1To John Adams from Silas Deane, 8 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
It is now two Years since I left America without the satisfaction of bidding You farewell, and of talking over with You many things then on my mind respecting Our Country and The great Cause in which We had been long engaged; To remedy this disagreeable Circumstance which at the Time gave Me pain, I wrote You a long Letter on my passage and sent it from Bordeaux; as I have never received any...
2The American Commissioners to John Adams, [on or before 5 May 1777] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress With this, you will receive Dispatches; with which you are to sail with all possible expedition. You will enclose the Dispatches in a Box with Lead, and have it always ready to sink, shoud you be in unavoidable danger of falling into the Enemies hands. To prevent this misfortune, you will constantly keep a good look-out, and be very cautious how you approach any...
3The American Commissioners to the Conde de Aranda, 28 December 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archivo Historico Nacional; draft: Harvard University Library We wish to inform your Excellency, that we are directed by the United States of America, to cultivate the Friendship of the Court of Spain, with that of France. For that purpose, as well as to pay our personal Respects to your Excellency, we purpose to wait upon you to-morrow, or on any other Day that will be more convenient,...
4The American Commissioners: Memorandum for Vergennes and Aranda, 25 September 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; LS : Archivo Historico National This memorandum, under its calm surface, conveys a sense of depression; and the commissioners had reason to be depressed. They seem to have become suddenly aware that they were in deep financial trouble, because they had made commitments that they did not have the money to honor and that Congress could not....
5The 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...
6The American Commissioners to Bérard frères, 26 November 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society Yours of the 17th is before us. Our Letter by your Express will direct you how to proceed with the Cargo of the Amphitrite. The Ship herself is at the Order of Mr. Peltier, and the sooner he has her the better, but the Cargo is at ours. In regard to which we have nothing to alter from the Directions given in our former untill you favour us with an Answer to...
7The 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...
8The American Commissioners to Commanders of American Armed Vessels, 21 November 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Two copies: National Archives This circular letter was a companion piece to the commissioners’ memorandum to the French and Spanish courts below, November 23, and had been equally long under consideration. Lee presented his draft of the letter to his colleagues on the 9th. An argument developed over how to interpret the old maxim that free ships make free goods: Lee’s draft had apparently...
9The American Commissioners to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, 28 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
LS and transcript: National Archives; incomplete copy: Massachusetts Archives; copy: Harvard University Library Our Dispatches of Decr. 18. which would have acquainted you with the State of our Affairs here, and our Expectations of a speedy Conclusion of the Treaties with this Court, are unfortunately returned; the French Man of War which went on purpose to carry them, having met with some...
10The American Commissioners to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, 7 October 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Attested copy: Harvard University Library; copies: British Library (incomplete), National Archives (three), Sheffield City Library (two), South Carolina Historical Society We received duly your Dispatches by Mr. McCrery, and Capt. Young, dated May 20 and 30. June 13, 18, and 26 and July 2. The Intelligence they contain is very particular and Satisfactory. It rejoices us to be informed that...
11The American Commissioners to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, 8 September 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: British Library, Harvard University Library, National Archives (three) It is long since we had a Line from you, the last received being of the Date of [ blank in MS ] per Mr. Reed. We suppose from the same Causes which have occasioned your hearing so seldom from us, the Difficulty of finding safe Conveyances, and sometimes the Loss of the Dispatches by the Way. Mr. Lee informs you, we...
12The American Commissioners to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, 16 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
LS : South Carolina Historical Society; transcript and two copies: National Archives We have now the Pleasure of sending you the Treaties of Amity and Alliance with France compleated after long Deliberation and signed the 6th. Instant. This is an Event that will give our States such an Appearance of Stability, as must strengthen our Credit, encourage other Powers in Europe to ally themselves...
