4861To George Washington from Benjamin Franklin, 19 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
Count Christian and Count William de Deux Ponts Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel of the Regiment of that Name are now abount to embark for America. As Possibly they may before their Return visit your Army, I beg leave to introduce them to your Excellency and to Recommend them to your Civilities as young Gentleman well known to me, of Excellent Character and zealous Friends to our Cause and...
4862To George Washington from Benjamin Franklin, 20 September 1785 (Washington Papers)
I am just arrived from a Country, where the Reputation of General Washington runs very high, and where every body wishes to see him in Person, but being told that it is not likely he will ever favour them with a Visit, they hope at least for a Sight of his perfect Resemblance by means of their Principal Statuary Mr Houdon, whom Mr Jefferson and my self agreed with to come over for the purpose...
4863To George Washington from Benjamin Franklin, 3 April 1787 (Washington Papers)
I have often thought that the Number of People, who by Curiosity and the Admiration of your Character are drawn to call at Mt Vernon, must be very troublesome to you, and have therefore generally declin’d giving any introductory Letters. But my Nephew Mr Jonathan Williams, who was a faithful and active Agent of the United States during the whole War, in shipping Stores, Arms, Ammunition &c....
4864To George Washington from Benjamin Franklin, 3 June 1789 (Washington Papers)
I have made a rule to myself that your Excellency should not be troubled with any solicitations from me for favors to any even of my nearest connections, but here is a matter of justice in which the honor of our country is concerned, and therefore I cannot refuse giving this line for your information. Mr. Le Ray de Chaumont, father of the young gentleman who will have the honor of waiting on...
4865To George Washington from Benjamin Franklin, 16 September 1789 (Washington Papers)
My Malady renders my Sitting up to write rather painful to me, but I cannot let my Son-in-law Mr Bache part for New York, without congratulating you by him on the Recovery of your Health, so precious to us all, and on the growing Strength of our New Government under your Administration. For my own personal Ease, I should have died two Years ago; but tho’ those Years have been spent in...
4866To George Washington from Benjamin Franklin, 6 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
The Bearer Mr Grieve, goes to Virginia, with an Intention of settling there, where he has also some Business in which you are concern’d. I beg leave to present him to your Exlleny as a Gentleman of Character, & who has long distinguished himself in England as a firm Friend to the Cause of America. I purpose writing to you fully by Col: Laurens, who will leave Paris in a few days. With great &...
4867To George Washington from Benjamin Franklin, 2 April 1782 (Washington Papers)
I received duly the Honour of your Letter accompanying the Capitulation of Gen. Cornwallis. All the World agree that no Expedition was ever better plann’d or better executed. It has made a great Addition to the military—Reputation you had already acquired, and brightens the Glory that surrounds your Name and that must accompany it to our latest Posterity. No News could possibly make me more...
4868To George Washington from Benjamin Franklin, 8 April 1782 (Washington Papers)
I did myself the honour of writing to you a few Days since by the Comte de Segur. This Line is chiefly to present the Prince de Broglie to your Excellency, who goes over to join the Army of M. de Rochambeau. He bears an excellent Character here, is a hearty Friend to our Cause, and I am persuaded you will have a Pleasure in his Conversation. I take leave therefore to recommend him to those...
4869To George Washington from Benjamin Franklin, 10 May 1783 (Washington Papers)
Permit me to introduce to you the Bearer Mr Hogendorff, of an illustrious Family, and Lieutenant in the Dutch Guards. He is strongly recommended to me by Persons of Distinction, as a Gentleman of excellent Character: His principal Design in going to America is to make himself acquainted with the Country, and its Inhabitants: I beg you will favour him with your best Advice & Counsels which as a...
4870To John Jay from the American Commissioners (Benjamin Franklin and Silas Deane), 2 June 1777 (Jay Papers)
We refer the Committee to ours to You of the 26 Ult o . of which we Sent Duplicates, should either arrive, but apprehensive of the Contrary we send You the Substance in this. The Brittish Commerce in Europe, especially in the North is unguarded, The Greenland Whale Fishery & the Hudsons Bay Shipps in particular. Cou’d two or three of our Frigates accompanied by lesser swift sailing Vessels...
