391The American Commissioners to John Jay, 27 January 1787 (Adams Papers)
We had the honor of transmitting to Congress, Copies of the Commission and Instructions, which in pursuance of the Authority delegated to Us, were given to M r Barclay, to conduct a negotiation with Algiers Morocco. M r Barclay has conducted that Business to a happy Conclusion, and has brought with him Testimonials of his prudent Conduct, from the Emperor of Morocco and his Minister, So clear...
392The American Commissioners to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, 26 May 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: National Archives The Navy of the United States increasing in the Number of its Ships and Force, it is of the utmost importance to direct the Cruises of the Shipps of War which belong either to the States or individuals so as to annoy and alarm the Enemy the most effectually, and at the same Time to encourage Our brave Officers and Seamen by the Value of prizes. The West India...
We had the honour of receiving your Letter of Jan ry: 24. covering a translation into French of the Draught of a treaty proposed between His Majesty the King of Prussia & the United States of America, together with answers to the several articles. We have considered them with attention, & with all those dispositions to accomodate them to the wishes of His Majesty which a respect for his...
394Negotiations over Tobacco between the American Commissioners and the Farmers General: Two Documents, 9 January 1777 and … (Franklin Papers)
(I) D : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: American Philosophical Society; incomplete copy, Harvard University Library. (II) AD (draft): American Philosophical Society On January 9 the commissioners met with a committee of the farmers general to begin negotiations for a tobacco contract. The agenda of that meeting, or the product of it, was written questions from the farmers...
395The American Commissioners to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, 30 November 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; AL (draft ): Yale University Library; three copies: National Archives When the commissioners met on November 27 to plan this dispatch, differences between them soon emerged. Lee profoundly distrusted Deane, who he believed had Franklin in his pocket and, in his dual role of private businessman and agent of Congress, was playing fast and loose with public money. Deane...
396VII. The American Commissioners’ Instructions to Thomas Barclay for Negotiations with Morocco, 1–11 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
Congress having been pleased to invest us with full powers for entering into treaty of Amity and Alliance with the Emperor of Morocco, and it being impracticable for us to attend his court in person & equally impracticable on account of our seperate stations to receive a Minister from him, we have concluded to effect our object by the intervention of a confidential person. We concur in wishing...
397The American Commissioners to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 17[–22] January 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS and two copies: National Archives; copy: South Carolina Historical Society We joined each other at this place on the 22d. of December and on the 28th. had an Audience of his Excellency the Count De Vergennes, one of his most Christian Majesty’s principal Secretarys of State and Minister for Foreign Affairs. We laid before him our Commission with the Articles of the proposed Treaty of...
398The American Commissioners to William Lee and Thomas Morris, [c. 20 August 1777] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft ): Library of Congress This letter was almost unquestionably not sent. It was to be in answer to a now missing one of the 16th, in which Lee and Morris claimed, according to Arthur Lee, that the powers given to Jonathan Williams to handle prizes were incompatible with their own agency and should be withdrawn. Deane and Franklin were ready to do so, as they say here, but proposed to...
399William Stevenson and the American Commissioners: An Exchange of Three Letters, 4 January 1778 (Franklin Papers)
(I) AL , (II) L , (III) AL : Harvard University Library We print the letters together because they are an entity: the first elicited the second, the second the third, all on the same day. The first was to the commissioners; the second was from, and the third to, Franklin and Deane alone. This was the second quarrel between Lee and his colleagues over who should carry copies of the...
400American Commissioners to John Jay, 18 June 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
In our last to you of May 11. we had the honour of inclosing among other papers a letter from Baron Thulemeier, drawing to a close our negociation with the court of Berlin. We have now that of forwarding our answer marked No. 1. No. 2.a. contains our observations on the counterdraught from the court of Tuscany, No. 2.b. the letter inclosing them, and No. 2.c. Mr. Favi’s answer acknowledging...
The friendly dispositions which his Majesty has been pleased to shew to the United States of America on every occasion, as well as the assurances given them in the 8 th. Art. of the treaty of Amity & Commerce that he would employ his good offices & interposition with the powers on the coast of Barbary to provide for the safety of the Citizens of the United States their vessels and effects...
402American Commissioners to William Short, [27 July 1785] (Jefferson Papers)
A Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States of America and his majesty the K. of P. having been arranged with the Baron de Thulemeyer his Majesty’s envoy extraordinary at the Hague specially empowered for this purpose and it being inconsistent with our other duties to repair to that place ourselves for the purpose of executing and exchanging the instruments of treaty, we hereby...
Having assembled together at this place about the latter end of August we proceeded in obedience to the commands of Congress to notify our appointment and its objects to such Powers as we thought it adviseable at that time to address. We wrote a circular letter in the form N o. 1. to the Ambassadors or other Ministers residing here from the courts of Saxony; the two Sicilies, Sardinia, Venice,...
404The American Commissioners to Dumas, 10/16 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): University of Virginia Library; two copies: National Archives We have received yours of the 2d Instant, with the Declaration sign’d by Mr. Van Berckel, and his explanatory Letter to you, which give us much pleasure, as they show the good Disposition of that respectable Body, the Burgomasters of Amsterdam towards the United States of America, and their Willingness, as far as may...
405The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 8 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; two copies: Archivo Historico Nacional The Commissioners from the Congress of the United States of America, beg leave to represent to your Excellency, that it is near a year since they had the Honour of putting into your Hands the Propositions of the Congress for a Treaty of Amity and Commerce with this Kingdom, to which, with sundry other...