13The American Commissioners to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, 17 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society We have given Capt. Courter whom we have entrusted with our Dispatches one hundred Louis D’Ors: His Journey to Corogne will be very expensive. He will keep an Account of his Expences which he will give you and we recommend him to you for such further allowance, independant of the Actual expence of his Voyage, as you shall judge adequate to his Services. He...
14The American Commissioners to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, 26 May 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: National Archives The Navy of the United States increasing in the Number of its Ships and Force, it is of the utmost importance to direct the Cruises of the Shipps of War which belong either to the States or individuals so as to annoy and alarm the Enemy the most effectually, and at the same Time to encourage Our brave Officers and Seamen by the Value of prizes. The West India...
15The American Commissioners to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, 30 November 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; AL (draft ): Yale University Library; three copies: National Archives When the commissioners met on November 27 to plan this dispatch, differences between them soon emerged. Lee profoundly distrusted Deane, who he believed had Franklin in his pocket and, in his dual role of private businessman and agent of Congress, was playing fast and loose with public money. Deane...
16The 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...
17Franklin 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...
18The American Commissioners to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, 25 May 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: National Archives; two copies: British Library Agreeable to what we mentioned in ours of March 14 and April the 9th (a third Copy of which we send herewith) Mr. Lee tarry’d here some Weeks after his Return from Spain. No News arriving (tho’ we received Letters from you) of any Commissioner being actually appointed for Prussia, and the Necessity of a good Understanding with that...
19The American Commissioners to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 8 February 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: National Archives Since Our last We have received the inclosed Intelligence from London, which we take the earliest Opportunity of forwarding, in hopes it may be received with Our other Letters by Nantes. A Vessel from So: Carolina, loaded by that state, which sailed the 20th December, is arrived at L’Orient with Rice and Indigo. As We were particular in Our last which was sent...
20The American Commissioners to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 6 February 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS and copy: National Archives; copy: Harvard University Library Since our last, a Copy of which is enclosed Mr. Hodge is arrived here from Martinique, and has brought safely the Papers he was charged with. He had a long Passage and was near being starved. We are about to employ him in a Service, pointed out by you, at Dunkirk or Flushing. He has delivered us three sets of the Papers we...
21The American Commissioners to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 17[–22] January 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS and two copies: National Archives; copy: South Carolina Historical Society We joined each other at this place on the 22d. of December and on the 28th. had an Audience of his Excellency the Count De Vergennes, one of his most Christian Majesty’s principal Secretarys of State and Minister for Foreign Affairs. We laid before him our Commission with the Articles of the proposed Treaty of...
22The American Commissioners to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 4 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: National Archives We send you herewith the Draught of a Frigate, by a very ingenious Officer in this service, which appears to Us peculiarly suitable for Our purpose, and We are in hopes of being able to ship Cordage and Sail Cloth, and Anchors &c. sufficient for Five or Six such Frigates, by the Time you can have them built. Though deprived of any intelligence from you since the...
23The American Commissioners to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 12 March[–9 April 1777] (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; L : British Library; copy: National Archives It is now more than 4 Months since Mr. Franklin’s Departure from Philadelphia, and not a Line from thence written since that time has hitherto reached either of your Commissioners in Europe. We have had no Information of what passes in America but thro’ England, and the Advices are for the most part such only as the Ministry...
24The American Commissioners to [the Committee of Secret Correspondence], 28 April 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Harvard University Library We wrote to you pretty fully on the State of Affairs here, in ours of the 12th of March and 19th of this Month, since which there has been little Alteration. There is yet no Certainty of a sudden Declaration of War, but the Preparations go on vigorously both here and in Spain, the Armies of france drawing towards the Sea Coasts, and those of Spain to the...
25Silas Deane to Robert Morris and the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 23 June 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : (duplicate): Library of Congress This letter, in form to Morris but in fact to the committee, is the only one from Deane that Franklin surely saw before his departure for France; it was therefore part of his small stock of information about what would face him in Europe. The letter deals only with the preliminaries of Deane’s mission, because he reached France long after he had hoped to....
