401The 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...
402The American Commissioners to John Ross, 18 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We Recd: yours giving an Acct. of the Arrival of the Goods on which we had not made any Insurance. From the Situation of your Affairs when you wrote Us last, we presume that Your Ship, Capt. Green is ready for sailing. Capt. Nicholson will also be ready in a few Days, We have therefore to propose to you that They go in Company as Capt. Nicholson will be...
403From Benjamin Franklin to [La Rochefoucauld], [18 December? 1777] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Bibliothèque municipale de Mantes I return the Letters, having in one mark’d with Crayon the Parts I think of most Importance; and in the other with Ink the Parts that ought not to be translated. Perhaps Abridgements would be better than Translations. I leave them to your Judgement. I am with the greatest Respect your Grace’s most obedient humble Servant See the first note on the...
404The American Commissioners to [Gérard], 20 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères The Persons going out with the dispatches are Mr. Simeon Deane and Mr. Anthony Knap both of New England. They will set out this Evening for Bordeaux, and will follow Your Orders, which You shall send; inclosed You have a Letter of Credit for the Captn. of Your Ship. We have the honor to be with the utmost respect Sir Your most Obedient and...
405The American Commissioners to Simeon Deane, [20 December 1777] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: University of Pennsylvania Library You will receive herewith a Packet for Monsr. L Moyne Commissaire &c. at Bourdeaux, and also a Packet for the Committee of Congress for Foreign affairs. You are directed to go for Bourdeaux without loss of Time and on your arrival within one Post of the City that you send forward your Servant to Mons. Le Moyne informing him that you have a Packet for...
406The American Commissioners to the Massachusetts Council, 20 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AL : University of Pennsylvania Library We are much obliged by your Favour of the 24th. October which brought us the first Intelligence of the Defeat and Surrender of Bourgoyne’s Army, which gave great Joy not only to us but to this whole friendly Nation. In return we can only tell you at present, that our Affairs hear wear the most promising Appearance, and that we have little Doubt of seeing...
407From Benjamin Franklin to James Lovell, 21 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS and copy: National Archives; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress; copy: Yale University Library I see in a Vote of Congress shown me by Capt. Franval, that Mr. Deane is disown’d in some of his Agreements with Officers. I, who am upon the Spot, and know the infinite Difficulty of resisting the powerful Solicitations here of Great Men, who if disobliged might have it in their Power to...
408From Benjamin Franklin to [Robert Morris?], 21 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Yale University Library I remember that long before I was ordered here, you once did me the Honour to say, you should not dislike being sent to France with me. Since my being here, I have frequently wish’d that Appointment had taken place. I think I should have pass’d my time more comfortably. We are now five of us in this City, all honest and capable Men (if I may include myself in that...
409From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, Jr., 22 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: University of Virginia Library; eight copies, five incomplete: National Archives; incomplete copies: Harvard University Library, South Carolina Historical Society I received yours of the 15th and am concerned as well as you at the Difference betwen Messrs. Deane and Lee but cannot help it. You need however be under no concern as to your Orders being only from Mr. Deane. As you have...
410The American Commissioners to Bérard frères, 24 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Report of the Committee of the House of the 17th February on the Subject of the Claims of the Heirs of Caron de Beaumarchais . . . (20th Congress, 1st session, House of Representatives Report No. 220; [Washington, 1828]), pp. 44–5. Beaumarchais’ letter above to the commissioners of December 6, with a copy to Vergennes, brought to a head the dispute about the cargo of the...
411From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, Sr., 24 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from The New-York Mirror , April 13, 1839 The bearer, Mr. Holker, is a gentleman of great worth and excellent character, and a particular friend of mine, who, if he sees encouraging prospects, may possibly make some commercial prospects in America; in which case you may be assured that his engagements will be executed with good faith, and the exactest punctuality. I recommend him...
412The American Commissioners to Jean H. Delap, 26 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society Yours of the 19th we received Yesterday and immediately enclosed it to Monsieur De Sartine in a Letter of ours, and have not the least Doubt that Justice will be immediately done. The part you have acted merits our Thanks, and Justice to you requires that we should represent it to our Friends in America, which we shall do in our first Dispatches. You on the...
413The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 26 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères We beg your Excellency’s Permission to make an appeal from the Judgment of the Admiralty at Nantes which ordains a confiscation of two Prizes (British Westindia Ships) taken legally on the high seas by two American Privateers, and that Your Excellency will be pleased to request his Majesty to suspend the Departure of those Prizes, and their...
