To John Jay from Aranda, 11 September 1782
From Aranda
Paris 11 7bre 1782
Monsieur.
J’ai l’honneur de repondre á Votre billet d’hier que je me trouve avec les instructions suffisantes de ma Cour, et autorisè par elle pour conferer, et traiter avec Vous sur tous les points dont Vous en seriès instruit, et autorisè par Vos Commetans. Sitôt que Vous Voudrès me communiquer Vos propositions, nous les examinerons, et en consequence je Vous exposerai mes observations pour nous raprocher d’un côtè et d’autre. J’ai &ca.
[Translation]
[Paris 11 September 1782]
Sir:
I have the honor to reply to your note of yesterday1 that I am furnished with ample instructions from my court, and am authorised by it to confer and treat with you on all points on which you may be instructed and authorised to treat by your constituents.2
As soon as you communicate your propositions they will be examined, and I will submit to you my observations on them, in order that we may be able to agree on both sides. I have the honor to be, &c.,
The Count d’Aranda.
RC, in French, SpMaAHN: Estado, leg. 3885, exp. 1, doc. 15 (EJ: 12096); LbkCs, in French, embedded in JJ to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, 17 Nov. 1782, below, DNA: PCC, item 110, 2: 195 (EJ: 4239); NNC: JJ Lbk. 2; CSmH. Translation from , 6: 28.
1. JJ to Aranda, 10 Sept. 1782, above.
2. Aranda had previously informed JJ that he had powers to confer but not to sign anything without previously consulting Madrid, and never offered to present his powers to JJ. See JJ to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, 17 Nov., below.