John Jay Papers
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To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 15 January 1782, enclosing Vergennes to Benjamin Franklin, 31 December 1781

From Benjamin Franklin

Passy, Jan. 15. 1782

Dear Sir

Mr. Grand tells me that he hears from Madrid, you are uneasy at my long Silence.— I have had much Vexation and Perplexity lately with the Affair of our Goods in Holland:1 And I have so many urgent Correspondencies to keep up, that some of them at times necessarily suffer. I purpose writing fully to you per next Post. In the mean time I send the enclos’d for your Meditation. The “cursed Bills,” as you justly term them, do us infinite Prejudice: But we must not be discouraged. I am ever, with the greatest Esteem, Dear Sir, Your most obedient & most humble Servant

B Franklin

His Excellency John Jay Esqr

[Enclosure: Vergennes to Benjamin Franklin, 31 December 1781]2

Copie d’une Lettre de M. le Comte De Vergennes à M. Franklin, dattée de Versailles le 31. Xbre. 1781.

J’ai reçu, Monsieur, la Lettre que vous m’avez fait l’Honneur de m’écrire le 27. de ce Mois.— Je n’examinerai pas la Variation et l’Augmentation qu’ont éprouvées les Demandes successives que vous m’avez faites de Fonds pour l’Acquittement de vos Traites; je me bornerai à vous marquer que dez que vous vous croyez suffisament autorisé à disposer, pour le Compte du Congrès, des Deniers provenant de l’Emprunt de Hollande, je proposerai à M. de Fleury de vous fournir le million que vous demandez lorsqu’il aura été versé dans le Tresor royal. Mais je crois devoir vous prevenir que si M. Morris fournit des traites pour ce même Million, je ne pourvoirai pas à leur Acquittement, et que je les laisserai protester. Je dois vous prevenir également, Monsieur, qu’il ne sera decidément plus rien fourni au delà du million dont il est Question, et que si les Traites que vous pouvez avoir acceptées passent cette Somme, ce sera à vous à aviser aux moyens de les acquitter. Je n’excepte que celles de M. Morris en tant qu’elles n’outrepasseront pas le Réliquat de l’Emprunt de Hollande, Deduction faite du million qui vous sera remis, et des Frais que l’Emprunt peut avoir occasionnés.

J’ai l’honneur d’être tres-sincèrement, Monsieur, votre très humble et très obéissant Serviteur.

(signé) De Vergennes.—

P.S.

Je vous renvoye ci joint, Monsieur, la Lettre du Sr. Grand.—3

LS, NNC (EJ: 5592). Addressed: “To his Excellency / John Jay Esquire / Minister Plenipotentiary from the / United States of America / at / Madrid.—” Endorsed: “Doctr. Franklin / 15 Jany 1782 / Recd 27 Do—”. LbkC, DLC: Franklin (EJ: 10334). LbkCs, embedded in JJ to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, 28 Apr. 1782, below, DNA: PCC, item 110, 2: 55 (EJ: 4203); NNC: JJ Lbk. 1; CSmH (EJ: 3452). Enclosure: Vergennes to BF, 31 Dec. 1781, C, NNC (EJ: 5591); see note 2, below.

1Goods purchased by John Laurens, in whose transport Alexander Gillon became involved. See the notes to JJ to Gillon, 9 Oct. 1781, above.

2C, NNC (EJ: 5591). Additional texts: LS, DLC: Franklin; Dft, FrPMAE; C, MHi; LbkCs, embedded in JJ to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, 28 Apr. 1782, below, DNA: PCC, item 110, 2: 55–56; NNC: JJ Lbk. 1; CSmH. See PBF description begins William B. Willcox et al., eds., The Papers of Benjamin Franklin (39 vols. to date; New Haven, Conn., 1959–) description ends , 36: 347, for the list of variant texts and a transcription of the LS. Translation (from RDC description begins Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States (6 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1889) description ends , 5: 351–52):

“Sir: I have received the letter you did me the honor to write me the 27th instant. I shall not enter into an examination of the successive variations and augmentations of your demands on me for funds to meet your payments. I shall merely remark that whenever you shall consider yourself fully authorised to dispose of the proceeds of the Dutch loan, on behalf of Congress, I will propose to M. de Fleury to supply you with the million required as soon as it shall have been paid into the royal treasury. But I think it my duty, sir, to inform you that if Mr. Morris issues drafts on this same million I shall not be able to provide for the payment of them, and shall leave them to be protested. I ought also to inform you that there will be nothing more supplied than the million above mentioned, and if the drafts which you have already accepted exceed that sum it must be for you to contrive the means of meeting them. I shall make an exception only in favor of those of Mr. Morris, provided they shall not exceed the remainder of the Dutch loan after deducting the million, which shall be placed at your disposal, and the expenses of the loan. I have the honor to be, &c.,

De Vergennes.

P.S.— I remit to you herewith the letter of Mr. Grand.”

3Grand to BF, [before 27 Dec. 1781], press copy of ALS, PPAmP; PBF description begins William B. Willcox et al., eds., The Papers of Benjamin Franklin (39 vols. to date; New Haven, Conn., 1959–) description ends , 36: 316–17.

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