181The 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...
182Franklin and Silas Deane to Arthur Lee, 26 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society; copy: Harvard University Library; two copies: National Archives; three copies: University of Virginia Library The greater the public Consequences that may flow from the Return of our Dispatches, the more necessary it seem’d that the Court should be immediately acquainted with it that the miscarriage might as soon as possible be repair’d. It was near...
183The 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...
184Franklin and Silas Deane to Arthur Lee, 28 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
LS and copy: Harvard University Library; AL (draft ): American Philosophical Society; two copies: University of Virginia Library The treaties are copying both in French and English, will be done to Day and ready to be examined by you tomorrow Morning. We do not desire to postpone any Proposition you make, otherwise than from the Impossibility of doing two things at once. We suppose the Convoy...
185Franklin and Silas Deane to Arthur Lee, 1 March 1778 (Franklin Papers)
L : Harvard University Library Messrs. Franklin and Deane present their Compliments to Mr. Arthur Lee, it not being likely that the Dispatches can be ready at 12. O Clock beg Mr. Lee, would change the time of his coming to half past 5. at which time there is no doubt but that every thing will be ready. Mr. Franklin juniors respectful Compliments to Mr. A. Lee and reminds him of his Engagement...
186Franklin and Silas Deane to Arthur Lee, 3 March 1778 (Franklin Papers)
L : Harvard University Library Messrs: Franklin and Deane, will be ready to confer with Mr. Lee, tomorrow at 11. OClock precisely. Enclosed are the Dispatches which came by Mr. Austin, but not having as yet received Duplicates, beg they may be returned, when copied, or done with. Addressed: Honble Arthur Lee Esqr / Chaillot. Endorsed: March 3d 1778 In WTF ’s hand. At the meeting, which took...
187Franklin and Silas Deane to the Duc de La Rochefoucauld, 3 March 1778 (Franklin Papers)
L : Bibliothèque municipale, Mantes Messrs: Franklin and Deane, present their respectful Compliments to the Duc de la Rochefoucauld, and shall be happy in the honour of his Company, tomorrow at Breakfast. 8. O Clock will not be the least inconvenient. In WTF ’s hand. The Duke was by now an old friend of BF .
188The American Commissioners to Conrad-Alexandre Gérard, 4 March 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Harvard University Library Being desirous of a conference with you on a subject, that appears to us of importance; we shall be glad to meet you here, or at Versailles, as soon as may be convenient to you. We have the honor to be, with the greatest respect, Sir, Your most Obedient and most Humble Servants Notation: 1778. Mars 4. Both...
189The American Commissioners to Ralph Izard, 10 March 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society As soon as the Commissioners to this Court shall have completed any Treaties here and it is in their Power to communicate them, you may depend on their Readiness to comply with your Request. And whenever you shall think proper to appoint a Meeting for the purpose of conferring with them on the other Points mention’d in the Letter you honour’d them...
190The American Commissioners to Jonathan Williams, Jr., 16 March 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society The quantity of Stores you have on hand and the difficulty you find in shipping them induces us to accept of Mr. Monthieus proposal of taking his Goods out of the Mercury and loading intirely with the Stores of the public. Mr. Montieu has made that offer taking the same rate of Freight for the whole as was agreed for the quantity actually loaded already. We...
191To 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...
192To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 8 April 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I find that I shall have little Time to spare and can therefore only inform You That We arrived here the 6th. without Accident: Our Freind the Day after and that We hope to go forward in two or three days. The grateful Sense which I retain of the many Civilities shewn Me by Our Freinds at Paris and at Passy, makes me regret my having been obliged to set out...
193To George Washington from Silas Deane, 12 August 1778 (Washington Papers)
I had the pleasure of receiving your polite & Freindly Letter of the 25th Ulto but Three days ago, and Col. Bannister informing me, he should set out in a Day, or Two, for the Army, prevented my instantly writing to tell you, how happy I am to find that my Conduct has met your Approbation, & how much I consider myself honored by it. next to the satisfaction which rises from a consciousness, of...
194To George Washington from Silas Deane, 22 August 1778 (Washington Papers)
I wrote you by Col. Bannister, which Letter You will have received before this; I now write by Capt. Webb, just to ask if any thing can be done for the Exchange of Col. Webb Prisoner as I learn on Long Island, I am very desirous of seeing him before I leave Philadelphia not only on Account of the Affection I bear him, but on Business of some Consequence to Us both, if an exchange cannot be...
