301The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 10 September 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, September 10, 1778: On April 13 Congress resolved that the commissioners should settle with Roderigue Hortalez & Cie. on a compensation for the supplies they provided. The commerce committee sent us the contract made with Beaumarchais’ agent Théveneau de...
302The Commissioners to John Lloyd and Others, 13 January 1779 (Adams Papers)
We had Yesterday the Honour of your Letter of the seventh of this Month, and at the same Time that of a Letter from his Excellency the Comte De Sartine Vergennes, Copy of which We inclose. We have this Day written to his Excellency, requesting, that the Convoy may be sent without delay to Nantes, where the Vessells are waiting for it. We are very sorry, that the Kings service will not Admit,...
303The American Commissioners to the President of Congress, 17 September 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; three copies and transcript: National Archives <Passy, September 17, 1778: Since our last letter, July 20, there has been an important naval battle in which, in our opinion, the French had a manifest and great advantage. Both fleets are again at sea. The British public is amused and the public funds supported by rumors of peace. We are in a state...
304The Commissioners to Gabriel de Sartine, 12 October 1778 (Adams Papers)
The Letter which your Excellency did Us the Honour to write to Us on the Seventh of this Month, We duely received. In our Letter of the twenty Sixth of the last Month respecting the Goods of Mr. Izard on board the Nile, we cited the Sixteenth Article of the Treaty of Commerce, in Support of Mr. Izards claim, which your Excellency thinks an Error, and that it is the Fourteenth Article which...
305Draft Letter from the American Peace Commissioners to Bariatinskii and Arkadii Markov, [before 15 July 1783] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society Around July 13, the American commissioners had been given to understand that mediation by the imperial courts was “a mere formality—a mere Compliment, consisting wholly in the Imperial Ministers putting their names & Seals to the parchment, & can have no ill effect.” On that basis, and believing that Vergennes was in favor of it, Adams drafted the...
306Preliminary Peace Treaty between the United States and Great Britain, 30 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
Articles agreed upon by and between Richard Oswald Esquire, the Commissioner of his Britannic Majesty for treating of Peace with the Commissioners of the United States of America, in behalf of his Said Majesty, on the one Part, and John Adams Benjamin Franklin, John Jay and Henry Laurens, four of the Commissioners of the Said States for treating of Peace with the Commissioner of his Said...
307Preliminary Articles of Peace: Second Draft Treaty, [4–7 November 1782] (Franklin Papers)
D and copy: Massachusetts Historical Society; two D and copy: Public Record Office; transcript: National Archives As new American and British negotiators were converging on Paris, Franklin’s isolation in Passy posed certain inconveniences. John Adams arrived on October 26 but, as he initially refused to call on Franklin, the latter was evidently unaware of his arrival until Matthew Ridley...
308Draft Articles on the Fisheries and Creditors, 28 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
That the Subjects of his Britannic Majesty and the People of the Said United States Shall continue to enjoy, unmolested, the Right to take Fish of every Kind, on the Grand Bank and on all the other Banks of Newfoundland: also in the Gulph of St Laurence, and in all other Places, where the Inhabitants of both Countries, used at any time heretofore to fish; and the Citizens of the Said United...
309The American Commissioners to the Duke of Dorset, 28 October 1784 (Adams Papers)
While M. hartley was here as Minister from the Court of Great Britain, we had the honour of mentioning to him that we were instructed by the Congress to treat on Some points distinct from any regulations of Commerce He Communicated this to his Court & the very Satisfactory answer which he received & made to us of its good disposition & willingness to receive & consider any propositions that...
310The American Commissioners to Francesco Favi, 9 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
We have received your letter of the 16 th. of Nov r. wherein you are pleased to inform us that you had communicated to His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Tuscany the overtures we had the honour of making for the establishment of a treaty of Amity & Commerce between the Subjects of His Royal Highness & the Citizens of the United States of America; that these were agreeable to him, and that...
311The American Commissioners to John Jay, 18 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
We received by the last Packet the favor of your letter of Jan ry. 14. in which we have the agreeable information of your having accepted the appointment of Secretary for foreign Affairs. Besides the general interest we feel in this event as members of the Union which is to availed of your services, we are particularly happy that a channel of communication is opened for us with Congress in...
In our letter of Nov r 11 th. we had the honour of laying before Congress a state of our proceedings till that date. As from that it would appear that the last communications had in every instance passed from us to the other parties we can now only add the answers of such of them as have yet answered, & our replies; these are the courts of Portugal, Tuscany & Great Britain. N o. 1. is a copy...
313Draft Articles to Supplement the Preliminary Anglo-American Peace Treaty, [ca. 27 April 1783] (Adams Papers)
Articles agreed upon by and between David Hartley Esquire, Minister Plenipotentiary of his Britannic Majesty for &c in behalf of his Said Majesty on the one Part, and J.A. B.F. J.J. and H.L, Ministers Plenipotentiary of the United States of America for treating of Peace with the Minister Plenipotentiary of his Said Majesty, on their behalf, on the other Part, in Addition to those Articles...
314The American Peace Commissioners to David Hartley, 13 August 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Public Record Office; copies: William L. Clements Library, Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society We have received the Letter which you did us the honour to write on the 12th. Inst. and shall take the first Opportunity of conveying to Congress the agreable Information contained in it. The Sentiments & Sensations which the Re-establishment of Peace between our two Countries,...
315The American Peace Commissioners to David Hartley, 5 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Public Record Office, William L. Clements Library, Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives; press copy of copy: National Archives; copies of draft: Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society We have received the Letter which you did us the Honour to write yesterday. Your friendly Congratulations on the signature of the definitive Treaty, meet...
