdam; for whose arrivall we still wait. Our generall private connections with America are already so large that the assistance...
29From Benjamin Franklin to Jean de Neufville & fils, 4 June 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; copy: Library of Congress I received the Letter you did me the honour of writing to me on the 29th past, relating to certain Bills drawn on Mr Lawrens and requesting to know if I will engage to reimburse you, if you in his Absence, accept & pay them. As I have received no Orders nor any Advice relating to any such Bills, know not by whom they are drawn, whether for...
30From Benjamin Franklin to Jean de Neufville & fils, 6 June 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; copies: Library of Congress, National Archives Since writing to you by yesterdays Mail, I have received the honour of yours, proposing to accept Bills drawn on M. Laurens, if I will authorise you so to do, and accept your Bills to equal Amt. Having no Orders about those Bills, or even any Advice of such being drawn, and knowing that the English have plai’d many...