101David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners: Propositions for the Definitive Treaty, [19 June 1783] (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society (two), William L. Clements Library, Library of Congress, National Archives (two); transcript: National Archives When the American peace commissioners saw David Hartley at Versailles on Tuesday, June 17, they told him that Congress had issued an order on April 24 opening American ports to British vessels—or so they understood from credible private...
102David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners, 12 August 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Public Record Office, Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society August 12 and 13 were of far greater diplomatic consequence than this exchange of formal letters about the birth of an English princess (the present letter and the commissioners’ answer of the following day) would suggest. On Tuesday, August 12, at the weekly meeting of ministers at Versailles, Franklin and...
103David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners, 29 August 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : William L. Clements Library; copies: Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives; press copy of copy: National Archives As the day is now fixed for the signatures of the Definitive treaties between Great Britain France and Spain I beg leave to inform you that I am ready to sign the Definitive treaty between Great Britain and the united States of America...
104To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 2 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania; copy: William L. Clements Library I find that the Answer wch I received in form from the American Ministers to that note wch I transmitted by Mr Adams, runs, that they will come to my Lodgings at Paris, tomorrow morning, for the purpose of signing the Treaty in Question. Mr Adams and Mr Jay understand it so and propose to come. Upon so great a Crisis...
105Definitive Treaty of Peace between the United States and Great Britain, 3 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
DS : Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives (two), Public Record Office; copies: Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives (two.) Early on the morning of September 3, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and William Temple Franklin rode into Paris carrying four official copies of the treaty that would end the War for American Independence. Joined by Adams,...
106David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners, 4 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copy and press copy of copy: National Archives; copies: William L. Clements Library, Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, Public Record Office It is with the sincerest Pleasure that I congratulate you on the happy Event which took Place Yesterday, viz., the Signature of the Definitive Treaty between our two Countries. I consider it as the auspicious Presage of returning...
107To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 7 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : William L. Clements Library I beg of you not to forget your letter to Mr Fox:— The purpose of my journey to England will be to do the best in my power for things & persons & particularly for my friends.— If you have any other private letters, send them to me. I will deliver them. I hope likewise be personally charged with the answers. I am better this morning and shall certainly set off...
108To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 24 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : William L. Clements Library I am at present at Bath with my Dearest Sister, whom I have found as well as I cd have expected, and I hope with reasonable hope of recovery in time. I have seen in London the ministry and hope things will go well with them. I am sure all is right & firm. The chief part of the cabinet ministers are out of town, but there will be a full cabinet held in a few...
109To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 4 October 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D., F.R.S., &c. (2nd ed.; 2 vols., London, 1817), II , 440–1. I only write one line to you to let you know that I am not forgetful of you, or of our common concerns. I have not heard any thing from the ministry yet: I believe it is a kind of vacation with them before the meeting of parliament. I...
110To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 11 October 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress I beg leave to introduce to you by this letter the Revd Dr Scrope a Gentleman of a very respectable character & family in Wiltshire bordering upon Glo’stershire. He has likewise the honour of being one of his Majesty’s Chaplains. He is in an infirm state of health and is going in to France for change of climate. The State of his health makes it uncertain at what time...
111To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 25 October 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress As short days & winter weather approach I have sent you the 12 yards of Scarlet Welsh flannel wch you requested me to bring with me at my return, because as the meeting of Parlt. is now so near at hand, I imagine that my return to Paris will be postponed till after that time. I wd not make you wait during Cold weather for the confortable scarlet waistcoat. Mr Jay is...
112To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 25 December 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: William L. Clements Library Before you receive this you will have heard of a total change of the British Administration. It is not as yet many hours since this event has taken place. The Cabinet is as follows viz Mr Pitt first Lord of the treasury Ld Thurlow chancellor marquis of Carmarthen } Secretaries of State Ld Gower President of Council Lord Sidney Ld Howe first Ld of the...
113To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 28 January 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress; copy: William L. Clements Library I am requested by Mr Dempster whom you must probably know by Parliamentary reputation to introduce to your acquaintance the bearer of this letter Dr Ross who proposes to settle in America as a Physician. I have no other acquaintance with him than thro Mr Dempster’s means but he appears by his conversation to be very ingenious and...
