1To Alexander Hamilton from Robert R. Livingston, 30 August 1783 (Hamilton Papers)
I felt a resentment at hearing that you had passed without stoping at Clermont that your friendly letter of the 13th. has hardly yet calmed. Abstracted from the pleasure of seeing you I had a thousand political inquiries to make for I have not yet been able to philosophize myself into that tranquil indifference which is perhaps necessary to ones happiness. I am much obliged to you for the...
2To James Madison from Robert R. Livingston, 19 July 1783 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Cover missing. Docketed by JM over the date line, “Livingston R. R,” and in the right margin at the close of the letter, “Rob. Livingston July 19. 1783.” The draft copy, among the Robert R. Livingston Papers in the New-York Historical Society, frequently varies in text from that received by JM. I have this moment been informed that the definitive treaty is concluded,...
3To Alexander Hamilton from Robert R. Livingston, 5 June 1783 (Hamilton Papers)
Mr Thompson this morning requests me in persuance of the order of yesterday to send the papers of this office under my seal to his office. I had supposed that it would have been the wish of Congress to continue them in the public office I have hired & to have given Mr. Thompson the direction of them. I am now perplexed to know what is to be done with the secretaries & clerks whether they are...
Congress were yesterday pleased to pass the enclosed Resolutions on the subject of the payment of British Debts— The language they speak requires no Comment— I complained in my last of your long Silence, or rather laid before you the Complaint of Congress. These I think receive additional force from Intelligence I have since had, that the Negotiations are still going on, and that important...
5Robert R. Livingston to the American Peace Commissioners, 31 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society; AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives Congress were yesterday pleased to pass the enclosed Resolutions on the subject of the payment of British Debts— The language they speak requires no Comment— I complained in my last of your long Silence, or rather laid before you the Complaint of Congress. These I think receive...
6To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 31 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : University of Pennsylvania Library; AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives I informed you some time since, that I had written to the Court of Appeals on the subject of the Nostra Signora da Soledade Saint Miguel e Almas, and lay’d before them the papers you sent me, the cause has since been determined in such way as I hope will be satisfactory to her...
By the direction of Congress, contained in the enclosd resolutions, I have the honor to transmit you the Correspondence between General Washington & Sir Guy Carlton, together with minutes of their Conference, when, in pursuance of the invitation of the first, they met in Orange-County. Nothing can be a more direct violation of the 7 th: Article of the Provisional Treaty, than sending off the...
8Robert R. Livingston to the American Peace Commissioners, 28 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, South Carolina Historical Society; AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives By the direction of Congress, contained in the enclosed resolutions, I have the honor to transmit you the Correspondence between General Washington & Sir Guy Carlton, together with minutes of their Conference, when, in pursuance of the invitation...
9To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 25 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; ALS (draft): New-York Historical Society Not knowing when it may be convenient for Mr Bingham to deliver this I confine myself merely to introduce him to your acquaintance— I am persuaded I need not, as his character is known to you to bespeak your civilities for him. It may however be prudent if, (as he proposes) Mrs Bingham should accompany him to...
10To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 9 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : University of Pennsylvania Library; AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives We have yet had no information from you subsequent to the signature of the Preliminary Articles by France, Spain and Britain, tho’ we have seen a declaration for the cessation of Hostilities signed by you, Mr. Adams, and Mr Jay— We grow every day more anxious for the definitive...
11To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 2 May 1783 (Washington Papers)
I am so sensible of Majr McHenrys merit that even independent of the advantagious light in which your Excellencys recommendation places it I should think myself happy to obtain his services in a line in which I am persuaded they will do honor to his country. Congress have it not in view at present to make an immediate appointment to London, & while Docr Franklin continues at Paris it would be...
12To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 2 May 1783 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday honored by the receipt of your Letter of the 22d April—I am happy to find that you have determined on a personal interview with General Carleton, which I am satisfied is the most probable means of bringing him to a prompt explanation of his intentions, if, (which I much doubt) he has yet been sufficiently authorized to have formed any. My doubts arise from the debates of the 3d...
13To John Jay from Robert R. Livingston, 1 May 1783 (Jay Papers)
Your public & private Letters have remained long unanswered, owing to the stagnation of commerce here on the prospect of peace, & the delay occasioned by M r . Jeffersons disappointment who was charged with both for you. I have now before me your Letters of the 13 th . Aug t (which M r Wright did ^ not ^ deliver till about a fortnight ago) & the 7 th . & 14 th Dec r . I immediatly wrote to...
Upon the receipt of the provisional Articles & a subsequent account brôt by a Vessel dispatched by Count d’Estaing, I wrote the Letter N o. 1. to S r. Guy Carleton, & N o. 2. to Admiral Digby: to which I recieved the Answers N o. 3. & 4. You will find them cold & distant— Those they wrote to the Minister of France, in answer to similar Communications made by him, were still more so, and...
15Robert R. Livingston to the American Peace Commissioners, 21 April 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society; ALS (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives Upon the receipt of the provisional Articles & a subsequent account bro’t by a Vessel dispatched by Count d’Estaing, I wrote the Letter No. 1. to Sr. Guy Carleton, & No. 2. to Admiral Digby: to which I recieved the Answers No. 3. & 4. You will find them cold & distant— Those they...
16Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston) to the American Peace Commissioners, 21 April 1783 (Jay Papers)
Upon the receipt of the provisional Articles and a subsequent account brought by a Vessel despatched by Count De Estaing — I wrote the Letter N o 1 to Sir Guy Carleton and N o 2 to Admiral Digby to which I received the answers N o . 3 and 4— You will find them cold and distant, those they wrote to the Minister of France in answer to similar communications made by him were still more so, and...
17To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 15 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
Congress have been, & still are extremely divided about the propriety of ratifying the present provisional Articles, & releasing their prisoners—The Articles are so drawn as to render them in many instances equivocal, & they doubt whether they shall consider them as preliminary or definitive—For my own part, I think them preliminary Articles, & that they should be ratified as such—As to the...
18To John Adams from Robert R. Livingston, 14 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
I received two days ago your favors of the 22 d: and 23 d: of January with the declarations for the cessation of Hostilities on which a doubt of much importance to the People of this Country is started— towit to know at what periods hostilities ceased on this Coast, that is what is meant by as far as the Canaries; if it means in the same Latitude , hostilities ceased here the third of March,...
19To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 12 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
I congratulate your Excellency most sincerely upon the cessation of hostilities which you will learn from the enclosed proclamation—You have doubtless heard directly from Genl Carleton on this subject, so that it will not be necessary to trouble you with the substance of his letter to me—Congress will this day on my report take into consideration the propriety of discharging the prisoners &...
20To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 9 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
I am now to reply to your Letter of the 29th of March, & again to offer you my congratulations on the farther evidence of a general peace having been concluded & ratified—I enter into yr Excellencys feelings on this interesting event the prospect of being soon relieved from the cares , the distresses, the Labours, the difficulties which for the last seven years have embittered your...
21To Thomas Jefferson from Robert R. Livingston, 4 April 1783 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor to inform you by the direction of Congress in answer to your Letter of the 13th. March “that they consider the object of your appointment as so far advanced, as to render it unnecessary for you to pursue your Voyage; And that Congress are well satisfied with the readiness you have shewn in undertaking a Service which from the present situation of Affairs they apprehend can be...
22To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 26 March 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS and L : University of Pennsylvania Library; AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives I need hardly tell you that the intelligence brought by the Washington diffused general pleasure here— We had long been in suspence with respect to the negotiations, & had received no other lights on that subject than those the speech of his Britannic Majesty & Mr Townshend’s...
I am now to acknowledge the favor of your joint Letter by the Washington, together with a Copy of the preliminary Articles —Both were laid before Congress— The Articles have met their warmest approbation, and have been generally seen by the People in the most favorable point of view. The steadiness manifested in not treating without an express acknowledgment of your Independence previous to a...
24Robert R. Livingston to the American Peace Commissioners, 25 March 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Two copies: Massachusetts Historical Society; AL (draft): New York Public Library; transcript: National Archives On the morning of March 12 Congress learned from the hand of Joshua Barney, captain of the packet General Washington , that the American peace commissioners had signed conditional preliminary articles with Great Britain on November 30, 1782. In addition to delivering the provisional...
25Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston) to the American Peace Commissioners, 25 March 1783 (Jay Papers)
I am now to acknowledge the favor of your joint Letter by the Washington together with a copy of the preliminary articles— Both were laid before Congress— The articles have met with their warmest approbation & have been generally recd ^ seen ^ by the people in the most favourable point of view— The steadyness manifested in not treating without an express acknowledgment of y r . independance...
26To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 24 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
You will by this express receive the agreable intelligence of peace upon which I most sin cerly congratulate you & the army—Harmony, a regard for justice, & fidelity to our engagements are all that now remains to render us a happy people—The Vessel that brought these dispatches was sent out by the Count Destaign to recal the french cruzers. As the minister tells me he will forward the orders &...
27Robert R. Livingston to Virginia Delegates, 15 March 1783 (Madison Papers)
RC (Virginia State Library). In the hand of a clerk, except for Livingston’s signature. Addressed to “The Honorable The Delegates for the Commonwealth of Virginia.” Docketed, “Ro. Livingston enclosing Aubrey Memorial.” The file copy of the letter is in NA : PCC , No. 119, III, 241. I have the honor to enclose a translation of a Memorial from Lewis Auby transmitted to me by Dr. Franklin with a...
28To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 13 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
I last night did myself the honor to write to your Excellency—This is only designed to cover the inclosed to Genl Carleton Congress having referred it generally to you. I have the honor to be with great esteem & respect Dr Sir Your Excellencys Most Obt Hum: Servt CSmH .
29To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 12 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
The Washington Packet arrived this morning, I have not yet had leisure to read all my Letters, but as an Express is ready to go early to Morrow, I rather chuse to rely upon your goodness to excuse a letter written in extreme haste; than to hold myself inexcusable, by not informing you of what we yet know of the State of our Negotiations, none of my Letters are of a latter date than the 24th...
30To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 26 February 1783 (Washington Papers)
In compliance with the directions of Congress contained in the inclosed resolution I have the honor to inform your Excellency that our last dispatches dated in October announce a disposition in the belligerent powers to terminate the war by a general peace the Court of London whose sincerity was most suspected because it was to make the greatest sacrifices appears to have smoothed the way by...