26The American Commissioners to Gustavus Conyngham, [before 19 April 1778] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress The interest which the public has in the vessel you command makes us regard her as a continental Ship of war. Mr. Hodge and Mr. Ross have therefore no right to direct or controul you. Neither had Mr. Deane alone any right to dispose of the vessel; nor of the produce of the prizes you made, as Monsr. Lagonere informs us he has done. You will give us an account...
27The 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...
28The American Commissioners to Veuve Cornic & fils, 10 September 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Staatsbibliothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz, früher Preussischer Staatsbibliothek, Berlin; copy: Connecticut Historical Society We have directed Capt. Johnson to draw on Us for the Amount of the Sums furnished by you for his Disbursements, which Bills will be duly honored. In Answer to Yours, to Doct. Franklin, We have to assure You that We have ever had the fullest Confidence in Your...
29The American Commissioners to Harmon Courter, 17 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society We Deliver you herewith our Letters and Dispatches for Congress which you will take Care of, and on no account Let them go out of your Possession until you deliver them up to the Hon’ble Committee of Foreign Affairs. On your embarking secure them in a Proper manner for being Sunk, in Case of being actually taken by the Enemy. We give you 100 Louis D’ors for...
30The 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...
31The American Commissioners to the Delaps, 21 November 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society We are informed that the Ship Portsmouth, which left Bourdeaux a few days since, made Prize of a Vessel from Cork entering the River, with a Pilot onboard and after she had got into the Passage of Grave. This is the Captain’s Story, on which his complaint is founded. We ask you to enquire into the particulars of this Transaction and send us the Pilots...
32The 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...
33The American Commissioners to Franco and Adrianus Dubbeldemuts, 23 November 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society We received yours of the 18th and observe the Contents. We shall this Week transmit to America the Papers relative to your Vessel taken and write on the Subject as we proposed in our last Letter; at the same Time as there is danger of the Packets being intercepted, it will be proper for you to send Duplicates to your Correspondent in St. Eustatia from...
34The American Commissioners to Franco and Adrianus Dubbeldemuts, [10 November 1777] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress We had the honor of receiving in due time your Letters of the 30th. of Octr. last, together with the Papers annexd. It gives us much concern to find that any persons belonging to America shoud be chargeable with having acted with such violence and injustice. But as it appears they have sent with the Vessel the Papers which will prove the illegality of their...
35The 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...
36The American Commissioners: Memorandum for the Farmers General, 17 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AD (draft): American Philosophical Society Messrs. Franklin and Deane, having considered the Proposition of the F G dated the 15th Inst. and willing to serve and oblige them, will agree to the Articles proposed with this Addition, viz. Article 7. If the Tobacco in America can be purchased at such a Rate, as that with the Addition of all Charges and Losses in purchasing and transporting it to...
37The American Commissioners to John Folger, 19 October 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Harvard University Library We have consider’d your Proposition of Returning in case of the Accident you mention on this Coast, and approve of the same: You will therefore act accordingly. We wish you a good Voyage, and are Sir, Your humble Servants Addressed: To Captn. / John Folger / To Care of Mr. Jno. Moylan / Merchs / Havre du Grace In BF ’s...
38[Silas Deane] to John Folger, 7 October 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Connecticut Historical Society; Harvard University Library This letter set in motion a train of events that culminated in a theft even more sensational than that of Arthur Lee’s papers in Berlin. Folger was one of two John Folgers of Nantucket who were Franklin’s distant relatives; which one is uncertain. He landed in England in May from a voyage to the Falkland Islands, he said, and...
39To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 4 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mr Vanderpar a Gentleman from Zeeland prays to have the honor of waiting on You Tomorrow Morning on the subject of a Vessel taken by Capt. Jones and by him sent to America. If Agreeable I shall wait on You with him in the Morning at Breakfast, & doubt not but that You will be well pleased with an Acquaintance with him. Meantime I have the honor to be with...