4871To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 2 June 1779 (Jay Papers)
I received a few Days since by way of S t . Eustatia, the Duplicate of a Letter you did me the honour to write to me of 3r d Jan y . But the Act of Congress of Dec r . 23 d which you mention is not yet come to hand. Col Diricks whom the Secretary names to you called here on his way to Holland, and brought me a Recommendatory Letter from Gov r . Trumbull; but neither himself nor that Letter...
4872To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 7 April 1780 (Jay Papers)
I have been sometime in Suspense about Writing to you, not knowing whether you were at Cadiz or Madrid. But being inform’d a few Days since that you had set out for the latter, I now acknowledge the receipt of your several Favours of Sept. 26. from Philadelphia. Dec r 27 from Martinique, Jan 26 th . & 28 th and March 3 d from Cadiz. The Account you give of the prudent & pleasing Conduct of M....
4873To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 13 June 1780 (Jay Papers)
It was a Mistake of a Figure in my Letter that occasion’d you the Trouble of writing yours of the 28 th . April.— I find you charg’d only with 2564 ^ Livres ^ , 18..10 and not with £4564.18.10. That Bill is paid, as also another drawn since for £3596 ^ livres ^ .. 13 ^ Sols ^ ..0. dated March 20. In setting right these Money Matters, it is fit to mention ^ a ^ small Mistake that you have made;...
4874To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 2 October 1780 (Jay Papers)
I received duly and in good Order the several Letters you have written to me of Augt. 16. 19. Sept. 8. & 22. The Papers that accompanied them of your writing, gave me the Pleasure of seeing the Affairs of our Country in such good Hands, and the Prospect from your Youth of its having the Service of so able a Minister for a great Number of Years: But the little Success that has attended your...
4875To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 27 January 1781 (Jay Papers)
I believe my last to you was of the 2 d October. I was soon after laid up with a long & severe fit of the Gout, which confined me for near 8 Weeks, and I have not quite recovered the free use of my Feet: This put my writing Business a good deal behind hand, & has brought me much in Arrear with you; having since I wrote received your several Favours of Oct. 5 th . 25 th . 30 th . & Dec r . 25...
4876To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 12 April 1781 (Jay Papers)
I have before me the several Letters you have honour’d me with dated Feb. 27. March 11. and April 1. I was much pleased to learn that you have obtained a Promise for 150,000 Dollars; your Reflection on the Consequence is just. As this Sum must be used in Payment of the Bills drawn upon you, and probably no Part of it can be applied to your Subsistance, I desire that you would draw upon me for...
4877To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 30 June 1781 (Jay Papers)
You acquaint me that Bills have appear’d drawn on you in March last, and ask very properly if this can be reconciled to the obvious Dictates of Prudence & Policy?— It cannot. And if you are unable to pay them, they must be protested: For it will not be in my Power to help you. And I see that nothing will cure the Congress of this Madness of drawing upon the Pump at Aldgate, but such a Proof...
4878To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 20 August 1781 (Jay Papers)
I have before me several of your late letters, which tho’ not formally , have been substantially answered, by the Payment of your Bills. I got our Banker to examine the Marquis’s Account, who explained it to me, and satisfy’d me that it was right. There are Intricacies in the Affair of Exchange, which neither you nor I well understand, and we are therefore under a Necessity of placing...
4879To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 4 September 1781 (Jay Papers)
I received a few Days since a very obliging Letter from you. I have it not with me here, and therefore cannot mention the Date. I shall answer it particularly by the next Opportunity. This serves chiefly to cover the Communication of two Letters, which I have viewed, one from M r Adams, relative to the Propos’d Mediation. The other from some Merchants who possess Congress Drafts of a Late...
4880To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 29 September 1781 (Jay Papers)
I received yours of the 10 th . Instant, and have given Orders that you should have the Credit you require for October & November; viz 16157 Dollars. Please to let me know if this Sum includes the Ballance of the 25000 Dollars. I begin to have hopes of the Loan in Holland, in which Case, I shall be able also to pay your next Years Salaries. But in that Case, the Drafts should be quarterly: And...
