351The American Peace Commissioners: Commission for William Temple Franklin, [1 October 1782] (Franklin Papers)
DS : Yale University Library; copies: Library of Congress (two), American Philosophical Society, Massachusetts Historical Society The present document, penned by William Temple Franklin on October 1, was most likely signed by Franklin the same day. It was eventually signed by all the peace commissioners, but not without hesitation (on the part of John Jay) and outright hostility (on the part...
352The American Commissioners to Any Captain Bound to America, 10 June 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress; copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives (two) <Passy, June 10, 1778: Advices from London on the 5th are that Byron’s squadron is still at Plymouth, and is ordered not to sail at present for America. > Published in Butterfield, John Adams Diary , IV , 135. In BF ’s hand. See the commissioners’ warning to state officers above, May 18. Byron,...
353Draft Peace Treaty Agreed to by the American Peace Commissioners and Richard Oswald, 4 November 1782 (Adams 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, on behalf of His said Majesty, on the one part. And Benjamin Franklin, John Jay and John Adams, three of the Commissioners of the said States for treating of Peace with the Commissioner of His said Majesty, on their...
354The American Commissioners: Memorandum for the Dutch, [before 31 March 1778] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: the Marquess of Abergavenny, Eridge Castle, Sussex (1955) When the Ancestors of the present Inhabitants of the United States of America first settled that Country, they did it entirely at their own expence; The public of England never granted one Shilling to aid in their Establishment. Georgia is an exception for which public grants have been made. Had any such grants been ever made they...
355Vergennes and the American Commissioners: An Exchange of Declarations, 1 September 1778 (Franklin Papers)
(I) D (draft): Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; two transcripts: National Archives; (II) D (draft): Harvard University Library; copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania; two transcripts: National Archives; (III) AD (draft): Cornell University Library; two transcripts: National Archives On August 3 the commissioners finally received the anticipated permission to delete articles 11...
356Draft Article on Loyalists, [ca. 26 November 1782] (Adams Papers)
Congress will recommend to the Legislature of each of the thirteen States to appoint Commissioners to be under Oath to appraise at a just Value, at this Time the Estates that have been confiscated, and to make Provision, in a reasonable Time, not exceeding two Years for the a Compensation, to those of the Refugees who have not taken an active Part in the War against the United states, and of...
357The American Peace Commissioners: Three Proposed Articles, [29 April 1783] (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society (three), National Archives (two), William L. Clements Library, Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères, Library of Congress; press copy of copy: American Philosophical Society; transcript and partial copy: National Archives No. 1. Article It is agreed, that so soon, as his Britannic Majesty shall have withdrawn all his Armies, Garrisons and...
358Draft Articles on the Fisheries, 29 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
That the Subjects of his Britannic Majesty and the People of the Said United States, Shall continue to enjoy unmolested, the Right to take Fish of every kind on the gr all the Banks of Newfoundland, in the Gulph of St Lawrence, and all other Places, where the Inhabitants of both Countries used formerly at any Time heretofore, to fish; and also to dry and cure the Same, at the accustomed Places...
359Preliminary Articles of Peace, [30 November 1782] (Franklin Papers)
DS : Public Record Office; copies: National Archives (six), Library of Congress (three), Massachusetts Historical Society (two), William L. Clements Library; press copies of copies: American Philosophical Society (two); transcripts: National Archives (four) Articles agreed upon, by and between Richard Oswald Esquire, the Commissioner of his Britannic Majesty, for treating of Peace with the...
360William 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...
Article. Manufactures. foreign Commodities. It is agreed, that American Merchants shall be allowed to import into any Part of the Dominions of his Britannic Majesty and there Sell and dispose of any Manufactures of the said United states or any other Merchandizes, of whatever kind of the Growth Production or Manufacture of any Part of the World, for the Purpose of making Remittances and paying...
362The American Peace Commissioners: Passport for British Ships, [3 February 1783] (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society (three), Library of Congress We John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and John Jay, three of the Ministers Plenipotentiary of the United States of America for making Peace with Great Britain. To all Captains or Commanders of Ships of War, Privateers or armed Vessels belonging to the said States, or to either of them, or to any of the Citizens of the same, And...
363The 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...
364Proposed Explanatory Article Regarding the Effective Date of the Provisional Peace Treaty, [ca. 27 April 1783] (Adams Papers)
Article. Whereas Provisional Articles, were agreed upon by and between the Crown of Great Britain on one side and the United states of America on the other on the 30 of November 1782, to be inserted in, and to constitute the Treaty of Peace proposed to be concluded between the Crown of Great Britain and the Said United states of America, but which Treaty was not to be concluded, untill Terms...