114To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 23 February 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin … (3rd ed.; 2 vols., London, 1818), II , 412–13; ALS (draft): William L. Clements Library I have met with a report from America, that congress has come to some resolution respecting the commerce with Great Britain, which is to depend conditionally upon the proceedings of the British parliament by the...
115To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 2 March 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Two ALS : Library of Congress, William L. Clements Library; transcript: National Archives Will you be so good as to transmitt the enclosed to Mr Jay. I am sorry that we are going to loose him from this side of the atlantic. If your American ratification shd arrive speedily, I might hope to have the pleasure of seeing him again before his departure. As soon as I hear from you of the arrival of...
116To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 26 March 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress I have received yours of the 11th instant. I am to inform you in answer that it is not thought necessary on the part of Great Britain to enter into any formal convention for the prolongation of the term in wch the ratifications were to be exchanged as the delay in America appears to have arisen merely in consequence of the inclemency of the season. There will be no...
117David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners, [9 April 1784] (Franklin Papers)
Two copies: National Archives; ALS (draft): Williams L. Clements Library I have received the honour of your Letter dated March 31. 1784 with the enclosures, wch. I have communicated to his Majesty’s Ministers. I have the Pleasure to inform you that the Ratification on our Part, is now making out, and that I have received orders to prepare for the Exchange at Paris with all convenient Speed....
118David Hartley’s “Project of a Treaty,” [after 27 April 1784] (Franklin Papers)
AD : Library of Congress On September 4, 1783, the day after signing the definitive treaty of peace with the United States, the British negotiator David Hartley put in writing the assurance he had given the American peace commissioners during the signing ceremony: that “in a very short time” the parties would renew the suspended negotiations for a commercial convention. Hartley delivered this...
119To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 13 May 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I shd be much obliged to you if you cd send me two or three words this evening after you have seen the Minister viz only thus much He can or He can not, because as the time advances to the meeting of Parlt., It wd be necessary for me to send the first part to England by our Courier early tomorrow morning if the printer cannot do the business here. I shall...
120To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 1 June 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: National Archives (London), William L. Clements Library; transcript: National Archives I have the honour to inform you that I have transmitted to London, the ratification on the part of Congress of the definitive treaty of peace, between Great Britain and the united states of america. I am ordered to represent to you, that a want of form appears in the first paragraph of that...
121To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 27 July 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress I have thought it a long while that my Confinement has prevented my seeing you. I was in hopes to have had the pleasure of seeing you to day, but I was indiscreet in going out the night before last, wch has encreased the pain & swelling of my foot. My foot is again rather better than it was yesterday, but I am afraid to venture out to day. I hope still to see you on...
122To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 4 August 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress I have not recd any letters from England—but I hear that a continuation of the Amern bill is passed. That is all the news that I hear— My leg has been very bad again. I now write in bed. I have been confined for these last four days almost entirely to my bed & mattrass. The pain now begins again to abate.— Your ever affecte Addressed: To Dr Franklin / &c &c &c / Passy...
123David Hartley to the American Commissioners: Memorandum, [16 September 1784] (Franklin Papers)
AD and copy : National Archives David Hartley met with the American commissioners on September 16 for what would be the last time. The purpose of his visit was to inform them of his recall and to reassure them that the British government remained eager to establish friendly trade relations. He left with the commissioners the present memorandum—passages excerpted from two letters he had...
124To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 1 December 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Charles E. Feinberg, Detroit, Michigan (1957); copy: William L. Clements Library I write to you from Bath where I am with my Sister who goes on slowly in her recovery but I hope in a fair way towards recovery. She desires to be remembered to you.— As to any matters of American negotiation I am not at present in any state of information. I am at present drawing up such opinions as occur...
125David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners, 14 June 1783 (Jay Papers)
Permit me to address the enclosed Memorial to your Excellencies, and to explain to you my reasons for so doing. It is because many consequences, now at a great distance, and unforeseen by us, may arise between our two Countries, perhaps from very minute & incidental transactions, which in their beginnings may be imperceptible & unsuspected as to their future effects. Our respective territories...
