Jonathan Williams to the Commissioners, 23 January 1779
Jonathan Williams to the Commissioners
Nantes Jan: 23 1779
Honourable Gentlemen
I had the honour of writing you December 12 1778 inclosing a Letter from Messrs. Horneca Fitzeau & Co.1 relative to 13 Bales cases and Barrells marked 
I now inclose you Mr. Schweighauser’s receipt3 for the goods I delivered him the first article of which is the Bales cases &ca. above mentioned. I hear that one of these Cases still remains in Mr. Schweighausers possession. I therefore request you to give orders for it to be returned to me and to direct Messrs. Horneca Fitzeau and Co. to replace the others here.
I have also the Honour to inclose you Mr. Schweighausers receipt4 for the magazine and its appartenances. I should long since have forwarded these receipts, but waited for the delivery of the remainder of the Gunstocks. This is now done and the man who furnished them demands his money which I must pay agreeable to my Contract, but Mr. Schweighauser declines giving me a receipt for them, for what reason I can’t conceive, but I suppose he has writen to you on the Subject. I beg you will please to give him the necessary Directions that I may pay the man his money and finish the affair.
I delivered from the magazine to Mr. Montieu ships sundry articles agreeable to the inclosed note5 charged at the estimated prices, as that Gentleman chooses to settle the matter with you I have taken it from the account and beg you to settle it with him accordingly.
I have the honour to be with great respect Honourable Gentlemen Your most obedient & most humble Servant.
Jona. Williams
RC (PPAmP: Franklin Papers); docketed: “Mr. Jona. Williams ansd. Feb. 9. 1779”; by William Temple Franklin: “F. 11. Jany. 1779 Mr. Williams Letter.” The meaning of “F. 11” is unclear.
1. Neither Williams’ letter of 12 Dec. (PPAmP: Franklin Papers) nor the enclosed letter from Horneca, Fizeaux & Co. of 26 Nov. (PCC, No. 102, IV, f. 173–175) is printed here, but in this and the following paragraph Williams provides an accurate summary of their contents. In his letter of 12 Dec., he said that it was Ferdinand Grand who had informed him that the thirteen cases, with the other goods, all belonged to the Commissioners; this was the basis of Williams’ “supposition” of their ownership. Of particular interest was Williams’ request in that letter, alluded to here, that the Commissioners pay for the mistake.
2. For an inventory of the goods, which comprised 2 bales and I case of cloth and 8 cases and 2 barrels of medicine, see Benjamin Franklin to Horneca, Fizeaux & Co., 20 April 1778 (PU: Franklin Papers).
3. Not found.
4. Not found, but see Schweighauser to the Commissioners, 26 Sept. 1778, and note 2 (above).
5. Not found.