414The American Commissioners to William Temple Franklin, 27 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: University of Virginia Library As an acknowledgement for your services as Secretary to us, we desire you will accept one hundred Louis-dores which Mr. Grand will be so good as to pay you on receipt of this. We are, Sir, Your most Obedient Servants In Arthur Lee’s hand. 2,400 l.t. Designating WTF as the commissioners’ secretary, it should be noted, did not secure him the position; the...
415From Benjamin Franklin to [the Duchesse de Deux-Ponts], 28 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society I received your obliging Invitation of dining with you some day this Week. As I find all the Days engaged but Saturday, I cannot sooner have that Pleasure. We will then talk about the Affair of the young Gentleman, who by his Letter appears to be sensible and promising. With sincere Esteem and a good deal of Affection I have the Honour to be, Madam,...
416From Benjamin Franklin to [d’Haudouin], 29 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society No Orders are received from America to send an Officer to replace M. de Coudray. There is no doubt but his Place is long since filled; and I cannot give the smallest Encouragement to any Person to go over with that Expectation. My Thanks however are due to the Gentleman for his obliging Offer. And I have the Honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient humble...
417The American Commissioners to Comic, Veuve Mathurin & fils, 30 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society We have to thank you for the Account you gave us of Capt. Johnson’s Escape and should have acknowledged the same sooner but were in hopes it would have been confirmed by his Arrival, but unhappily your Intelligence was premature and he unhappily remains still a prisoner. In Behalf of Doctr. Franklin and Self I am with much respect Your most Obedient and...
418The American Commissioners to Rocquette, Elsevier and Rocquette, 30 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society Your Favors of the 1st and 4th Inst. are before us and woud sooner have been replied to, but we were in hopes to have recd. the Samples of Indigo referr’d to in yours of the 1st. They are not arrived. We are not however the less sensible of your Kindness and for the Intelligence given us of the Qualities of Indigo, and at the same time of the price of...
419From Benjamin Franklin to Genet, [1778 or after] (Franklin Papers)
AL : Library of Congress All the American Papers will be sent to Mr Genet this Evening. Mr Franklin sends the enclos’d four, for a Beginning. Addressed: A Monsr / Monsieur Genet / Bureau des Interprêtes / Versailles BF and Genet began exchanging newspapers and other information soon after the signing of the alliance: XXVI , 271n. This note could date from this or subsequent years.
420The American Commissioners’ Interview on January 8 with Gérard: Four Documents, 1778 (Franklin Papers)
This meeting, in Deane’s quarters in Paris at six in the evening of January 8, was the commissioners’ reward for all the frustrations of the previous year. Vergennes had announced to them on December 12 that France was ready to negotiate, but three weeks of silence followed while the court attempted to secure Spanish participation. Then, when Madrid made clear that it had no intention of...
421Franklin: A List of Names [1778?] (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society The list is so heterogeneous that we tentatively suggest its purpose was social. Six of the men listed here were BF ’s colleagues in the Académie royale des sciences: the mathematician Condorcet ( XX , 489n), the chemist Lavoisier ( XXIV , 142n), the philosophe and former government minister Turgot ( XXIII , 479), the marquis de Courtanvaux (a soldier and...
422The American Commissioners to Boux, 3 January 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society We have wrote Capt. Nicholson who will procure you a Passage to America and we hope it may be such a one as will be agreable. Inclosed you have a Letter for the Hon’ble the Marine Board which you will send to them and attend their future Orders. Capt. Nicholson will give you notice where to meet him, or the Ship in which you can have a passage. We are...
423William 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...
424From Benjamin Franklin to Rolandeau, 4 January 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I can no otherwise give an Order for your Passage gratis, than by giving an Order to our Correspondent to pay the Money for you on my Account, which seems too much to be reasonably expected of me. And as you left the Service of the States in America without Leave, to come home upon your own private Affairs, it seems right that you should be at the whole...
425From Benjamin Franklin to de Tavarez, 4 January 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Notes and Queries: a Medium of Intercommunication for Literary Men, General Readers, Etc. , 6th series, X (July–December, 1884), 153. The account given in the Newspapers of my having furnished the Physicians with a receipt against the Dropsy is a Mistake. I know nothing of it, nor did I ever hear before that Tobacco Ashes had any such virtue. I thank you for your kind...
426A Proposed Article for the Treaty of Alliance with France, [on or before 27 January 1778] (Franklin Papers)
D : Library of Congress The commissioners met with Gérard on January 8 and agreed to negotiate two treaties, one of amity and commerce and the other for an eventual alliance. On the 18th Gérard presented them with drafts of both, which he asked them to return. They consequently spent the next days in making copies and translations of the drafts, a chore that they dared not entrust to a...