195To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 2 September 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote You by Capt. Cummins who sailed a few Days since, and I have been so particular to Docr. Bancroft who will communicate my Letter to You that I have very little to add. Genl. Sullivan by Accts. of the 25th Ulto. was endeavoring to make good his Retreat from Rhode Island, which it is thought he will hardly effect without some Loss. The Country and...
196To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 15 September 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This is the first letter informing Franklin of his election as minister plenipotentiary to the court of France; the official notification was not sent for another six weeks. The dissolution of the American commission was not the result of its internal dissensions and inefficiency, but rather of the dictates of diplomatic protocol. This demanded that the...
197To George Washington from Silas Deane, 26 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
Major Tallmadge, a gentleman for whom I have a particular regard is desirous of seeing me here for a few days, and as I have a Phaeton and horses in his care, it would be extremely convenient for him as well as for me to have him come down with them, as by that means, I may probably have the opportunity of accompanying of him back; if it be consistent with the service to permit him to make the...
198To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 21 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society During the first half of September Deane was optimistic that congressional approval of his conduct as commissioner would permit his quick return to Europe. Between September 19 and October 15, however, that optimism was undermined. On those two dates Henry Laurens presented to Congress letters he had received from Ralph Izard criticizing the conduct of...
199To George Washington from Silas Deane, 8 December 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have been so long flattering myself with the hopes of having my affairs finished here so early as to afford me an opportunity of visiting my friends at the Army and elsewhere, before I returned to Europe, that the Season is at length so far advanced on me, that I almost despair of it; five long Months I have spent in humble and continual solicitations to be heard until neither my patience,...
200To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 7 February 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Pennsylvania Library Count Montford will do himself the honor of waiting on You with this Letter, & It is with Pleasure I embrace the Opportunity to recommend him to Your Notice, as one who has served, and acquired good Reputation in Our Army. He has served immediately under Count Polaski and has rose from a Voluntier to the rank of Major, when his private Affairs, obliging...
201To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 15 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This will be handed to you by Mons. Colomb, who came out to America with the Marquiss de la Fayette, & has served with Reputation in the Army of the United States, and now returns to Visit his Country, and Freinds, I take therefore the Liberty to introduce him to your Acquaintence and to refer you to him for Information of the State of Our Army, and its...
202To 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...
203To 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....
204To John Jay from Silas Deane, 13 September 1780 (Jay Papers)
I have written You Two Letters since my Arrival the last on the 4 th Inst. as I know not whether you may have preserved Our Cypher, I dare not be particular on Subjects which you may wish to hear from me upon. M r . Searle is arrived from Philadelphia, I have not seen him nor has D r Franklin, but I learn that he brings nothing New, he landed at Brest. Two Vessels lately Arrived at L’Orient,...
205To John Jay from Silas Deane, 18–20 September 1780 (Jay Papers)
I received yours of the 8 th . this Evening, and this being my fourth Letter to You, since my Arrival, You must be convinced that Your suspicions of Neglect on my part are groundless, nor is it possible for Me to be so taken up with any Affairs, or so resentful for any Treatment I have met with, as to be unmindful of the public Affairs of Our Country, or forgetful of my Friends, whither in...
206To John Jay from Silas Deane, 9 October 1780 (Jay Papers)
This is my fifth Letter since my arrival, and having received no Acknowledgment from you of the Rec t : of any one of them I am a little uneasy for the Fate of them in particular for that which inclosed a Letter from Don Juan to the Minister;—my last was of the 18 th Ult o . in which I wrote you my Sentiments on political Affairs, nothing New has since occurred to induce a Change. Letters are...
207To John Jay from Silas Deane, 16 October 1780 (Jay Papers)
Yours of the 2 d . I received last Evening, am much surprized at the miscarriage of my Letter of the 28 th . of August nor can I account for it as it actually went under Cover by the Courier from Court, the Contents were not secret though important ^ to me, ^ & containing a Letter of Don Juans to the Minister at Madrid, its loss cannot be repaired, I trust you will yet receive it.— C t ....
208To John Jay from Silas Deane, 16 November 1780 (Jay Papers)
I received your favors of the 26 th Ult o . & the 1 st Inst. this Day. I had begun to doubt whether my Reflections on Our political Situation, had not been a little too free, & which with the Total want of any News of Consequence for a Month past, has caused my Silence; for although I find the Settlement of Acc ts . a much more tedious & perplexing Affair than I imagined, & which has called...
209To 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...
210To 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...