4881To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 15 January 1782, enclosing Vergennes to Benjamin Franklin, 31 December 1781 (Jay Papers)
M r . Grand tells me that he hears from Madrid, you are uneasy at my long Silence.— I have had much Vexation and Perplexity lately with the Affair of our Goods in Holland: And I have so many urgent Correspondencies to keep up, that some of them at times necessarily suffer. I purpose writing fully to you per next Post. In the mean time I send the enclos’d for your Meditation. The “cursed...
4882To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 19 January 1782 (Jay Papers)
In mine of the 15 th . I mention’d my Intention of writing fully to you by this Days Post. But understanding since that a Courier will soon go from Versailles, I rather chuse that Conveyance. I received duly your Letter of Nov r . 21. but it found me in a very perplexed Situation. I had great Payments to make for the extravagant & very inconvenient Purchase in Holland together with large...
4883To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 14 February 1782 (Jay Papers)
If you are anxious to see a Series of new electrical experiments directed to establish many a principle hitherto unknown, I Shall do myself the pleasure of Summitting them to your judgment. Your Comparison of the Keystone of an Arch is very pretty, tending to make me almost content with my Situation. ^ But ^ I suspect you have heard our Story of the Harrow. If not, here it is. A Farmer in our...
4884To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 16 March 1782 (Jay Papers)
I have received your several favors of January 30 th . February 11 th . and March 1 st . and propose to write fully to you p r . the next Post. In the mean time, this Line may serve to acquaint you that I have paid Duly all your former Bills drawn in favor of M r . Cabarrus; and that having obtained a promise of six Millions for this year, to be paid me Quarterly, I now see that I shall be...
4885To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 22 April 1782 (Jay Papers)
I have undertaken to pay all the Bills of your Acceptance that have come to my knowledge, and I hope in God no more will be drawn upon us, but when Funds are first provided. In that Case your constant Residence at Madrid is no longer ^ so ^ necessary. You may make a Journey either for Health or Pleasure without retarding the Progress of a Negociation not yet begun. Here you are greatly wanted,...
4886To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 23 April 1782 (Jay Papers)
I wrote a few Lines to you from Passy to go by the Post of this Day, pressing you to come hither as soon as possible. I have just mention’d it to M de Vergennes, who is of Opinion it will be proper to leave M r . Carmichael there, that it may not seem as if we abandon’d that Court. As I understand, a Courier is just setting out from hence for Madrid, I add this Line, to inform you of this...
4887To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 24 April 1782 (Jay Papers)
The Prince de Masseran, being so good as to desire carrying a Letter to you, I sit down to write you a few Lines, tho’ I hope soon to see you. Enclosed I send a Copy of one of M r . Deanes Letters. I shall shew you more when you come. In consequence of a Proposition I sent over, the Parliament of Britain have just passed an Act for exchanging American Prisoners. They have near 1100 in the...
4888To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 16 August 1782 (Jay Papers)
Inclos’d is a true Copy of the Extracts from Gen. Carleton’s Instructions given to me by M r Vaughan from Lord Shelbourn. You will see that the Instruction I mention’d as given to M r Grenville is acknowledged and recited. Is it not probable therefore that M r Oswald may have the same? and if he has, and will execute it by making ministerially in Writing the Declaration intended, perhaps the...
4889Appointment of William Temple Franklin, 1 October 1782 (Jay Papers)
To all to whom these Presents shall come, Benjamin Franklin & John Jay send Greetings. Whereas the United States of America in Congress assembled did on the 15 th . June in the year of our Lord 1781, appoint and constitute the said Benjamin Franklin and John Jay, & John Adams, Henry Laurens and Thomas Jefferson Esquires, and the Majority of them, and of such of them as should assemble for the...
4890Preliminary Articles of Peace, 30 November 1782 (Jay Papers)
Articles agreed upon by and between Richard Oswald Esquire the Commissioner of his Britannic Majesty, for treating of Peace with the Commissioners of the United States of America, in behalf of his said Majesty, on the one part; and John Adams Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, ^ and Henry Laurens, ^ four of the Commissioners of the said States for treating of Peace with the Commissioner of his said...