From Benjamin Franklin to von Blome, 12 January 1784
To von Blome
ALS (draft):8 Reproduced in Charles Hamilton Auction Catalogue No. 49 (May 6, 1971), Lot 162.
At Passy, this 12th of January, 1784.—
The Underwritten Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States of America to the Court of France, acknowledges the Receipt of the official Representation sent to him the 21st of November by his Excellency the Baron de Blome, Envoy Extraordinary from his Danish Majesty at the same Court, respecting the Capture of a Vessel called the Providence, by the American Privateer Hendrick, together with the original Papers accompanying the said Representation; Having perused the said Papers, he returns them as desired; and he has forwarded the Representation to his Sovereign the Congress,9 who he doubts not will in Respect to his Danish Majesty take the same into immediate Consideration, and do therein what shall be just & right. In the mean time an Extract of a Letter from the American Secretary for Foreign Affairs, respecting the same Capture, & the Discharge of the Ship, is herewith communicated to his Excellency, who will therein find express’d the Disposition prevalent in the Government of America to maintain a good Understanding with the Court of Denmark.1
B Franklin
8. At the top of the sheet is a note by WTF: “Rough Draught of an Official Note, from Dr. Franklin to Baron de Blome; being entirely in his own hand writing. Given to James Wolff Esqe- by the Doctor’s Grandson, W. T. Franklin London 21st Jany. 1815.”
9. BF enclosed it in his Dec. 25 letter to Thomas Mifflin.
1. Presumably a section of Robert R. Livingston’s letter of March 26, 1783: XXXIX, 395–6. On March 16, 1784, after receiving BF’s letter to Mifflin of Dec. 25, Congress resolved to forward an extract of that letter and a copy of Blome’s letter of Nov. 21 to Mass. governor John Hancock, with a request that Hancock send copies of the admiralty court proceedings. Mifflin wrote to Hancock on March 26: Smith, Letters, XXI, 459. An official copy of that March 16 resolution reached BF, who had it copied (DS, signed by Charles Thomson, Hist. Soc. of Pa.; press copy of copy, APS).