C , undated, DNA: PCC , item 85, 322–23. Endorsed: “M r Hartley’s / C Propositions / & our Ans rs ”. Additional texts listed in PJA Robert J. Taylor, Gregg L. Lint, et al., eds., Papers of John Adams (16 vols. to date; Cambridge, Mass., 1977–) , 15: 43–44. Enclosed in American Peace Commissioners to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, 27 July , below. JA ( Diary
127To John Jay from David Hartley, 2 March 1784 (Jay Papers)
I return you my best thanks for your much esteemed favour of the 22 d of february last and particularly for those very friendly sentiments w h you are so good as to express towards me. I assure you that similar sentiments are most sincerely reciprocal on my part. Your public & private conduct has impressed me with unalterable Esteem for you as a public and private friend.— I shall be very...
128To John Jay from David Hartley, August 1789 (Jay Papers)
It has given me much pleasure to have received a letter from you, and to hear that yourself & M rs Jay are well. I hope this will find M rs Jay perfectly recovered from her indisposition. I sincerely rejoice in the prosperity of your Country. That is to say in the return of prosperity by the abatement of the war. I think America was equally free to every effect of prosperity before her...
129To John Jay from David Hartley, 5 January 1795 (Jay Papers)
I have been requested by some very intimate friends who are now in france, to make application to you to assist them in procuring a pass port to quit France. I will explain the case to you, but I must previously explain the ground of the application personally to you. The parties are M r & M rs Miniconi. M rs Miniconi is the Daughter of the late M r W m Neate a merchant of London, & jointly...
130Aide-Mémoire from David Hartley, 16 September 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
You may with great Truth assure the American Ministers of our ready and friendly disposition to receive any proposals from the United States for the forming such regulations as may tend to the mutual and reciprocal advantage of both Countries. That his Majesty’s government would at all times be ready to concur in the forming such a System as may fully answer every purpose of commercial as well...
131To Thomas Jefferson from David Hartley, 15 April 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I am infinitely obliged to you for the favour of your letter which contains most interesting information to me who wish to maintain such friendly and candid correspondencies upon American matters for prospects of future times. At present by the public appearance of things the considerations of American matters do not seem to proceed. At least for my part I am not informed or instructed by...
132To Thomas Jefferson from David Hartley, 5 October 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I return you many thanks for the favours of yours which I received by Col. Franks. You will make me very happy by the continuance of your correspondences and the longer your letters are the better, more especially if you will not expect long letters from me in return. In my situation I must hear and be silent. My lesson is from Hamlet: You never shall — with arms encumbred thus, or thus, head...
133To Thomas Jefferson from David Hartley, 5 March 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I beg leave to introduce to you my relations Mr. Saml. Hartley and his Brother Col. James Hartley. They are come with a daughter of Mr. S. Hartley, partly upon a tour of pleasure for the Col. and Miss Hartley; but most principally on the part of Mr. Sam Hartley to obtain restitution of a sloop and Cargo which were taken by a french and American frigate, entering a french port and under both...
134To Thomas Jefferson from David Hartley, 23 April 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
By the favour of Coll. Smith I trouble you with this line of which the purpose and contents are only to entitle me to your remembrance. I sincerely regret when I had first the pleasure of your acquaintance that the time allowed me to profit by your friendship was so short. This, for private and personal reasons of respect and friendship to you—and for public reasons, because I know your...
135To Thomas Jefferson from David Hartley, 7 December 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
I have lately had some conversation with Mr. Bolton of Soho near Birmingham relative to a proposed recoinage of the Copper money of this Country, for which he is at present in negotiation with the British ministry. Upon this occasion he has shewn to me from the Charles town Gazette of april 14 1790 the report which you have presented to Congress upon a similar point in your States, by which I...
136To Thomas Jefferson from David Hartley, 6 September 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
May I beg the favour of you to give me your assistance officially, and as an old friend, towards obtaining letters patent in the united states of America, for the improvement of one of the most universal and important manufactures for the uses of life, that can exist in any country in the world; I mean the manufacture of all edged instruments of steel; than which none is more extensive or...