To Benjamin Franklin from Antoine-Norbert d’Artus, 17 July 1782
From Antoine-Norbert d’Artus8
Two LS:9 American Philosophical Society
à Belfort le 17 juillet 1782
Monsieur
Je prends la liberté de vous adresser un memoire Relatif au Sr Penet.1 Linteret que je prends à ce jeune homme depuis sa plus tendre enfance et mon attachement pour son honnette famille me font ressentir l’amertume de son malheur. Instruit des Causes qui ÿ ont donné lieu, j’ose m’adresser à votre Excellence dans une pleine conviction de sa justice et de sa Bienfaisance, implorant sa bonté pour relever du plus grand des malheurs un Sujet du Roy qui s’est laissé emporté par un desir ardent d’etre de quelq’utilité aux états unis de L’Amerique.
Je suis avec un tres profond respect Monsieur Votre tres humble et tres obeissant Serviteur.
D’Artus
chev de st Louis: Lant Colonel D’infanterie
8. D’Artus (b. 1730) had served with distinction with the French army in Germany during the Seven Years’ War: DBF. Pierre Penet used d’Artus’ residence as a mailing address when he wrote to BF on Oct. 20, 1782 (APS), to explain why he had fled his creditors at Nantes.
9. D’Artus sent duplicates of both this letter and the enclosure on Aug. 7, explaining that he had not yet received a response from BF. APS.
1. The enclosed memoir, signed by d’Artus and dated July 17, claims that Penet had acquitted with “fidelité et intelligence” the mission of acquiring in Europe various supplies for the American army, and blames Congress for exhausting Penet’s credit by not providing him with adequate funds. Penet was forced to flee when creditors seized his possessions in Europe and tried to arrest him. He hopes that Congress will compensate him by depositing funds with Rochambeau’s army, but until then he is seeking an arrêt de surséance (XXXV, 541n) from Louis XVI. D’Artus asks BF’s assistance in obtaining it.