1From Benjamin Franklin to John Bondfield, 18 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received your favours of the 6 & 9 inst. & thank you for the Intelligence they Contain. I hope generals Clinton & Thomson will give a good Acct. of the Invaders of Georgia. But if they should remain there till the end of the summer, a general fever at least will do a great Deal towards demolishing them. With much Esteem I am &ca Surely BF wished for a good account...
2From Benjamin Franklin to John Bondfield, 28 February 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I receiv’d yours of the 22d and thank you for the Information of the Arrival of the Tobacco Ship. If the Cargo belongs to the States, it is to be deliverd immediately to the Agents of the Farmers general residing in the Port. I am, Sir, &c.
3From Benjamin Franklin to John Bondfield, 19 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received yours offering the Govr. Livingston and mary fearon for the service of the United States. Understanding little about shipping, I leave those Matters to Mr. de Chaumont and Mr. Williams. I have spoken to the former, and given him your letter. He is gone to Versailles to Day, where some Points are to be considered relating to The transport of the Goods, and...
4From Benjamin Franklin to John Bondfield, 5 April 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received your favours of the 18 & 27 past and have honoured the Draft you mention. Capt. Jones has not yet apply’d to me for the Cannon you are providing. If he is willing to give for them what they cost, I believe I shall consent to his having them. I will consider about those you tell me are to be sold at Ferrol: Do you know why they were not received for the...
5From Benjamin Franklin to John Bondfield, 30 July 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I received your Favour of the 21. Inst. and return accepted the two Bills it enclos’d. In perusing your Account sent me the Beginning of March last, I observed considerable Sums advanced to Americans. The Advances for the Relief of poor distress’d Seamen I will pay, but the others to Officers and Gentlemen, I cannot allow, having no Orders to justify...
6From Benjamin Franklin to John Bondfield, 26 January 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have hitherto omitted sending you the Passport you desired because I would not find any Trace or Memory of such a Practice among our Proceedings since the Treaty; nor could I see the use of it. But as you repeat your Application for [ it ] in yours of the 15th. Instant, I send it inclos’d; acquainting you at the same time, that having no Instructions or Orders to...
7From Benjamin Franklin to John Bondfield, 22 September 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress In mine of the 11th. Instant, I desired you to Ship any Cannon that might be in your hands, on board the marquis de la Fayette. I am since informed, that you have 28 Eighteen Pounders, & 28. Twenty four Pounders. As I owe to M. de Chaumont 28 Eighteen Pounders, to replace an equal Number of the same bore which with others, he advanced to me at l’Orient to ballast the...
8From Benjamin Franklin to John Bondfield, 26 April 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I am very sensible of your Merit with the United States and wish it was in my Power to serve you under the Difficulties you represent to me in yours of the 17th. Inst. But I have no Money at Command which is not appropriated to answer Contracts we have made here or Drafts of the Congress daily arriving, and I dare not presume to hazard a Possibility of Disappointment,...
9From Benjamin Franklin to John Bondfield, 25 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I have just received your Letter of the 20th. Instant, repeating your Application for a Commission for the Brigantine Sally. The same has been sent to you a Week since, and I hope you have receiv’d it before this time. This is to request that you would send by three of the first Vessels bound from your Port to...
10From Benjamin Franklin to John Bondfield, 14 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I request that you would enquire into the facts represented in the enclos’d Petition, and if you find them true, that you would defray the reasonable Expences of the poor Man’s sickness, and make a Present to his friend of Two Guineas as a small Acknowledgment of his Hospitality and kindness. I have the honour to be, sir, &c. From Bondfield’s reply of Feb. 25 we...
11From Benjamin Franklin to John Bondfield, 15 January 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress In Case Mr. John Vaughan should present himself before you to take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America; this is to request and authorise you, to administer the same to him. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient & most humble Servant John Vaughan ( XXVI , 53, 56, 512–13), unable to find sufficient work at Bordeaux and desiring to improve...
12From Benjamin Franklin to John Bondfield, 4 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received your favour of the 27th. past. I begin to be apprehensive with you for the Fate of the Confederacy. The only hope we have is founded on the Report of some Persons who Left philadelphia 10. Days after she Sail’d, that it was understood there, that she was to call at Charlestown before she quitted the Continent. If that was the Case, she may yet be safe,...
