1The American Peace Commissioners to Prince Bariatinskii, [2 July 1783] (Franklin Papers)
Retranslation: reprinted from Nina N. Bashkina et al. , eds., The United States and Russia: the Beginning of Relations, 1765–1815 ([Washington, D.C., 1980]), p. 199. On Tuesday, July 1, at the weekly gathering of ministers at Versailles, Vergennes informed the American peace commissioners that the Anglo-French treaty had been settled, pending British approval, and the time had come for them to...
2Draft 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...
3To Benjamin Franklin from Bariatinskii, 9 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
L : American Philosophical Society Le Prince Bariatinskoy a l’honneur de remercier Monsieur franklein de la communication, qu’il a bien voulû Lui faire du Traite de Paix. Notation: Bariatinskoy 9. 7bre 1783— The next day, Bariatinskii sent Empress Catherine II two gifts from BF : a Libertas Americana medal with its explanation ( XXXIX , 549–55) and a copy of Constitutions des treize Etats-Unis...
4To Benjamin Franklin from Prince Bariatinskii, with Franklin’s Draft of a Reply, 16 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Le Prince Bariatinskoÿ prie monsieur Francklein de lui faire L’honneur de venir diner chez lui aprés demain jeudi Le 18. du Courant. R:S:V:P: Addressed: à Monsieur / Monsieur Francklein / ministre plenipotentiaire des / Etats Unis de l’Amerique / près S:M:T:C: / à Passÿ Endorsed: Mr Franklin presents his respectful Compliments to Prince Baritinsky, with...
5To Benjamin Franklin from Bariatinskii, 22 December 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society Around December 14, Major Pierre-Charles L’Enfant arrived in Paris from Philadelphia on a mission from the Society of the Cincinnati. The society was a fraternal organization of Continental Army officers that had formed the previous spring as the troops were disbanding. Its aims, as stated in its institution (charter), included promoting national unity,...
6From Benjamin Franklin to Bariatinskii, [c. 22 December 1783] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society I have never before heard of the Resolution of Congress you mention, and I doubt much of its Existence. Nor do I know any thing of the suppos’d Decision in Council at Versailles concerning it. I understand that a Number of the American Officers have agreed to form themselves into a Society for the laudable Purpose among others of relieving their poor...