Having assembled together at this place about the latter end of August we proceeded in obedience to the commands of Congress to notify our appointment and its objects to such Powers as we thought it adviseable at that time to address. We wrote a circular letter in the form N o. 1. to the Ambassadors or other Ministers residing here from the courts of Saxony; the two Sicilies, Sardinia, Venice,...
The United States of America in Congress Assembled judging that an intercourse between the Subjects of His Prussian Majesty and the Citizens of the said States founded on the principles of equality reciprocity and friendship, may be of mutual advantage to both nations, on the twelfth day of May last, issued their Commission under the Seal of the said States to the Subscribers as their...
We have received the letter you did us the honour to write us on the 10 th day of December last. We supposed that the principles contained in the project of a Treaty, which we had the honour to transmit you, were a virtual answer to the requisition in the last lines of your letter of the eighteenth of October. By the second & third Articles, the citizens & subjects of each power may frequent...
We received the Letter your Excellency did us the honour of writing to us the 8 th Ult o. together with the copy of your full powers to treat with us. M r Adams had as you suppose, preserved a copy of the project of a Treaty that had been concerted between your Excellency & him; but having by instruction from the Congress our Sovereign certain new articles to propose in all our Treaties with...
15The American Commissioners to the Duke of Dorset, 9 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
We have received the Letter which your grace did us the honour of writing us on the 24 th. day of Last month, and we received with much Satisfaction the assurances on the part of his Britannic Majesty’s Ministers of their readiness to take into consideration any proposals coming from the United States of america that Can tend to the establishing a System of mutual & permanent advantage, to the...
16The American Peace Commissioners to Elias Boudinot, 10 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS and press copy of LS : National Archives; copies: Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society On the third Instant, Definitive Treaties were concluded, between all the late belligerent Powers, except the Dutch, who the Day before settled and signed Preliminary Articles of Peace with Britain. We most sincerely & cordially congratulate Congress and our Country in general, on this...
17The American Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 28 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
We have the honour to enclose an extract of a letter from the Commissioners of the United States of America to Your Excellency dated Aug st. 28 th. 1778. Copy of Your Excellency’s ans r dated 27. Sept r. 1778. & Copy of M. de Sartine’s letter to Your Excellency of the 21 st of Sept r. 1778 all relative to a proposed negotiation with the States of Barbary. Not having any particular authority or...
18The American Commissioners to the Conde de Aranda, 28 October 1784 (Adams Papers)
We have received the Letter you did us the honour to write us on the 27 th day of Sept r last, and we thank you for your care in transmitting to your Court, the information of our appointment to treat with it. You desire to be informed if one or more of us can repair to Madrid for the purpose of conducting & concluding the negotiation, because that it is the system of your Court in matters...
19The American Peace Commissioners to David Hartley, 7 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachussetts Historical Society, Library of Congress We have the honour of transmitting herewith enclosed an Extract of a Resolution of Congress of the 1. May last, which we have Just recd. You will perceive from it that we may daily expect a Commission in due Form, for the Purposes mentioned in it, and we assure you of our Readiness to enter upon the Business, whenever you may think...
20To Benjamin Franklin from Prince Bariatinskii, with Franklin’s Draft of a Reply, 16 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Le Prince Bariatinskoÿ prie monsieur Francklein de lui faire L’honneur de venir diner chez lui aprés demain jeudi Le 18. du Courant. R:S:V:P: Addressed: à Monsieur / Monsieur Francklein / ministre plenipotentiaire des / Etats Unis de l’Amerique / près S:M:T:C: / à Passÿ Endorsed: Mr Franklin presents his respectful Compliments to Prince Baritinsky, with...
21Franklin and Chaumont: Agreement on Accounts and Receipt, [28 May 1784] (Franklin Papers)
(I) ADS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania; press copy of ADS : American Philosophical Society; D (draft): American Philosophical Society; copy: the marquis de Bausset, Ivry-sur-Seine (1961); (II) press copies of two DS : American Philosophical Society The “Experiment” that Franklin proposed to his landlord on May 2 succeeded. Chaumont finally accepted the judgment that their arbitrator,...
22From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 12 January 1784 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Library of Congress I duly received the Letters your Excellency did me the honor of writing to me the 24 of Octr., and the 3d of December past, respecting the Arrest of our Arms & Ammunition by the sieur Puchelberg, accompany’d by Copies of the Letters of M. Le Marquis de Castries and M. Chardon, and a Paper of the said...
23From Benjamin Franklin to Sir Edward Newenham, 2 October 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), II , 226–7. I have just received your very kind letter of the 16th past. I rejoice sincerely to hear of your safe return to your own country, family and friends, and of the success of your election. It is a pleasing reflection arising from the contemplation of...
24From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 10 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Massachusetts Historical Society I have received a Letter from a very respectable Person in America, containing the following Words, Viz “It is confidently reported, propagated, and believed by some among us, that the Court of France was at bottom against our obtaining the Fishery and Territory in that great Extent in which both are secured to us by the Treaty; that our Minister at that...
25From Benjamin Franklin to Henry Laurens, 12 February 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : South Carolina Historical Society; incomplete copy: Library of Congress I received your Favour of the 3d Inst. by your Son, with the News papers for which I thank you. The Disorders of that Government whose Constitution has been so much praised; are come to a height that threatens some violent Convulsion, if not a Dissolution; and its Physicians do not seem even to guess at the Cause of...
26From Benjamin Franklin to Charles Thomson, 9 March 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: National Archives I received a few Days since a Letter from Annapolis dated June 5th. in your handwriting, but not signed, acquainting the Commissioners with the Causes of Delay in sending the Ratification of the Definitive Treaty. The Term was expired before that Letter came to hand, but I hope no Difficulty will arise from a Failure in a Point not essential, and which was...
