1To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, [20 March 1779] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am just Coming from Versailles where I went à hunting with the king, and I Do take this first opportunity of inquiring for the state of your health— I hope you are free by this time from your troublesome Gout— I make no doubt but that you knew last Night of the Senegal being taken by our troops— that Advantage I think is interesting for the Allied powers,...
2To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis de Lafayette, 28 April 1783 (Franklin Papers)
L : American Philosophical Society Le Mis. De la fayette fait Ses compliments à Monsieur franklin et le prie de lui faire lhonneur de Venir diner chez luy jeudy prochain en Sa maison Rue de Bourbon. May 1. The other American peace commissioners went as well: Butterfield, John Adams Diary , III , 117. Having reached the age of majority (25 years), Lafayette was able to purchase a house on the...
3To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 12 February 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; transcript: Harvard University Library I Had the Night Before Last the pleasure to See Mr. franklin and Gave Him some Account of the Situation our Affair Was in at that time. I Can for the Present be More Particular, and will Relate What Has Past Respecting the letter of Mr. de Veymerange and the Several Articles a list of which Has Been put into My Hands....
4To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, [15 or 22 June 1782] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Will You Please, My dear sir, to let me Have a Copy of the Paper I gave to Major Ross, that I May Enclose it to General Washington and get His approbation of the Measure? The Moment You get the Bill be pleased to Communicate it— I will do the same on my part, and am Very Anxious to see How that Piece is Manufactured. Notation: La Fayette The two Saturdays...
5To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 19 May 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Inclos’d I have the honor to Send you a letter from Mons. de Gimat giving an account of a very dangerous division Betwen the officers of the Alliance—that I had foreSeen long ago, and I believe Some thing or other Must be done, in this affair. I also send you the ideas for prints I have Somewhat increas’d, and I Could indeed Make out an immense Book upon so...
6To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 24 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society According to the letter your Grand son wrote me last Morning I have obtain’d from the Ministry that the four thousand Compleat Cloathes would be Carried on Board of the frigatte that is ordered to Carry me to America— so that if they are at Rochefort, la Rochelle, l’isle d aix or l’isle de Rhé By the Second of the next month they will be taken on Board— I...
7To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 5 March 1782 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society The Mis. [Marquis] de la fayette Has the Honor to Present His Respectfull Compliments to Mr. franklin and informs Him that the frigat Hermione is Arrived in 23 days from America— Mr. franklin’s dispatches Will No Doubt Be sent By Count de Vergennes—The Marquis Had two letters that Say Very little on public Business, and Will to Morrow After noon do Himself...
8To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis de Lafayette, 6 June 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Printed invitation with MS insertions: American Philosophical Society The Marquis de la Fayette has the Honor to present his Compliments to Mr. Franklin and begs the Favor of His Company at Dinner on Monday next An Answer is desired June 9. BF was a frequent guest at the Monday dinners held at Lafayette’s magnificent new home: XXXIX , 520–1n; Louis Gottschalk, Lafayette between the American...
9To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis de Lafayette, 20 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We are Again Going to Sail, But no News about our cloathing— What is Become of it, I Cannot Guess, and am extremely sorry that they are not Arriv’d— I hope the Whole will be soon Sent to America, and this intelligence will I dare Say Be very Agreable to the Army. In Wishing You A Good health, and the accomplishment of any thing You May desire, in Wishing...
10To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 4 December 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress To My Very Great Concern, I Have not Yet Received Your Answer to My letter, Nor the Account of What Has officially Past in Monney Matters— But Your Opinion Has Been I should Go, and I Am Pursuing an object that May I Hope prove Useful to America— Upon Your Opinion therefore, I Determine My Going— We are Under sails With 9 ships of the line, And about 6000 Men Recruits...
11To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 10 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society From a Ministerial letter I just Receive from Versaïlles I Begin to hope that My little Negotiation will take a Good turn, and as I Made it my point to succeed in this affair, No exertions will be untried for the purpose— I should, My Good friend, have done Myself the honor of Waïting on You this Morning, was I Not seiz’d By A Violent Cold, Which I the more...
12To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis de Lafayette, [7 March 1779] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : S. Howard Goldman, Weston, Connecticut (1989) Inclos’d I have the honor to send a letter which I beg leave to Reccommend to your excellency that (if possible) Mr Blodget Might obtain the leave of Coming to Paris— I am just Going to Versailles, and if you have any Commands for me they shall ever be well Come. With the highest Regard and sincerest affection I have the honor to be Dear Sir...
13To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, [26 November 1782] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress Having Waïted some time for Mr. jay, I Was told By doctor Bancroft that the two other Ministers Now Agreed With You in Opinion that After What I Had done in the Affair of Monney, it was Better for me Immediately to join the Convoy— However I Waïted once More Upon Count de Vergennes on My Passage at Versaïlles, and Had a long Conversation With Him— Let the dispatches...
14To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 13 April 1782 (Franklin Papers)
L : University of Pennsylvania Library Le Mis De la fayette a l’honneur de presenter Son Respect à Monsieur franklin, et comme il ne doit Voir qu’a onze heures la personne interessée dans la petite affaire dont il la Chargé hier, il pense que le depart d’aujourd’huy pourroit être differé jusqu’a demain au point du jour. Dès qu’il y aura une Réponse Le Mis De la fayette aura lhonneur d’en faire...
