To Benjamin Franklin from Pierre-Antoine Espivent de la Villesboisnet, 29 December 1778
From Pierre-Antoine Espivent de la Villesboisnet2
ALS: American Philosophical Society
a Paris ce 29. Xbre. 1778.
Monsieur
On me remit hier un memoire du Capitaine Pickeren qui a fait la reprise du navire la Constance de Bordeaux, adressé a Messieurs les ambassadeurs des Etats unis, le tems ne me permetant pas d’aller Jusques a Passy pour avoir l’honneur de vous le presenter, Je le remis a Monsieur Lee, qui me dit d’y ajouter une copie afin de vous les metre sous les yeux et ceux de Monsieur Adams, a la conferance de ce Jour.3 Je vous prie tres Instament de vouloir le prendre, Monsieur, en consideration pour nous obtenir une prompte mainlevée de l’arrest mis sur ce Navire et sa cargaison dont nous avons fait l’acquisition dans la bonne foy.
J’ay l’honneur, Monsieur, de vous prevenir avoir fait remetre ce matin ces deux pieces a Monsieur Lee.
Je suis tres Respectueusement Monsieur Votre tres humble et tres obeissant serviteur
Espivent Villesboisnet4
Notations in different hands: Espivent De Villeboisnet Paris 29. Xbre. 1778. / Letters & Papers concerning Thomas Pickerin
2. Son of the chevalier de la Villesboisnet, an important Nantais commercial figure, Pierre-Antoine (1719–86) was himself a prominent armateur, dealt in the slave trade, and was named judge-consul in 1757. He married a daughter of Jean-Gabriel Montaudoüin de la Touche. Guy Richard, Noblesse d’affaires au XVIIIe siècle (Paris, [1974]), pp. 84–5.
3. Espivent also wrote Lee on the 29th after their conversation of the previous day and, as requested, sent him Pickerin’s original memorial and a copy of it made by Espivent. The memorial requests the commissioners to clarify with the French ministry the rules governing prizes taken by the British and recaptured by American privateers. Summarizing Pickerin’s case and the legal questions it spawned, the memorial queries whether Americans are to be governed by French or British law. Before pronouncing on the question the French court desires to know how American courts will deal with French ships retaking prizes. It is only just that there be reciprocity, as provided in articles 6 and 7 of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce. Will the commissioners provide an opinion, going back to the outbreak of hostilities, on what the rule should have been all along? All these documents are at the APS.
4. Espivent wrote the commissioners again on Jan. 4, 1779, and sent another copy of the memorial. The merchandise was deteriorating while the buyers awaited the court’s decision on the validity of the sale. BF endorsed the letter “This is the third Memorial receiv’d from this Gentn.” APS.