316The American Peace Commissioners to Robert R. Livingston, 14 December 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: American Philosophical Society, Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society; transcript: National Archives We have the honour to congratulate Congress on the Signature of the Preliminaries of a Peace between the Crown of Great Britain & the United States of America, to be inscribed, in a definitive Treaty...
317Proposed Article Regarding Article 7 of the Preliminary Peace Treaty, 28 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
Article. His Britannic Majesty agrees, that within Months from this Date, and as much Sooner as may be, he will withdraw all his Armies, Garrisons and Fleets, from the Said United States, and from every Port Place and Harbour within the Same, and without causing any Destruction, or carrying away any Negroes, or other Property of the American Inhabitants, and leaving in all Fortifications the...
318The American Peace Commissioners to Vergennes, 10 July 1783 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Messieurs Adams, Franklin & Jay, Ministers of the United States for treating of Peace, present their Respects to Mr le Comte de Vergennes, & request he would be pleased to favour them with a Copy of the Offer made by the two Imperial Courts of their Mediation. Notations: juillet 10 / rep. le 31 Juillet 1783. Written by BF . At Versailles on...
319The American Peace Commissioners: Acceptance of the British Declaration of the Cessation of Hostilities, [20 January … (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society (three), National Archives (three), Library of Congress (two), Public Record Office, Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; press copy of copy: National Archives; transcripts: National Archives (three) When Franklin, Adams, and William Temple Franklin arrived at Vergennes’ office at ten o’clock on the morning of January 20, they learned that...
320The American Commissioners to John Bondfield, 11 September 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, September 11, 1778: We have received yours of the 5th and wish better health to Captain Ayres. His ship should sail forthwith if it has not already done so. We will honor the draft for the account you enclosed, but you must distinguish the sums advanced to Mr. Adams in a private capacity as well as those...
321The American Commissioners to William Hamilton and John Welch, 11 November 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives We have received your Letters and wish it was in our Power to do more for officers in your Situation than We do, altho that amounts in the whole to a large Sum of Money. But as We have already lent you as much, as We have been able to lend to other officers of your Rank and in your Circumstances, we cannot, without a...
322The American Commissioners to Boux, 3 January 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society We have wrote Capt. Nicholson who will procure you a Passage to America and we hope it may be such a one as will be agreable. Inclosed you have a Letter for the Hon’ble the Marine Board which you will send to them and attend their future Orders. Capt. Nicholson will give you notice where to meet him, or the Ship in which you can have a passage. We are...
323The American Commissioners to John Ross, 11 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society Yours of the 6th. came to hand in Course; as Mr. W. Lee will be with you before the receipt of this we refer you to him for what has been done as to the Late Mr. Morris’s Papers &c. In regard to the Ship purchased by you, Commanded by Capt. J. Green which you Offer to assign over to the Public account we are content that you do it and Charge the amount to...
324The American Commissioners to Horneca, Fizeaux & Cie., 2 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society; National Archives (two) Nous voyons avec Plaisir, par votre Lettre du 17 Septembre, que vous avez bien compris L’arrangement proposé pour notre Emprunt et que vous y confirmerez, a l’exception de la Retinüe que vous demandez pouvoir faire dans la premiere Année de dix pour Cent qui ne doivent vous entrer que par dixieme chaque Année. Nous ne pouvons...
325The American Commissioners to Schweighauser, 4 November 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives (two) <Passy, November 4, 1778: We have at last seen M. Bersolle’s accounts. According to the resolutions of Congress, all captured vessels of war belong to the officers and crew, who in fact receive a bounty for every man and gun on board. Congress never intended to be accountable for further expense on account of these prizes. Every...
326The American Commissioners to John Paul Jones, 17 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress We received your several Letters from Nantes and Portsmouth. We shall be glad to see you here, as soon as is consistent with your Affairs, in order to consult with you on the Matters mention’d in your Instructions from the Congress, &c. We are, with Esteem Sir, Your most obedient and most humble Servants Addressed: To / John Paul Jones Esqr / Nantes Endorsed: Paris...
327The American Commissioners to James Smith, 28 August 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives We received your Letter dated Paris Hotel de Saxe Aug. 24. and, altho We are altogether of a different opinion from yours respecting your Right of passing with your Effects Americans being intituled by the Treaty, no more than the Subjects of any other state in Europe in Amity with France, to pass with their Effects...
328The American Commissioners to Sartine, 15 June 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives de la Marine; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, June 15, 1778: We refused M. Bersolle’s previous draft until he had sent his accounts. He then billed us for a thousand louis advanced to Capt. Jones on his arrival. Again we refused, because we had not authorized the advance and, when the Captain wrote that he could not feed his...
329The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 10 April 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères <Passy, April 10, 1778: Mr. Adams, appointed by Congress to replace Mr. Deane, has arrived and will wait on you as soon as he recovers from his voyage. He came on a continental frigate, which took a prize with a cargo valued at £70,000. Congress is detaining Gen. Burgoyne and his army for a breach of the convention, and has more than 10,000...
330The Commissioners to Gabriel de Sartine, 27 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
We have received the Letter which your Excellency did Us the Honour to write to Us on the 21 instant, relative to the Isabella, retaken from a Guernsey Privateer, by Captain McNeil in the General Mifflin. As it is extreamly probable that the Compte D’Estaing has retaken several American Vessells from the English, We shall no dout Soon have Intelligence, what has been done in those Cases. We...