21Robert R. Livingston to the American Peace Commissioners, 31 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society; AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives Congress were yesterday pleased to pass the enclosed Resolutions on the subject of the payment of British Debts— The language they speak requires no Comment— I complained in my last of your long Silence, or rather laid before you the Complaint of Congress. These I think receive...
22Reuben Harvey to the American Peace Commissioners, 10 February 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives Respected Friends John Adams, Benjamin Franklin John Jay & Henry Laurens, Esquires. Although my Name may be unknown to you, it is not so to many of your Countrymen whom the chance of War threw into Captivity at Kinsale & here during the late War, so unnaturally waged, & persisted in by a weak, wicked Ministry— In the early part of it some few warm Friends to America...
23Lafayette 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...
24Robert R. Livingston to the American Peace Commissioners, 25 March 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Two copies: Massachusetts Historical Society; AL (draft): New York Public Library; transcript: National Archives On the morning of March 12 Congress learned from the hand of Joshua Barney, captain of the packet General Washington , that the American peace commissioners had signed conditional preliminary articles with Great Britain on November 30, 1782. In addition to delivering the provisional...
25Robert R. Livingston to the American Peace Commissioners, 21 April 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society; ALS (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives Upon the receipt of the provisional Articles & a subsequent account bro’t by a Vessel dispatched by Count d’Estaing, I wrote the Letter No. 1. to Sr. Guy Carleton, & No. 2. to Admiral Digby: to which I recieved the Answers No. 3. & 4. You will find them cold & distant— Those they...
26David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners, 14 June 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Library of Congress, William L. Clements Library, Massachusetts Historical Society; two incomplete copies and incomplete transcript: National Archives The American peace commissioners grew increasingly suspicious as they waited for Fox to respond to the article that Hartley had presented to them without prior approval on May 21. Hartley drafted another memorial for them on June 1, but...
27Henry Strachey’s Remarks to the American Peace Commissioners, 25 November 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: New York Public Library Strachey’s return to Paris opened a new round of intensive negotiations which culminated in the signing of a provisional peace treaty on November 30. The present document is Strachey’s recollection of what he said to the American peace commissioners when he presented them with the British counterproposal to their second draft treaty. This meeting was held at...
28Draft of a Declaration to Be Made by the American Peace Commissioners, 2 January 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Two D : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Nous soussignés Ministres Plenipres. des Etats unis &a. Déclarons qu’en agréant et consentant a fixer par notre signature des articles qui avoient été discutés entre nous et M. Oswald muni de pleins pouvoirs a cet effet par S. M. le R. [Sa Majesté le Roi] de la grande Bretagne pour être inserés dans le futur traite de paix, nous n’avons eu...
29Robert R. Livingston to the American Peace Commissioners, 28 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, South Carolina Historical Society; AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives By the direction of Congress, contained in the enclosed resolutions, I have the honor to transmit you the Correspondence between General Washington & Sir Guy Carlton, together with minutes of their Conference, when, in pursuance of the invitation...
30David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners: Memorandum, [before 27 April 1783] (Franklin Papers)
D : Massachusetts Historical Society; copy: Public Record Office David Hartley arrived in Paris on April 24. The following day he called on the individual American peace commissioners and found them eager to arrange for the opening of British and American ports to each other’s trade and to conclude as quickly as possible a definitive treaty of peace. On April 26 he went to Versailles,...
31Continental Congress to the American Peace Commissioners: Instructions, [15 June 1781] (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères, Library of Congress (two), National Archives (two), Massachusetts Historical Society, Charles E. Feinberg, Detroit (1957); L (draft): National Archives; LS : Philip D. Sang, River Forest, Illinois (1959), Massachusetts Historical Society You are hereby authorised and instructed to concur in behalf of these United States with his most...
32Richard Oswald to the American Peace Commissioners, 4 November 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and five copies: Public Record Office; LS : Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: William L. Clements Library (two), Library of Congress, National Archives (two), North Carolina State Division of Archives and History; press copy of copy: Library of Congress; transcript: National Archives You may remember that from the very beginning of our Negotiation for Settling a Peace between Great...
33David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners: Memorial, 1 June 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: National Archives (two), Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, Public Record Office; transcript: National Archives The proposition which has been made for an universal & unlimited reciprocity of Intercourse & Commerce, between Great-Britain and the American United-States, requires a very serious Consideration on the part of Great-Britain, for the reasons already stated...