427The American Commissioners to Jonathan Williams, Jr., 10 January 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress We desire you would advance to Capt. Paul Jones, of the Ranger, five hundred Louidores, for which your draught upon us will be paid. We are Sir Your most Obedient Servants (Signed) Notation: From the American Commissioners Letter of Credit Passy January 10th 1778 recd. Passy January 10th. 1778 To cover wages and equipment for the Ranger: Morison, Jones , p. 124. Jones...
428The American Commissioners to Gourlade, Bérard frères, & Monplaisir, 12 January 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society Mr. Beaumarchais shewed us your Letter of the 7th Inst. by which we find that you had not so much Confidence in the Commissioners as to deliver the Cargo of the Amphitrite to their Order untill your Disbursements on the two Frigates should be paid you. On our part tho’ we were greatly surprised at the Amount of those Disbursements as well as the prices of...
429Franklin and Silas Deane to [Ferdinand Grand], 13 January 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society We desire you would continue to honor Mr. Williams Draughts to the Amount of two hundred thousand Livres in Addition to the Five hundred thousand for which a Credit was before given him. We have the Honor to Remain with much Esteem Sir Your most Obedient &c. &c. This note was BF ’s and Deane’s reaction to Lee’s letter above, Jan. 10. Their colleague, they...
430From Benjamin Franklin to La Rochefoucauld, 14 January 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Bibliothèque municipale, Mantes Mr. Franklin presents his respectful Compliments to M. the Duke of Rochefoucauld; with Thanks for his Care of the Pacquet. The English Gazette which came yesterday gives a particular Account of the taking of those petty Forts about the Time you mention. ’Tis a wonder they held out so long. After sustaining a Days continual Battery from the Cannon of the...
431The American Commissioners to [John Paul Jones], 15 January 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : National Archives Whereas we understand that Capt. Jones has in View to strike a Stroke upon the Enemy that may be greatly to their Damage, but in its nature not probably profitable to his Ship’s Company, unless some Reward be received from the Congress adequate to the Service done, And we being of Opinion that Rewards in such Cases are not only necessary for Encouragement, but are...
432The American Commissioners to John Paul Jones, with Arthur Lee’s Dissent and Their Rejoinder: Three Documents, 16[–18] … (Franklin Papers)
(I) LS : National Archives; copies: Library of Congress, Harvard University Library; (II) ALS : National Archives; copies: Library of Congress, Harvard University Library; (III) ALS : National Archives; ALS (draft): Library of Congress; copy: Harvard University Library As it is not in our Power to procure you such a Ship as you expected, we advise you after equipping the Ranger in the best...
433Franklin and Silas Deane to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, 16 January 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : South Carolina Historical Society This will be delivered to you by Mr. Carmichael to whom we have committed our dispatches for Congress, and who becoming Acquainted with Mr. Deane soon after his arrival at Paris, travelled to Berlin through Holland and Hambourgh at the desire and Appointment of Mr. Deane and on his Journey rendered very Considerable Services to the United States by...
434The American Commissioners to Gourlade, Bérard frères & Monplaisir, 21 January 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society We wrote you the 12 inst. on the Subject of the Letter returned to Mr. Beaumarchais since which we are without any of your favours, except of the 12 inst. which relates to the Sales of the Cargo of the Amphitrite, the acct. of which sales you will please to favour us with a Copy of for our Settlement with that Gentleman. It is a little surprizing that Capt....
435From Benjamin Franklin to La Rochefoucauld, 21 January 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Bibliothèque municipale, Mantes Mr. Franklin presents his Compliments respectfully to M. le Duc de Rochefoucauld. He will read and return as soon as possible the Papers mentioned. News is received this Morning from England, that a Vessel arrived from New York, which Place she left the 16th of December, brings Advice, that General Howe march’d out of Philadelphia the 5th, drove in G....
436The American Commissioners to [Gerard], 30 January 1778 [i.e. 27] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; ALS (draft) or copy: University of Virginia Library We have concluded to make no farther Propositons for the present Treaty. We only wish the Word Sovereignty may be inserted in the two Places propos’d, if not thought absolutely improper. We have the Honour to be with the greatest Esteem, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servants We print the...
437From Benjamin Franklin to Courtney Melmoth, [on or after 28 January 1778] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress I should have been flatter’d exceedingly by Mrs. Melmoth’s showing the least Inclination for one of those Portraits, when Mrs. Izard accepted the other, and should have presented it to her with the greatest Pleasure. She did not appear to desire it and I did not presume it of Value enough to be offer’d. Her Quarrel with me on that Account is pleasing: The...
438From Benjamin Franklin to Ralph Izard, 29 January 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society; two copies: National Archives; copy: South Carolina Historical Society I received yours late last Evening. Present Circumstances which I will explain to you when I have the Honor of seeing you prevent my giving it a full Answer now. The Reasons you offer had before been all under Consideration; but I must submit to remain some days under the Opinion...
