31The American Commissioners to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, 29 July 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; three copies and one transcript: National Archives <Passy, July 29, 1778: We received your letters of May 14 and 15. We congratulate you on the general good appearance of our affairs and are happy you are determined to accept no peace terms contrary to our alliance with France. We have not received from Congress the authorization we need to remove...
32The American Commissioners to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, 18 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; attested copy: National Archives; copy: Harvard University Library; copy and transcript: National Archives Since our last of Nov. 30, a Copy of which is herewith sent you, we received your Dispatches of Oct. 6. from York Town. They came to us by a Packet from Boston, which brought the great News of Burgoynes Defeat and Surrender, News that apparently occasion’d as much...
33The American Commissioners to the Committee of Commerce, 29 July 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, July 29, 1778: We have received your letter of May 28 by Captain Reed [Read]. We rejoice at the arrival of even 49 hogsheads of tobacco, but wish for more. As we are under contract with the farmers general to furnish 5,000 hogsheads, for which we have already received a million livres, we have consigned this...
34The American Commissioners to Gustavus Conyngham, [before 19 April 1778] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress The interest which the public has in the vessel you command makes us regard her as a continental Ship of war. Mr. Hodge and Mr. Ross have therefore no right to direct or controul you. Neither had Mr. Deane alone any right to dispose of the vessel; nor of the produce of the prizes you made, as Monsr. Lagonere informs us he has done. You will give us an account...
35The American Commissioners to Gustavus Conyngham, 19 April 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives; incomplete copy: National Archives; fragment of ALS : Musée de Blérancourt We have received a Complaint from the remaining Part of your Officers and Crew, of an unfair distribution of Prize Money by Mr. Hodge. To prevent any Such Complaints in future, We desire that you will put your Prizes into the Hands of Messieurs Gardoqui at...
36The American Commissioners to Comic, Veuve Mathurin & fils, 30 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society We have to thank you for the Account you gave us of Capt. Johnson’s Escape and should have acknowledged the same sooner but were in hopes it would have been confirmed by his Arrival, but unhappily your Intelligence was premature and he unhappily remains still a prisoner. In Behalf of Doctr. Franklin and Self I am with much respect Your most Obedient and...
37The American Commissioners to Cornic, Veuve Mathurin & fils, 2 January 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: Library of Congress, National Archives (two) We have written Instructions to Mr J. D. Schweighauser of Nantes to dispose of the Cargo of the Brig Morris Captain Gunnison, and to settle with you any demand you may have for Disbursements &c on her Account. We are &c In JA ’s hand.
38The American Commissioners to Harmon Courter, 17 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society We Deliver you herewith our Letters and Dispatches for Congress which you will take Care of, and on no account Let them go out of your Possession until you deliver them up to the Hon’ble Committee of Foreign Affairs. On your embarking secure them in a Proper manner for being Sunk, in Case of being actually taken by the Enemy. We give you 100 Louis D’ors for...
39The American Commissioners to Simeon Deane, [20 December 1777] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: University of Pennsylvania Library You will receive herewith a Packet for Monsr. L Moyne Commissaire &c. at Bourdeaux, and also a Packet for the Committee of Congress for Foreign affairs. You are directed to go for Bourdeaux without loss of Time and on your arrival within one Post of the City that you send forward your Servant to Mons. Le Moyne informing him that you have a Packet for...
40The American Commissioners to Jean H. Delap, 26 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society Yours of the 19th we received Yesterday and immediately enclosed it to Monsieur De Sartine in a Letter of ours, and have not the least Doubt that Justice will be immediately done. The part you have acted merits our Thanks, and Justice to you requires that we should represent it to our Friends in America, which we shall do in our first Dispatches. You on the...
41The American Commissioners to S. and J. H. Delap, 24 June 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, June 24, 1778: Please send us an accounting of the prize money mentioned in the enclosed letter. > Published in Butterfield, John Adams Diary , IV , 142. That from John Paul Jones above, June 10. The commissioners’ request finally produced results. JW informed them on July 16, below, that he had received the...
42The American Commissioners to S. and J.-H. Delap, 18 [i.e., 23] July 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives Having the fullest Confidence in the Security you offer for Captain William Hill Sergeant, We herewith enclose a blank Bond for you to fill up, sign and return to us: We enclose also a Letter for Captain Sergeant with his Commission and Instructions. We have the Honour to be with great Esteem &c. The date as written...
43The 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...
44The American Commissioners to the Duke of Dorset, 28 October 1784 (Adams Papers)
The United States of america in Congress assembled judging that an intercourse between the Subjects of his Britannic Majesty & the Citizens of the Said States founded on the Principles of equality, reciprocity & friendship may be of mutual advantage to both nations, on the 12 th. day of may last, issued their Commission under the Seal of the Said States to the Subscribers as their Ministers...
45The American Commissioners to the Duke of Dorset, 9 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
We have received the Letter which your grace did us the honour of writing us on the 24 th. day of Last month, and we received with much Satisfaction the assurances on the part of his Britannic Majesty’s Ministers of their readiness to take into consideration any proposals coming from the United States of america that Can tend to the establishing a System of mutual & permanent advantage, to the...