15To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, [c. 31 March 1779] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I went yesterday to pay My Respects to your Excellency, and waïted as long as it was in My power— I wanted telling you that I hope the Expedition will be fix’d upon but the scale yet lessened— So that we Can’t do so much as was expected, but however some advantage May be got by this little incursion—Mr de Maurepas thinks it highly Necessary to Converse with...
16To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 9 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We were thinking But of winter quarters for the troops, and preparing every thing for our Return to paris, when an extraordinary Courier Brought us the order of Being Ready to March at a Moment’s Warning— I Need not telling you how surpris’d I was of this Unexpected Resolution that I know to have been taken on a sudden By the Ministry, and I seize the...
17To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 21 June 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress Having Nothing New to Communicate I will Remain this day at Versailles, and will Wait on Your Excellency in the Course of to morrow’s Morning— Mr. Grenville Has dined with Count de Vergennes, and is Going Again to write to London —if this Goes on, at Least it Goes at A Moderate Gate— I Hope Your Health is Better, and Have the Honor to Be with Great Respect Your...
Since the Early Period When I Had the Happiness to Be Adopted Among the Sons of America, I ever Made it My Point to do that Which I thought Would prove Useful to Her Cause or Agreable to Her Citizens— After We Had Long Stood By ourselves, France did join in our Quarrell, and So Soon as Count d’Estaing’s departure Made My Presence Unnecessary, I Had a Permission to Return to France Where, Among...
19To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 10 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This letter will be delivered to Your Excellency By Mr. Smith who in compagny with Mr. Watts came from Virginia on commercial Business in which they have for a partner a good friend of Mine Bre [Brigadier] General Scott— Those two Gentlemen I Beg leave to present and most particularly to Reccommend to Yr Excellency that they Might apply themselves to You on...
20To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis de Lafayette: Two Letters, 29 August 1779 (Franklin Papers)
(I) ALS : American Philosophical Society; copies: Library of Congress, National Archives; transcript: National Archives; (II) ALS : American Philosophical Society Whatever Expectations Might have been Rais’d from the Sense of past favors, the Goodness of the United States for me has ever been such, that on every occasion it far surpasses any idea I could have conceiv’d— A new proof of that...
21To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, [25 June 1782] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress You Have Been Acquainted that Mr. de Castries’s Courier was to Go to Morrow Evening, and I intend taking the same Opportunity to write to Congress and General Washington— But as I want to justify My delay, Upon the trüe Motives of it, those of Public Utility, and American Wellfare, I Hope Your Excellency will please to Mention fully the Matter to Congress, and By...
22To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, [c. 26 May 1779] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society I have just now Receiv’d a letter from the President of Congress which I think Should be in Compagny with Many others— I therefore wish to know before My departure when did the pacquet sail from America, what kind of ship she was, what News or what people she brought with her— that I do’nt only desire as an american citizen who wants to hear from his...
23To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 13 December 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Harvard University Library, American Philosophical Society I did myself the honor of writing to you a letter from Camp, wherein your Excellency will find an account of some late transactions on this side of the water— I am now to inform you, that our Army are gone into winter Quarters, & by their position effectually cover the State of New Jersey, as well as our Works on the North-River—...
24To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 1 February 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I Had Some Weeks Ago the Honor of Writing to You from Philadelphia, And Inform’d You that Congress were About dispatching A Particular Messenger, with A View to forward french Succour, and Laying our Situation Before the Court of Versaïlles— this I Attribute to the difficulties that Prevented the Naming of A Secretary to Your Embassy, a point on Which I am...
25To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis de Lafayette, 28 July 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society With the Greatest pleasure I hear that By a frigatte just arriv’d at Brest you may have Got some news from America—how far my heart is Concern’d in any thing that may happen to My American fellow Citizens, I need not telling to You— I therefore entreat you, My good friend, to let me know Any public or private, important or insignificant intelligence you...
26Lafayette to the American Peace Commissioners, 21 November 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Newberry Library; transcript: New York Public Library Since the Early Period When I Had the Happiness to Be Adopted Among the sons of America, I Ever Made it My Point to do that Which I thought Would prove Useful to Her Cause or Agreable to Her Citizens. After We Had Long Stood By ourselves, France did join in our Quarrell, and So Soon as Count d’Estaing’s departure Made My Presence...
27To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis de Lafayette, [13–14 February 1779] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I hope my Letter will Reach your excellency soon enough as to prevent your going to versailles for our propos’d meeting— I will not yet wait on the king and his Majesty’s orders are to stay in paris without seeing a great Number of Acquaintances— I confess I can’t help much approving his wisdom on this Respect that Many people have already propagated...
28To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 9 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society According to an appointement I had Requested from Mr. De Montbarrey, I had last Morning a Conversation With that Minister, wherein I did Earnestly urge the Necessity of sending from the Royal Magazines to America, fifteen thousands Stands of Arms and a large Quantity of powder— I Can’t say My Endeavours, tho’ Exerted to the Best of My Power, have met with...
29To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, [6 December 1779] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I told what you know as Coming from Myself, and the Answer has been that some thing would be done that way—being ask’d what You had Said to me on that affair, I Answerd that we had spoken on it in General terms, But in the same time thought proper most strongly to urge on a speedy supply. They are Before all waiting for intelligences from Count Destaing and...
30To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 12 September 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania In the present letter Lafayette confirms that Vergennes secretly sent Gérard de Rayneval to England for a meeting with Shelburne. Jay had heard this news on September 9, the day he and Oswald were forging a compromise about the language of Oswald’s commission. Suspecting that the purpose of Rayneval’s mission was to arrange a peace with France at...