27From Benjamin Franklin to Anthony Todd, 29 October 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Press copy of ALS : American Philosophical Society I have been in hopes of being able to answer sooner yours of the 17th. but am at last inform’d that tho’ M. D’Ogny is come to Town, he can enter into no Agreement till he has receiv’d his Instructions, which he cannot have till after the Return of the Court from Fontainbleau to Versailles. So I can only say at present, that the Reasonings in...
28From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 16 October 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: William L. Clements Library I have nothing material to write to you respecting public affairs, but I cannot let Mr Adams who will see you go without a line, to enquire after your welfare, to inform you of mine, & to assure you of my constant respect and attachment. I think with you that our quaker article is a good one & that men will in time have sense enough to adopt it, but I fear...
29From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 27 June 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society Inclosed I have the Honour of sending to your Excellency Copies of Papers contain’d in a Dispatch just receiv’d from Congress. The Affair of the Free Ports recommended to us, has been sometime settled: They are Dunkirk, L’Orient, Bayonne & Marseilles.— I wonder much that we hear nothing from Congress of their foreign Arrangements. This short Line from the...
30From Benjamin Franklin to John Jay, 30 March 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Columbia University Library Yesterday late in the Evening arrived here an Express from Congress with the Definitive Treaty ratified, which I enclose with the Resolutions, Proclamation, and the President’s Letter. The Congress anxious that the Ratification should arrive within the Term stipulated, dispatch’d it seems three Expresses, by different Vessels, with authenticated Copies. This...
31From Benjamin Franklin to John Walter, 1 February 1785 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from John Walter, An Address to the Public, by J. Walter, Shewing the Great Improvement He Has Made in the Art of Printing, by Logographic Arrangements … (London, 1789), p. 14. I received by my grandson, the copy of your mode of arranging the first letter in the alphabet, which is very curious, and I am much obliged to you for it;—please to accept my hearty thanks.— I have since...
32From Benjamin Franklin to Francis Childs, 8 February 1785 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : National Archives I received your Letter of Nov. 13. with the preceding one therein mentioned. I had some Discourse with Mr Jay respecting you, and I express’d a Willingness to assist you in Setting up your Business, on the same Terms as I had formerly done other young Printers of good Character, viz. Whitemash & Timothy in Carolina, Smith and afterwards Mecom at Antigua, Parker at New...
33From Benjamin Franklin to Ernst Frederik von Walterstorff, 2 September 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Press copy of AL : Library of Congress On August 30 the three ministers newly commissioned by Congress to negotiate treaties of amity and commerce with foreign powers held their first formal meeting at Franklin’s residence in Passy. Thomas Jefferson, recently arrived from America, was by that time settled in Paris. John Adams, now joined by his family, had rented a mansion in Auteuil, just one...
34To George Washington from Benjamin Franklin, 3 April 1787 (Washington Papers)
I have often thought that the Number of People, who by Curiosity and the Admiration of your Character are drawn to call at Mt Vernon, must be very troublesome to you, and have therefore generally declin’d giving any introductory Letters. But my Nephew Mr Jonathan Williams, who was a faithful and active Agent of the United States during the whole War, in shipping Stores, Arms, Ammunition &c....
35From Benjamin Franklin to William Carmichael, 11[–15] October 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Press copy of ALS and copy: American Philosophical Society I have just received the honour of yours of the 25th past, and shall communicate it as you desire to my Colleagues, tomorrow. I think you did right in mentioning to the Minister the Nature of our Commission, &c. In my last I sent you a Copy of our Letter to the Count d’Aranda. Herein I inclose his Answer, in order to keep you fully...
36From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 10 December 1783 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society Having represented to Congress the Services rendered to our Prisoners by the Revd Mr Wren, I have the Pleasure of transmitting their Thanks, together with a Diploma from the College at Princetown, which I beg you would forward to him with my Respects. I shall not fail to recommend my Friend for the Consulship, being with unalterable Esteem & Affection...
37From Benjamin Franklin to Creuzé, 14 February 1784 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society I received the three several Letters you did me the honour of writing to me on the Subject of the Aerostatic Machines, and the means of directing their Motion. The Academy of Sciences having appointed a Committee to consider that Subject, I thought I could not better dispose of your Papers than by communicating them to that learned Body, especially as...
38From Benjamin Franklin to John Jay, 15 September 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library; press copy of ALS : American Philosophical Society I have just seen in the English Newspapers that you and your Family are safe arrived in New York, which gives me great Pleasure. I send you herewith some of our latest News Papers. Mr Hartley is at length recall’d, having remain’d here Six Months without doing or proposing any thing towards the Commercial Treaty....
39From Benjamin Franklin to Bedtinger, 2 January 1785 (Franklin Papers)
Press copy of LS , American Philosophical Society J’ai reçu, Monsieur, la Lettre que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’ecrire pour solliciter la Place de Vice Consul des E.U. de l’Amerique au Havre, pour le sr. Dupuis.— Il m’auroit èté infiniment agréable de remplir vos Vues à cet égard s’il avoit dependu de Moi; mais Je n’y puis rien. M. Barclay notre Consul Général est seul autorisé a faire...
40From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 16 August 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : British Library When Benjamin Franklin decided to reestablish communication with his estranged Loyalist son, with whom he had had no contact since 1775, he did so by planting a hint in the ear of a Connecticut merchant who, being about to leave Paris for London, was sure to see William. The message, duly communicated, was that Franklin did not understand why his son had not “made any...