To Benjamin Franklin from the Conde de Aranda, 6 March 1783
From the Conde de Aranda
AL: American Philosophical Society
a Paris ce 6 Mars 1783.
L’ambassadeur d’Espagne ne pouvait point oublier l’invitation de Mr. Franklin pour samedi,9 il desirait meme le moment d’y concurrir avec la plus grande satisfaction.
Mr. le chevr. del Campo profitera egalement de ses bontès.1 A l’egard du jeune Mr. Campos2 s’il etait de retour pour ce jourla, puisqu’il est atendu d’un jour a l’autre il sera bien flatè du souvenir dont on l’honore, et il en profitera.
L’ambasr. se fera un plaisir de faire conoitre les intentions polies de Mr. Franklin a Mr. le vicomte de la Herreria,3 qui etoit aussi l’autre jour chez Mr. Jay: et en atendant il a l’honeur de renouveller son parfait atachement a Mr. Franklin.
Notation: D’Arrandir Paris 6 Mars 1783
9. March 8. Among those attending the dinner at Passy were Ambassador Aranda, JA, Jay, Chastellux, Morellet, and Rochambeau: Butterfield, John Adams Diary, III, 110. Morellet wrote a note to WTF on “jeudi” (March 6) explaining that he and Chastellux would come together, but that Marmontel was unable to attend. APS.
1. Del Campo, who had arrived in Paris around March 3, was en route to his post as minister plenipotentiary in Britain. He was in London by March 21 and presented his credentials three days later: Morning Chronicle, and London Advertiser, March 15; Didier Ozanam, Les Diplomates espagnols du XVIIIe siècle: Introduction et répertoire biographique (1700–1808) (Madrid and Bordeaux, 1998), p. 205.
2. Clemente de Campos y Sahún (1756–1834), who was attached to Aranda’s embassy: Ozanam, Les Diplomates espagnols, pp. 206–7.
3. For whom see Mme de Lafreté to BF, Jan. 30. Jay had known him and his wife since the previous December: Morris, Jay: Peace, pp. 447–8.