1From Benjamin Franklin to Ferdinand Grand, 3 July 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Translation: Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Mr. franklin presente ses respects à Mr. Grand et il lui envoye la lettre originale dont it lui a parlé. Dans une autre Mr. Bingham dit que “le plus Leger pretexte suffit aujourdhui aux Anglois pour saisir et condamner les effets des marchands françois qui ne peuvent pas même transporter les productions d’Amerique d’une Isle à une...
2The American Commissioners to Ferdinand Grand, [26 August 1777] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress On August 21 Vergennes answered the commissioners’ letter of the 12th by a note to Grand. They would be well advised, the Minister said, to write him about Hodge and the retention of the American privateers. Franklin did not know what to say in the letter, he remarked to Lee three days later, because he had had no part in the business of Conyngham, which had...
3Franklin and Silas Deane to [Ferdinand Grand], 13 January 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society We desire you would continue to honor Mr. Williams Draughts to the Amount of two hundred thousand Livres in Addition to the Five hundred thousand for which a Credit was before given him. We have the Honor to Remain with much Esteem Sir Your most Obedient &c. &c. This note was BF ’s and Deane’s reaction to Lee’s letter above, Jan. 10. Their colleague, they...
4The American Commissioners to Ferdinand Grand, 6 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress We hereby request That you would pay Such Bills as shall be drawn on you upon Our Acct. by the Honl. Wm. Lee Esqr. or the honl. Ralph Izard Esqr. for any sums they may have Occasion for To the Amount of Two Thousand Louis D’orrs to each of them. We are sir Your most Obedient Humble Servants (Signed) Notation by Franklin: Letter of Credit written to M. Grand for Messrs...
5From Benjamin Franklin to Ferdinand Grand, 6 April 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): Library of Congress I approve of the Bill drawn on you by Mr. Williams for £12018.17.6 on the publick Service. As I know not how much will be wanted by him to compleat his Orders, I cannot name a Sum within which to limit his Credit. It will be a sufficient Check, if from time to time you mention his Drafts to Mr. Lee or my self before you accept them, for our Approbation. I am,...
6The American Commissioners to Ferdinand Grand, 17 May 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society <Passy, May 17, 1778: We wish you to pay money from our joint account only on our joint order, and to send us all letters addressed to Mr. Deane on the business of the commission.> Published in Taylor, Adams Papers , VI , 129–30; the annotation explains the squabbling within the commission that elicited the draft, in Arthur Lee’s hand, and prevented...
7The American Commissioners to Ferdinand Grand, 15 June 1778 (Franklin Papers)
L (draft): University of Virginia Library Nous approuvons toutes les Dispositions que Monsr. Jona. Williams a fait sur vous jusqu’a ce Jour conformement a son Compte. Nous avons l’honneur d’etre vos trés humbles Serviteurs This order was probably not sent because Arthur Lee refused to sign it, and was eventually replaced by the more conditional instructions to Grand below, July 10; even those...
8Franklin and John Adams to Rodolphe-Ferdinand Grand, [10 July 1778]: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Copy and transcript: National Archives <[July 10, 1778: ] We are agreed that Mr. Williams’ bills on you, as listed herewith, be charged to the public account; he will be responsible to Congress or its agent, and to the commissioners, when called upon to render account of his expenditures. Our consent is not to be taken as approbation of his account or to influence the settlement of it. >...
9Franklin and John Adams to Ferdinand Grand, 1 October 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, American Philosophical Society <Passy, October 1, 1778: Pay to John Adams 6,000 l.t. and charge the same to the commissioners’ account.> This letter only exists as copied in the account books of JA and WTF . It is published in Taylor, Adams Papers , VII , under Oct. 1; it also appears in Account III described above, XXIII , 19.
10From Benjamin Franklin to Ferdinand Grand, 14 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
LS and AL draft: American Philosophical Society I have considered the Note you put into my Hands, containing a Complaint of the Conduct of Capt. Cunningham in the Revenge Privateer. We have no Desire to justify him in any Irregularities he may have committed. On the contrary we are obliged to our Friends who give us Information of the Misconduct of any of our Cruisers, that we may take the...