439From Benjamin Franklin to La Rochefoucauld, [29 January? 1778] (Franklin Papers)
AL : Bibliothèque municipale, Mantes Mr. Franklin presents his respectful Compliments to M. le Duc de Rochefoucauld. He would with Pleasure send the Copies desired by Made. la Duchesse, if he had them; but he has none. He sends however to M. le Duc an English Copy, and a manuscript French Translation which one of his Friends began to correct but did not finish. If it is thought worth printing...
440Franklin and Silas Deane to Gerard, 1 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; two AL (drafts): American Philosophical Society; copy: Harvard University Library; two copies: National Archives Mr. Lee having signified to us, that on farther Consideration he has changed his Sentiments relating to the 12th Article; and that he cannot join in Signing the Treaty if that Article remains in it: And as Unanimity is of some...
441Franklin and Silas Deane to Arthur Lee, 1 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: Harvard University Library; AL (draft): American Philosophical Society; copies: National Archives (four), University of Virginia Library (two), South Carolina Historical Society We have maturely considered your Letter of the 30th past. And tho’ we cannot see the mischievous Consequences of the 12th. Article which you apprehend, yet conceiving that Unanimity on this Occasion is of...
442From Benjamin Franklin to James Hutton, 1 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy and transcript: Library of Congress You desired that if I had no Propositions to make, I would at least give my Advice. I think it is Ariosto who says, that all Things lost on Earth are to be found in the Moon; On which somebody remark’d that there must then be a great deal of Good Advice in the Moon. If so, there is among it a good...
443The American Commissioners to Franco and Adrianus Dubbeldemuts, 3 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society Mr. Dorsius of Charlestown South Carolina is a Gentleman we would recommend to you as one much employed, and of Confidence, and one very proper to act for you in your Affair at that Place. Should Mr. Dorsius be engaged in other Business, or should he or his Friends be so interested in that Privateer which made Prize of your Vessel (which is possible) that...
444The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 3 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: National Archives We have just receivd information that Mr. Thomas Morris, at Nantes, one of the commercial Agents of Congress, is at the point of death; and that his Papers, on that event, will be taken possession of by the Officers of the Crown. As some of these Papers may very materially concern the public business, we beg an Order...
445From Benjamin Franklin to “Prince” Mostowski, 3 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society M. Franklin sera chez lui Jeudi prochain vers midi, quand il recevra avec beaucoup de Plaisir l’Honneur du Vis. M. Franklin will be at home on Thursday at Noon, ready to wait on Prince Mostowski, if he should then do him the Honour of calling on him as proposed. Paul Michael (Pawel Michal) Mostowski (1721–81) was a self-styled prince. In Poland he had...
446From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 5 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Library of Congress I am exceedingly obliged by your interesting yourself so warmly in behalf of those unhappy people. I understand you advanc’d money: Your bills on that account will be punctually paid. As yet I have heard of none. Understanding that a certain Person promised to make proposals for healing a certain Breach, I postpon’d and delayed a material Operation till I should...
447The Franco-American Treaty of Alliance, 6 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
DS : National Archives; copies in French and English: Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives (two), University of Virginia Library; copy in French: Archivo Historico Nacional, Madrid The hope of concluding this treaty and the one that follows had been the commission’s mainstay for fourteen months, but negotiating them took less than three weeks. Gérard began the discussions on...
448The Franco-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce, 6 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
DS : National Archives; copies in French and English: Massachusetts Historical Society, Harvard University Library, National Archives; copies in French: Archives du ministère des affaires étrangères (draft), Harvard University Library, Archivo Historico Nacional, Madrid Treaty of Amity and Commerce. Traité d’Amitié et de Commerce The most Christian King, and the thirteen United States of North...
449The American Commissioners to Ferdinand Grand, 6 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress We hereby request That you would pay Such Bills as shall be drawn on you upon Our Acct. by the Honl. Wm. Lee Esqr. or the honl. Ralph Izard Esqr. for any sums they may have Occasion for To the Amount of Two Thousand Louis D’orrs to each of them. We are sir Your most Obedient Humble Servants (Signed) Notation by Franklin: Letter of Credit written to M. Grand for Messrs...
450From Benjamin Franklin to La Rochefoucauld, 6 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Bibliothèque municipale, Mantes Mr. Franklin presents his Respects to M. le Duc de Rochefoucauld, with many Thanks for the Pains he has taken, and the Improvements he has made in the Translation. Mr. F. has only one Doubt, which is of the Word habilité in the 2d Article, put for the English Industry: He perceives that Industrie in French has not precisely the same Meaning. And If habilité...