13From Benjamin Franklin to John Bondfield, 4 July 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress This Morning some Bills drawn by you were presented to me amounting to 19800 livres which I declin’d accepting for want of advice. The Person who brought them was hardly out of the house before I found on my table unopened yours of the 29th past which advises of those Drafts. I immediately Sent after him, but he was not overtaken; and not knowing from what house in...
14From Benjamin Franklin to John Bondfield, 11 September 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I do not recollect I have ever had any Account what became of the Cannon you procur’d to be cast by Order of the Commissioners. I wish to be particularly inform’d by the Return of the Post. And if any of them, or any other military Stores belonging to the Congress are Still in your Hands, this is to request that you would immediately Ship them on board the Vessel...
15From Benjamin Franklin to John Bondfield, 25 February 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have before me yours of the 19th & 20th inst. I receiv’d also yours of the 16th per M. Bory to whom I shall on your Recommendation shew every Civility in my Power. I return accepted your two Drafts of 12000 Livres each as also the Congress Draft for 300£. I think our People mad to give such a Price for Madeira. I hope the Bordeaux you send will be so good as to...
16The American Commissioners to John Bondfield, 27 August 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives We have before us yours of the 23d Inst. and are very sorry that Capt. Ayres is so indisposed as to prevent his return to America in the General Arnold. We wholly refer the appointmt. of a Master for this Vessel to you and Capt. Ayres and doubt not you will find a good Seaman and a person in whom you can confide. We...
17The American Commissioners to John Bondfield, 15 April 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society <Passy, April 15, 1778: Please provide Capt. Tucker with the needed provisions and ask him to be as frugal as possible. We approve the suggestion in your letter of the 10th that pig iron be exchanged for anchors, which are much needed. Ship a chest of medicines and slops for the crew and make sure that the men are properly charged for what they receive.>...
18The American Commissioners to John Bondfield, 25 May 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copy: National Archives <Passy, May 25, 1778: We thank you for your intelligence reports. Your bills on us will be paid when we have received and examined your accounts; please present the latter monthly so that we do not acquire more debts than we can pay, of which there is considerable danger.> Published in Butterfield, John Adams Diary , IV , 116.
19The American Commissioners to John Bondfield, 13 April 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society; copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives (two) We thank you for the civility of your favor of the 30th. ulto. and shall be obliged to you for the earliest communication of any interesting News that may reach your Port. We have the honor to be &c. &c. In Arthur Lee’s hand, on the verso of Bondfield’s letter above of March 30. The...
20The American Commissioners to John Bondfield, 11 September 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, September 11, 1778: We have received yours of the 5th and wish better health to Captain Ayres. His ship should sail forthwith if it has not already done so. We will honor the draft for the account you enclosed, but you must distinguish the sums advanced to Mr. Adams in a private capacity as well as those...
21The American Commissioners to John Bondfield, 30 January 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: Library of Congress, National Archives We have the Honour of your Letter of the twenty third of this Month,— We are not able to inform you with Precision concerning the Convoy having not received an Answer to our last application to the Ministry on that Subject. Yet We hope that a Convoy will be appointed to Sail forthwith from Nantes. We...
22The American Commissioners to John Bondfield, 4 June 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copy: National Archives <Passy, June 4, 1778: We have received your accounts for supplying the Boston ; some of the articles are dear, but we trust you to obtain everything as cheaply as possible. Your bills will be paid, and we hope the ship has left by now. You tell us of a plot against her, and we have forwarded the affidavit to the ministry;...
23The American Commissioners to John Bondfield, 19 August 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives We have considered your plan and think it will be proper to send it to Congress for their Approbation. We desire you will purchase and ship on public Account in the best and cheapest Manner 28 Iron Cannon of 24 pound Ball and 28 of 18 lb. You will be so good as to send one set of Bills of Loading to us and another to...
24The Commissioners to John Bondfield, 11 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the fifth instant We have received. We wish better Health to Captain Ayers, and a safe Passage to his Vessell, which is at sea before now no doubt, if not however she is to sail forthwith, without further orders. Your Draughts for the Account inclosed will be duely honoured. But you must distinguish that Part of it, which belongs to Mr. Adams in his private Capacity from the other...