Commissions of the Continental Congress to the Ministers Plenipotentiary to Accede to the Mediation of the Empress of Russia and the Emperor of Germany, 15 June 1781
Commissions of the Continental Congress to the Ministers Plenipotentiary to Accede to the Mediation of the Empress of Russia and the Emperor of Germany1
[Philadelphia, 15 June 1781]
The united States of America.
To all to whom these Presents shall come send Greeting.
Whereas his most Christian Majesty our great and beloved Friend and Ally hath informed us by his Minister plenipotentiary whom he hath appointed to reside near us, that their imperial Majesties the Empress of Russia and the Emperor of Germany actuated by Sentiments of Humanity and a desire to put a Stop to the Calamities of War have offered their Mediation to the belligerent Powers in order to promote Peace. Now know ye that We desirous as far as depends upon us to put a Stop to the Effusion of Blood and convince all the Powers of Europe that we wish for nothing more ardently than to terminate the War by a safe and honorable peace, Relying on the Justice of our Cause and persuaded of the Wisdom and Equity of their Imperial Majesties, who have so generously interposed their good Offices for promoting so salutary a Measure, have constituted and appointed, And by these presents do constitute and appoint our trusty and well beloved the Honble John Adams late a Delegate in Congress from the State of Massachusetts, the Honble Benjamin Franklin our Minister at the Court of France, the Honble John Jay late President of Congress and now our Minister at the Court of Madrid, the Honble. Henry Laurens formerly President of Congress and commissioned and sent as our Agent to the united Provinces of the Netherlands, and the Honble. Thomas Jefferson Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, our Ministers plenipotentiary, Giving and granting to them or such of them as shall assemble, or in Case of death, absence, Indisposition, or other Impediment of the others, to any one of them, full Power and Authority in our Name and on our behalf, in Concurrence with his most Christian Majesty to accept in due form the Mediation of their Imperial Majesties the Empress of Russia and the Emperor of Germany. In Testimony whereof we have caused those Presents to be signed by our President and sealed with his Seal.
Done at Philadelphia this fifteenth Day of June in the Year of our Lord One Thousand seven Hundred and eighty one and in the fifth Year of our Independence, By the United States in Congress assembled.2
Saml. Huntington
President
Attest Chas Thomson Secy.3
1. Hinting broadly that France would not continue the war to enable the United States to achieve all of the peace conditions and territorial objectives it had identified in 1779, Vergennes and La Luzerne used the prospective mediation to pressure Congress to substantially limit its demands and to accept French influence on the conduct of peace negotiations. La Luzerne had already persuaded Congress to waive its claim to free navigation of the Mississippi and a free port below the 31st degree of latitude if Spain so insisted. See the editorial notes “Congress Appoints John Jay Minister to Spain,” : 711–12, and “Congress Changes Course on Navigating the Mississippi” on pp. 386–90; the two other commissions of this date [1st, 2nd], below; , 20: 605–6, 608–10, 611–19, 625–28, 638, 648; , 17: 319–21; and La Luzerne to Vergennes, 3 Dec. 1781, FrPMAE: CP-EU, 19: 316r–317r.
2. The significance of this act of Congress was nullified when Britain refused the mediation this very day.
3. For JJ’s comments on the commissions and instructions of this date, which had been brought by David S. Franks, see JJ to BF, 20 Aug.; to the President of Congress, 20 Sept.; and to JA, 15 Dec., all below.