406The American Commissioners to Thulemeier, 10 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives We received the Letter your Excellency did us the honour of writing to us the 8th Ulto. together with the copy of your full powers to treat with us. Mr Adams had as you suppose, preserved a copy of the project of a Treaty that had been concerted between your Excellency & him; but having by instruction from the Congress our Sovereign certain new articles to propose in...
407The American Commissioners to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, 18 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; attested copy: National Archives; copy: Harvard University Library; copy and transcript: National Archives Since our last of Nov. 30, a Copy of which is herewith sent you, we received your Dispatches of Oct. 6. from York Town. They came to us by a Packet from Boston, which brought the great News of Burgoynes Defeat and Surrender, News that apparently occasion’d as much...
408The American Commissioners to the Baron von Thulemeier, 9 September 1784 (Adams Papers)
The United States of America in Congress Assembled judging that an intercourse between the Subjects of His Prussian Majesty and the Citizens of the said States founded on the principles of equality reciprocity and friendship, may be of mutual advantage to both nations, on the twelfth day of May last, issued their Commission under the Seal of the said States to the Subscribers as their...
409The American Commissioners to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 4 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: National Archives We send you herewith the Draught of a Frigate, by a very ingenious Officer in this service, which appears to Us peculiarly suitable for Our purpose, and We are in hopes of being able to ship Cordage and Sail Cloth, and Anchors &c. sufficient for Five or Six such Frigates, by the Time you can have them built. Though deprived of any intelligence from you since the...
410American Commissioners to De Souza, 9 September 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
The United States of America in Congress assembled, judging that an Intercourse between the Subjects of [her most Faithfull Majesty of Portugal] and the Citizens of the Said States founded on the Principles of Equality, Reciprocity, and friendship, may be of mutual Advantage to both Nations, on the twelfth day of May last, issued their Commission under the Seal of the Said States, to the...
411American Commissioners to Dorset, 28 October 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
While Mr. Hartley was here as Minister from the Court of Great Britain, we had the honour of mentioning to him, that we were instructed by the Congress to treat on some points distinct from any regulations of commerce. He communicated this to his Court and the very satisfactory answer which he received and made to us of its good disposition and willingness to receive and consider any...
412The American Commissioners to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 12 March[–9 April 1777] (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; L : British Library; copy: National Archives It is now more than 4 Months since Mr. Franklin’s Departure from Philadelphia, and not a Line from thence written since that time has hitherto reached either of your Commissioners in Europe. We have had no Information of what passes in America but thro’ England, and the Advices are for the most part such only as the Ministry...
413The American Commissioners: Memorandum for Vergennes and Aranda, 25 September 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; LS : Archivo Historico National This memorandum, under its calm surface, conveys a sense of depression; and the commissioners had reason to be depressed. They seem to have become suddenly aware that they were in deep financial trouble, because they had made commitments that they did not have the money to honor and that Congress could not....
414The American Commissioners: Instructions to John Thornton, [11 December 1777] (Franklin Papers)
AD (draft): Library of Congress; copies: Library of Congress, Harvard University Library The mistreatment of American prisoners of war in England had long been on the commissioners’ minds. In February they had suggested to Lord Stormont an exchange, and the Ambassador had not replied. In April they had sent him depositions to back their claim that the British were behaving like savages, and to...
415The American Commissioners: Memorandum for the French and Spanish Courts, 23 November 1777 (Franklin Papers)
DS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères, Archivo General de Simancas; DS (draft ): Princeton University Library; copy: Archivo Historico Nacional This memorandum had been in preparation for more than a fortnight. On the 8th Franklin had made the original draft, now lost, and Lee had suggested changes that his colleagues accepted; on the 9th the document was ready to be copied and...
416The American Commissioners to the President of Congress: Résumé, 11 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Copy and AL (draft): National Archives ⟨Paris, November 11, 1784: Having assembled here at the end of August, we followed the instructions of Congress by announcing our appointment and its purpose to such powers as we thought it advisable at this time to address. We wrote a circular letter in the form of enclosure 1 to the ambassadors or other ministers from the courts of Saxony, the Two...
417The American Commissioners to John Jay, 11 May 1785 (Adams Papers)
Our last letter to you was dated April 13. 1785. and went by the packet of that month from l’Orient. Since that date the Letter N o. 1. a. directed to D tr Franklin enclosing those marked N o. 1. b & c. and also the paper N o. 2. have come to hand. These relate to supplies furnished by M r Harrison to the crew of the ship Betsy taken by the Emperor of Morocco, on which subject Congress will be...
418The American Commissioners: A Public Announcement, 4 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
D : American Philosophical Society Jonathan Loring Austin had ridden post haste from Nantes with his dispatches. On Thursday morning, December 4, he paused in Versailles for an hour’s sightseeing, and then at 11:30 A.M. he arrived in Passy. Rumor had preceded him, or so the story goes, and the commissioners were waiting in the courtyard. “Before he had time to alight Dr. Franklin addressed...
419American Commissioners to John Jay, 13 April 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Our letter to you the 18th. day of March with those preceding that period which had been addressed to the President of Congress have conveyed exact details of our transactions till that time. Since the making out of that dispatch the following proceedings have taken place. The letter No. 1 from Mr. Carmichael to Dr. Franklin dated Feby. 27. 1784 (instead of 1785) will apprize you that there is...
420American Commissioners to De Thulemeier, 14 March 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
We had the honor of receiving your letter of Janry. 24. covering a translation into French of the Draught of a treaty proposed between his majesty the King of Prussia and the United States of America, together with answers to the several articles. We have considered them with attention, and with all those dispositions to accomodate them to the wishes of his majesty which a respect for his...