40To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 16 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have seen Sir Geo. Grand who was Yesterday at Versailles, and this morning with Mons. De Sartine; I find it impossible for me to go out this Afternoon, as I must be engaged every moment in Business. I must pray you to excuse me to Marechal Maillebois. He put into my hands a Memoire of one Millin de la Brosse, which I forgot to shew you, but I sent a...
41To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 22 May 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am at last determined on sending my Son to an Academy near Brussels, for a short Time, & having an Opportunity for his going in a few Days pray You to give him a Passport, for which he has the honor to wait on You, & to take his leave. I am with The highest respect Dear sir Your most Obedt & Very humle servt Addressed: A Monsieur / Monsieur Franklin /...
42To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 22 February 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The situation of public Affairs you must recollect was such, at the Time when the Revenge Cutter was fitted out at Dunkerque, that every transaction was kept as secret as possible, and covered under other Names, than of those really concerned, by which it is impossible for me, or perhaps for any one, (as Capt. Cunningham is dead) to declare positively on...
43To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 29 July 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I arrived at Rochfort Two Days since after Forty Three Days passage from York in Virginia, and came here last Evening to Visit a Friend. The length of Our passage, has prevented my being the Bearer of any News from America, later than what you are already acquainted with, for which Reason I shall take Nantes in my way and pass a few Days there with Mr....
44To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 27 January 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I arrived here yesterday but so fatigued by the badness of the Road & Weather that I shall rest untill tomorrow to recover sufficiently, to pursue my Journey; You can expect no Information from me, from a Town, in which I am a Stranger, & from which both Politics, and Commerce, appear to have been long since banished, though from what I have seen of it, it...
45To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 24 December 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am now waiting here for a Passage for France and hope to embark in Two or Three Weeks in the Fendant, a Twenty four Gun Ship commanded by the Marquiss De Vaudreuil, by way of Martinico. Your Daughter and Family were in good health, when I left Philadelphia.— We are now alarmed here with Accounts from New York of an Invasion of this, and the other Southern...
46To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 11 May 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I send you M. Montieus Acct. inclosed, and at the request of Mr. Vandepere, Duplicates of the Protest in the Affair of the Capture, made by Captn Jones, about which he waited on You, which protests he prays may be forwarded to Congress. I shall be much obliged to You to let Me know nearly what Time, Letters must be ready, in order to go with your next...
47To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 19 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AL : University of Pennsylvania Library I this instant received the inclosed, and as I do not fully Understand the meaning of it I judged it Necessary to go immediately and see Mr. Gerard. I will be back by about Eight o’Clock. I think that it is designed that Our Letter should be sent by the Minister’s Messenger, it is perhaps the most proper. If so it must be Compleated this Evening, as well...
48To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 13 May 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives The Letter which you did me the honor to write to me on the 19th. ultimo, did not come to hand untill last evening— I pray you to accept of my thanks for your attention to Mine of the 30th, of March, and I can but flatter myself that Congress will be induced by your Letters to take decisive measures, on the subject of my acco’ts. As I did not expect an answer to my long...
49To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 23 October 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I go to Town this Evening to a Rendezvous with Messrs. Chaumont and Holker. The latter will be very much obliged to You for the Letters You promised him, he wishes to set out tomorrow morning. Docr. Bancroft is returned. Inclosed is a Letter from Thornton and with this I leave You the Papers, and am Dear Sir Your most Obedient, and Very humble Servant...
50To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 8 January 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Mr. Deane’s Compliments to Docr. Franklin and prays him to be at his house Rue Royale at Six this Evening where he will meet the Gentleman Mr. Deane went this Morning to Visit on an Affair of the greatest Consequence. Addressed: To / The Honle. Benj Franklin Esq In a similar invitation to Arthur Lee, Deane explained that the meeting was at Gérard’s request:...