From John Jay to John Adams, 1 February 1783
To John Adams
Paris 1 Feby. 1783
Sir
Mr. Fitzherbert has just been with me— He will give passports for american merchantmen, on our doing the like for british ones. He informed me that Doctr. Franklin is preparing a number of these Passports, in his own name. As this Business appears to both ^of^ us to appertain rather to the american Commissioners for peace, than to the residentiary Minister at this or any other Court; would it not be proper to apprize the Doctr. of our Sentiments, before the passports he is now making out shall be delivered?—1 Yours &c:
John Jay
His Excellency Mr Adams
1. In letters of 2 Feb. JA invited JJ and BF to discuss the passport issue and to prepare for signing a definitive treaty with Britain. They met the next day at Adams’s residence and agreed on a passport issued in all three names. See , 14: 230, 234–35. Subsequent correspondence with Fitzherbert on the reopening of trade was also conducted in the name of the American peace commissioners. See their letter to Fitzherbert of 20 Feb. 1783, below.