365Proposed Article Regarding Article 7 of the Preliminary Peace Treaty, 28 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
Article. His Britannic Majesty agrees, that within Months from this Date, and as much Sooner as may be, he will withdraw all his Armies, Garrisons and Fleets, from the Said United States, and from every Port Place and Harbour within the Same, and without causing any Destruction, or carrying away any Negroes, or other Property of the American Inhabitants, and leaving in all Fortifications the...
366Household Accounts of Benjamin Franklin and John Adams at Passy, 1 October 1778 – 23 February 1779 (Adams Papers)
1778 1778 Octr. 1 Passy Octr. 1. 1778 Sir Pay to the honble. John Adams Esqr., or order the Sum of Six thousand Livres, and Charge the Same to Account of the Commissioners 6000. B. Franklin John Adams Oct. 2 Cabaret for Stationary, per Receipt 84. 10. 6 Washerwomans Account for D. Franklin 78. 12 Dennis Account
367Draft Letter from the American Peace Commissioners to Bariatinskii and Arkadii Markov, [before 15 July 1783] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society Around July 13, the American commissioners had been given to understand that mediation by the imperial courts was “a mere formality—a mere Compliment, consisting wholly in the Imperial Ministers putting their names & Seals to the parchment, & can have no ill effect.” On that basis, and believing that Vergennes was in favor of it, Adams drafted the...
368Proclamation of the Cessation of Hostilities by the American Peace Commissioners, 20 February 1783 (Adams Papers)
By the Ministers Plenipotentiary of the United States of America for making Peace with Great Britain A Declaration of the Cessation of Arms, as well by Sea, as Land, agreed upon between His Majesty the King of Great Britain and the United States of America Whereas Preliminary Articles, were Signed, at Paris, on the thirtieth Day of November last, between the Plenipotentiaries of his Said...
369Declaration of Cessation of Arms, 20 February 1783 (Jay Papers)
By the Ministers Plenipotentiary of The United States of America For Making Peace with Great Britain A Declaration of The Cessation of Arms, as well by Sea, as Land, agreed upon between His Majesty The King of Great Britain and the United States of America Whereas Preliminary Articles, were Signed, at Paris, on the thirtieth Day of November last, between the Plenipotentiaries of his Said...
370Passport for British Merchant Ships, [ca. 3 February 1783] (Adams Papers)
We John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and John Jay, three of the Ministers Plenipotentiary of the United States of America for making Peace with Great Britain. To all Captains or Commanders of Ships of War, Privateers or armed Vessels belonging to the said States, or to either of them, or to any of the Citizens of the same—And to all others whom these Presents may concern send Greeting. Whereas...
371The 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...
372The American Commissioners to Any Governor or Member of a Council or House of Representatives of an American State, 18 … (Franklin Papers)
LS : Massachusetts Archives; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: National Archives (two), Pennsylvania State Archives, Public Record Office; two transcripts: National Archives <Passy, May 18, 1778: We have received reliable word that eleven British ships of the line are at St. Helen’s, near Portsmouth, bound for North America. You are requested to forward this letter as...
373The 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...
374Preliminary 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...
375The American Commissioners to All Whom It May Concern, 18 December 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives These are to certify that the Bearer of this, Mr Gillam Tailor, is a Native and an Inhabitant of Boston in the State of Massachusetts Bay, that he is of a respectable Family, and unexceptionable Character. That he has acted for Some Years, in the public Service of the united States of America, in the Capacity of...
376The American Peace Commissioners: Acceptance of the British Declaration of the Cessation of Hostilities, [20 January … (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society (three), National Archives (three), Library of Congress (two), Public Record Office, Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; press copy of copy: National Archives; transcripts: National Archives (three) When Franklin, Adams, and William Temple Franklin arrived at Vergennes’ office at ten o’clock on the morning of January 20, they learned that...
377Preliminary Articles of Peace: Second Draft Treaty, [4–7 November 1782] (Franklin Papers)
D and copy: Massachusetts Historical Society; two D and copy: Public Record Office; transcript: National Archives As new American and British negotiators were converging on Paris, Franklin’s isolation in Passy posed certain inconveniences. John Adams arrived on October 26 but, as he initially refused to call on Franklin, the latter was evidently unaware of his arrival until Matthew Ridley...
378The 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...
379Draft Articles on the Fisheries and Creditors, 28 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
That the Subjects of his Britannic Majesty and the People of the Said United States Shall continue to enjoy, unmolested, the Right to take Fish of every Kind, on the Grand Bank and on all the other Banks of Newfoundland: also in the Gulph of St Laurence, and in all other Places, where the Inhabitants of both Countries, used at any time heretofore to fish; and the Citizens of the Said United...