51The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 18 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Archivo Historico Nacional On March 14 the commissioners received their first dispatches from America. Among them was the letter above of December 30 from the committee of secret correspondence, enclosing the Congressional authorization to offer Versailles territorial inducements to enter the war. Deane promptly informed Vergennes that...
52The American Commissioners to Thomas Thompson, 13 October 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society We recd. from Messrs. Gourlad &c. an acct. of your arrival and were informed that you had a Private Letter for us which we have not yet recd. Conclude it must Come to hand in the Course of this week. Mean time we desire you would inform us in a Letter under Cover of Messrs. Gourlade &c. what is the situation of your Vessels and what their destination, as...
53Agreement between the American Commissioners and Louis-Guillaume-Servais des Hayes de La Radière, 17 February 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AD (draft) : American Philosophical Society Whereas le Sr. Laradiere Major du Corps Royal du genie, in the Service of his most Christian Majesty, not having obtain’d his Leave of Absence when the Agreement between us and Messieurs le Chevalier du Portal, de Laumoy, and Gouvion, was concluded, viz. on the 13th of this Instant, could not become a Party by signing the said Agreement, but having...
54The American Commissioners to Henry Johnson, 25 July 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office Your Letter of the 18th: We received, as We gave Our Orders generally to Com: Wickes, we omitted writing in particular to You. We are sensible of Your Spirit, and gallant Behavior as an Officer, and of Your Attachment to your Country as an Americain, and shall with pleasure do justice to your Character in Our Letters to the Congress, who we doubt not will pay due...
55The American Commissioners to Jonathan Williams, Jr., 15 November 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Connecticut Historical Society, University of Virginia Library Yours by Capt. Nicholson are before us. Mr. Deanes Lettres of yesterday proposed passing a Sale of the Lyon and sending her out as french Property, that is that she go down the River as commanded by the french Captain, and that Captain Nicholson instead returning to Nantes go directly to meet her at the mouth of the River...
56The American Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 23 December 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères We beg Leave to acquaint your Excellency, that we are appointed and fully impowered by the Congress of the United States of America, to propose and negotiate a Treaty of Amity and Commerce between France and the said States. The just and generous Treatment their Trading Ships have received, by a free Admission into the Ports of this Kingdom,...
57The American Commissioners: Contract with Jean-Joseph Carié de Montieu, [6 June 1777] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: British Library In February, 1777, Congress sent a large order for military supplies, including 40,000 uniforms and cloth for as many more, which the commissioners acknowledged in late April. They then moved rapidly. Although they signed no contract before this one, they placed orders many weeks earlier. On April 27 they agreed with Chaumont and Jean Holker, one of the inspectors general...
58The American Commissioners: Proposed Memorial to Lord George Germain, 7 February 1777 (Franklin Papers)
DS : Library of Congress; ADS (draft): Library of Congress Whereas the Snow Dickenson with her Cargoe, which was the property of the Congress of the United States of America, was by an Act of Piracy, in some of her Crew, carried into the port of Bristol in England, and there as we are informed, was converted to the use of the Government of Great Britain; and the perpetrators of so base and...
59The American Commissioners to Lord Stormont, 2 April 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : the Johns Hopkins University Library; AL (draft): Library of Congress; copy: Public Record Office. We did ourselves the Honour of writing some time since to your Lordship on the Subject of Exchanging Prisoners. You did not condescend to give us any Answer, and therefore we expect none to this. We however take the Liberty of sending you Copies of certain Depositions, which we shall...
60The American Commissioners to Vergennes, [26 June 1777] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères To his Excellency the Count de Vergennes, Minister for Foreign Affairs We the underwritten, Commissioners from the Congress of the United States of N. America, beg leave to represent to your Excellency, that Captain Burnel, Commander of an armed Vessel commissioned by the said States, did lately take Refuge in the Port of Cherburgh with his...