46The American Commissioners to Franco and Adrianus Dubbeldemuts, 3 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society Mr. Dorsius of Charlestown South Carolina is a Gentleman we would recommend to you as one much employed, and of Confidence, and one very proper to act for you in your Affair at that Place. Should Mr. Dorsius be engaged in other Business, or should he or his Friends be so interested in that Privateer which made Prize of your Vessel (which is possible) that...
47The American Commissioners to Dumas, 9 September 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : William N. Dearborn, Nashville, Tennessee (1962); copy: National Archives <Passy, September 9, 1778: We received yours hinting that some of your friends wish the commissioners should propose a treaty to your government. It really would be a pleasure thus to cement a union between the two republics, but having received no answer to their letter sent some months ago on the subject to the...
48The American Commissioners to Dumas, 10/16 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): University of Virginia Library; two copies: National Archives We have received yours of the 2d Instant, with the Declaration sign’d by Mr. Van Berckel, and his explanatory Letter to you, which give us much pleasure, as they show the good Disposition of that respectable Body, the Burgomasters of Amsterdam towards the United States of America, and their Willingness, as far as may...
49The American Commissioners to the Eastern Navy Board, 29 July 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, July 29, 1778: We have received your letter of June 8 by Captain Barnes of the Dispatch , as well as the packets forwarded by the Massachusetts Council. We have given orders to Mr. Schweighauser to provide for the captain’s return voyage and have ordered our banker to give a month’s pay to him and his crew and...
50The 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...
51The American Commissioners to William Temple Franklin, 27 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: University of Virginia Library As an acknowledgement for your services as Secretary to us, we desire you will accept one hundred Louis-dores which Mr. Grand will be so good as to pay you on receipt of this. We are, Sir, Your most Obedient Servants In Arthur Lee’s hand. 2,400 l.t. Designating WTF as the commissioners’ secretary, it should be noted, did not secure him the position; the...
52The American Commissioners to Gentlemen at Nantes, 1 February 1779: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: Library of Congress, National Archives <Passy, February 1, 1779: We received yours of January 28. We are unhappy that we cannot give you effectual relief. The power to appoint consuls rests wholly with Congress; we can only appoint agents to execute our orders. Congress, a few days before it received news of the Treaty, empowered us to...
53The American Commissioners to Gentlemen at Nantes, 13 January 1779: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, Library of Congress, National Archives (two) <Passy, January 13, 1779: We received yesterday your letter of the seventh and one from the comte de Vergennes, a copy of which is enclosed. We wrote his Excellency today requesting the convoy be sent to Nantes. We regret the convoy will not be able to go all the way to America, and hope it will continue...
54The American Commissioners to Gentlemen at Nantes, 11 February 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, Library of Congress, National Archives We embrace this first Opportunity, to enclose you a Copy of a Letter, We have just had the honor of receiving from his Excellency Mr. De Sartine. We wish you may find Advantage in the Convoy and have the honor to be with very great Esteem & Respect, Gentlemen, &c Of the same date, below.
55The American Commissioners to Gentlemen at Nantes, 5 December 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives We have, the Mortification to be informed, that our Answer to your Letter, requesting Us to join, in your Request to the Ministry for a Convoy has never reached you. We have the Honour to Send you a duplicate of that which We wrote you on the Eleventh Ulto. and send forth with. We also inclose Copy of our other Letter...
56The American Commissioners to Gentlemen at Nantes, 26 January 1779: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: Library of Congress, National Archives (two) <Passy, January 26, 1779: We received your letter of January 21 yesterday. You ask which ports are free pursuant to the treaty. As yet none have been specifically designated. All French ports are open to all American vessels, and it would not be politic to apply for any further distinctions,...
57The American Commissioners to Gentlemen at Nantes, 11 November 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) : Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives We have this Moment received the Letter, which you did Us the Honour to write to Us, on the Seventh of the present Month, and We hold ourselves obliged to you for giving Us an opportunity of uniting our Endeavours with yours, to obtain a Sufficient Convoy for the Vessells bound to America for the whole Voyage. It...
58The American Commissioners to Gentlemen at Nantes, 9 February 1778 [i.e., 1779] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: Library of Congress, National Archives (two) We have the Honour to inclose, you, a Letter just received from his Excellency the Comte De Vergennes, containing as We Suppose the final Answer of his Exellency, the Minister of Marine, to the applications, for a Convoy. We wish you may be able to derive Advantage from it: & are with great...
59The American Commissioners to Gentlemen at Nantes, 27 [i.e., 28] November 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives We are desired by the Ministry to inform ourselves as precisely as possible, at what Time the Vessells bound to America will be ready to Sail.—it is Said that upon a former Occasion the Convoy was obliged to wait a long Time, an Inconvenience that it is wished may be avoided upon this occasion. We beg your earliest...
60The American Commissioners to Conrad-Alexandre Gérard, 4 March 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Harvard University Library Being desirous of a conference with you on a subject, that appears to us of importance; we shall be glad to meet you here, or at Versailles, as soon as may be convenient to you. We have the honor to be, with the greatest respect, Sir, Your most Obedient and most Humble Servants Notation: 1778. Mars 4. Both...