1The American Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 23 December 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères We beg Leave to acquaint your Excellency, that we are appointed and fully impowered by the Congress of the United States of America, to propose and negotiate a Treaty of Amity and Commerce between France and the said States. The just and generous Treatment their Trading Ships have received, by a free Admission into the Ports of this Kingdom,...
2The American Commissioners to [the Comte de Vergennes], 4 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères We have the Honour to acquaint your Excellency that we have just receiv’d an Express from Boston, in 30 Days, with Advice of the total Reduction of the Force under General Burgoyne, himself and his whole Army having surrendered themselves Prisoners. General Gates was about to send Reinforcements to Gen. Washington, who was near Philadelphia...
3The American Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 7 May 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft) and copy: Harvard University Library The Commissioners from the United States of America desire to represent to his Excellency the Count de Vergennes, that they have received Intelligence of a Vessel belonging to the States having been taken by the Culloden, an English Ship of War, close on the Coast of France; and that the same...
4The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 17 July 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: National Archives <Passy, July 17, 1778: We enclose a resolution of Congress about the treaties, and request that it be laid before the King. It will show him how he has won the hearts of that body and of the American people by a beneficence that time will never efface.> Published in Taylor, Adams Papers , VI , 298. See also the...
5The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 16 May 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, May 16, 1778: We received this morning your letter of the 13th about the Boston , and assure you that she is an American warship maintained at the expense of Congress. The King’s reply to the farmers general will, we assume, accord with international usage.>...
6The American Commissioners to [Vergennes], 19 April 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères <Passy, April 19, 1778: We hear from Bordeaux and Nantes that high insurance rates and British captures create almost an embargo on shipping to America, which defeats the aim of the treaty. We earnestly request you to provide convoys.> Published in Taylor, Adams Papers , VI , 42. In WTF ’s hand.
7The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 19 May 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; three copies and transcript: National Archives <Passy, May 19, 1778: We have received your letter of May 15 with its enclosure, and have forwarded copies of both to Congress. Justice, we have no doubt, will be promptly done.> Published in Butterfield, John Adams Diary , IV , 103 and discussed...
8The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 4 June 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copy: National Archives <Passy, June 4, 1778: We enclose the copy of a letter from Capt. Whipple, which contains all the intelligence he brought.> Published in Butterfield, John Adams Diary , IV , 127. In Arthur Lee’s hand, signed by him and Adams. To BF above, May 31.
9The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 29 October 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, October 29, 1778: We are ready to execute and exchange the declarations concerning the omission of the 11th and 12th articles of the treaty of commerce, and ask you to appoint a day for us to wait on you.> Published in Taylor, Adams Papers , VII . In the hand...
10The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 22 September 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives We have the honor of enclosing to your Excellency a Letter to us from the Honble. Ralph Izard Esqr. Commissioner of Congress to the Grand Duke. We beg the favor of yr. Excellency to give directions for the delivery of the Packages mentiond therein to Monsieur Etienne Cathalan Mercht. at Marseilles, subject to the disposal of Mr. Izard. We have the honor of being with...