To Benjamin Franklin from Chaumont: Promissory Notes, 1 January 1779
From Chaumont: Promissory Notes
Copy:2 Harvard University Library
Passi ce 1e Janvier 1779.
Bon pour la somme de trente Mils Livres que Je payray le trente de ce mois a l’ordre de Mr. Docteur Franklin valeur recue de M. Williams son Neveu.
(signé) Leray DE Chaumont
vrai Copie H. Ford secr.
Passi ce 1e Janvier 1779.
Bon pour la somme de vingt mils Livres que Je payray a la fin de fevrier prochain a l’ordre de M. Le Docteur Franklin valeur recue comptant de M. Williams son Neveu.
(signé) Le Ray DE Chaumont
vrai Copie. H. Ford secr.
Notation: Chaumont promissory note to Dr. Franklin for Livres 50,000. (Copy).3
2. Made by Hezekiah Ford on Jan 12. At the bottom of the page he explains that BF had given him the originals in a memorandum book of bills drawn by Congress on the commissioners, along with a number of other papers which he was to copy. Thinking that copies of these promissory notes would be useful in examining JW’s accounts, he took the liberty of so doing. In this, we suspect he was acting on the order of Arthur Lee, whose suspicions of JW had recently been rearoused: see Lee’s report of Dec. 30, 1778.
3. See BF’s certification of a bill of exchange, above, Jan. 1.