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...
2II. Joint Commission to Negotiate a Peace Treaty, 15 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
The United States of America in Congress Assembled. To all to whom these presents shall come send Greeting. Whereas these United States from a sincere desire of putting an end to the hostilities between his most Christian Majesty and these United States on the one part, and his Britannic Majesty on the other, and of terminating the same by a peace founded on such solid and equitable principles...
Instructions to the Honble. John Adams Benjamin Franklin John Jay Henry Laurens and Thomas Jefferson ministers plenipotentiary in behalf of the United States to negotiate a Treaty of Peace Gentlemen You are hereby authorized and instructed to concur in behalf of these United States with his most Christian Majesty in accepting the Mediation proposed by the Empress of Russia and the Emperor of...
4Continental Congress to the American Peace Commissioners: Two Commissions, [15 June 1781] (Franklin Papers)
(I) DS : American Philosophical Society (three); D (draft): National Archives; (II) copies: American Philosophical Society, Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society (three), William L. Clements Library; D (draft): National Archives In late May, 1781, the Austrian and Russian courts, invited by Britain to mediate its war with France and Spain, proposed terms to serve as a basis of...
5Continental Congress to the American Peace Commissioners: Instructions, [15 June 1781] (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères, Library of Congress (two), National Archives (two), Massachusetts Historical Society, Charles E. Feinberg, Detroit (1957); L (draft): National Archives; LS : Philip D. Sang, River Forest, Illinois (1959), Massachusetts Historical Society You are hereby authorised and instructed to concur in behalf of these United States with his most...
6Officers of the Admiralty of Guadeloupe to the American Peace Commissioners, 3 April 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society En conformité des ordres du Roi, les Officiers de l’Amirauté de la Guadeloupe ont l’honneur d’adresser à Vos Excellences, deux copies de procedures instruites au sujet des prises amenées à la Guadeloupe par des corsaires Americains. Nous Sommes avec respect, Messieurs, de Vos Excellences, Les très-humbles & très-obéissans Serviteurs Notation: Salimon 3. avl....
7Matthew Ridley to the American Peace Commissioners, [before 6 May? 1783] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society On my return from Versailles I found a Letter from my Friend Mr. Joshua Johnson at Nantes covering the Inclosed Extract of a Letter from Mr S Chase & sent him by his Brother the Governor of Maryland— Mr. J. Johnson desires me to communicate the Intelligence it contains to you & also to the Ministers of the French Court—it being probably the only authentic...
8Philip Mazzei to the American Peace Commissioners, 2 November 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania What I am going to mention to your Excellencies will, I hope, apologize for the liberty I take of addressing myself to you. In January 79. I was appointed by the Government of Virginia to go to Europe to transact there some business of importance for the State. I was taken prisoner in coming, & did not recover my liberty ’till Novr. the same year. I...
9Richard Oswald to the American Peace Commissioners, 4 November 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and five copies: Public Record Office; LS : Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: William L. Clements Library (two), Library of Congress, National Archives (two), North Carolina State Division of Archives and History; press copy of copy: Library of Congress; transcript: National Archives You may remember that from the very beginning of our Negotiation for Settling a Peace between Great...
10Henry Strachey to the American Peace Commissioners, 5 November 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft) and three copies: Public Record Office; copies: William L. Clements Library, Library of Congress (two), Massachusetts Historical Society (two) Knowing the Expectation of the King’s Ministers, that a full Indemnity shall be provided for the whole Body of Refugees, either by a Restitution of their Property, or by some stipulated Compensation for their Losses, and being confident, as...