1To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 3 May 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mr. Deane having promissd to explain my ideas of the Situation In which I could ever be inducd to revisit Berlin, and Mr. Lee knowing from me what I expected on that Subject, are the reasons which have prevented a personal explanation with you on my part. I do assure you I feel infinitely more pain in solliciting a mode of serving my country than in...
2To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, [4 June 1777] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Inclosd is the Substence of Ld. Chathams motion. The court numbers show at once the hopes and intention of the Ministry. I am with much respect Your very humble Servant. Addressed: A Monsr. / Monsieur le Docteur Franklin / à Passy Notation: Carmicael On May 31 the Public Advertiser reported the defeat in the House of Lords the day before, by a vote of...
3William Carmichael to the American Commissioners, 31 June [30? 1 July?] 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Connecticut Historical Society Gustavus Conyngham, when last heard from, had been in prison with his crew in Dunkirk. On June 2 Deane asked Gérard that they be released and permitted to return to America, and on the 12th they were at large and working on their new ship, the cutter Revenge . On the 30th Carmichael arrived, as he says here, with instructions; they were ostensibly from the...
4William Carmichael to the American Commissioners, 10 July 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Connecticut Historical Society I have had the honor of receiving your Letter of the 7th of July and am sorry that you have not had an opportunity of yet applying to the Minister on the subject of Mr. Hodges vessel. The bond required was to give security here that the vessel should not cruise against the English. The Expressions of the Ministers letters were so vague and General that the...
5William Carmichael to the American Commissioners, 12 July 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Connecticut Historical Society In my last I transmitted you an account of the Extraordinary conduct of the Captain of one of the British Ships of war laying in this road. That Ship joind by two others block up the road so as to make it impossible for any vessel to quit this port without being taken by one or other of them. The detention of the vessel formerly belonging to Mr. Hodge...
6William Carmichael to the American Commissioners, 21 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library I have this day renderd an account to Mr. Deane of the Sums disbursd by me on the Public service; I would have given it in sooner, but that I wishd and hopd to have had it in my power to have reimbursd the Whole. I render it to Mr. Deane because the money was cheifly expended under his orders and directions. I offer to become accountable to the Honorable the...
7William Carmichael to the American Commissioners, 30 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Harvard University Library I arrivd at this place last night in forty four hours from Paris. The Vessels which it was intended I should stop saild eight days ago, and it is most probable that the court knew of that circumstance because it is confidently asserted a french Frigate convoyd them as far as Ushant. Mr. Williams immediately took the proper steps to profit by your advices had...
8To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 1 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Before I leave Europe permit me to return you my most unfeighned thanks for the politeness and confidence with which you have treated me since your arrival in France and more particularly for the letter sign’d by yourself and Mr. Deane and addressd to the Committee of Congress for foreighn affairs. If I know my own breast my principal aim has been to...
9From Benjamin Franklin to William Carmichael, 8 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : National Archives I received your Favour of the 1st Instant. My Sentiments of Esteem for you have been always uniform, ever since I had the pleasure of knowing you. I never had the least doubt of your Integrity, and Zeal for our Cause, in which I know you have been HIGHLY serviceable. My intrusting the enclos’d important Letter to your Care, is an additional Proof of the Confidence I...
10To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 14 May 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Pennsylvania Library The return of the Nymph frigate in which Captain Coulter [Courter] came passenger gives me the honor of informing you that the Deane arrivd at Portsmouth the first of May much about which time the Two ships loaded by Mr. Ross on account of Congress got in to this Port. Mr. Simeon Deane landed a fortnight before us so that we were happy to find the whole...
11From Benjamin Franklin to William Carmichael, 29 July 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives Yours of May 14. gave me great Pleasure, as it inform’d me of your safe Arrival and Welfare. And I hope that as soon as you have seen your Friends and settled your Affairs, You will return again to Europe, where your Abilities may be greatly useful to your Country. I continue in the same or rather in a more uncomfortable Situation than that in which you left me. If ever...
12To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 30 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The return of the Marquis de la Fayette gives me an opportunity which I seize with pleasure of renewing my assurances of respect and Gratitude to you. I have thro the course of the Summer taken the liberty of transmitting you such accounts of our internal Situation as might contribute to your information, tho’ by no means to your satisfaction. The Marquis...
13From Benjamin Franklin to [William Carmichael], [2 June 1779] (Franklin Papers)
Incomplete copy: Library of Congress … Copies of the Letters, Votes &c relating to that Amiable and excellent young Man. He was mighty well received, at Court, and has a Regiment given him. Ever Since his arrival he has been industrious in moving or projecting Something or other for the Advantage of America. I am Sorry to hear of Dissensions in Congress, You are now one of that Body, and will,...
14To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 25 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have the Honor of informing you of our arrival at this Place this Day in the frigate l’Aurore from Martinico to which Iland the officers of the Confederacy thought proper to proceed in Consequence of the loss of all our Masts & the Damage our rudder received on the Edge of the Bank of New-foundland. We Left Martinico the 28th. of December & have a most agreable...
15To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 19 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I cannot Let M. Girard leave this Without a Letter for you altho’ probably he can give you much better Information of the States of Affairs here than it is in my Power to give. I did myself the Honor of writing to you from Cadiz and Informed you of M. Jay intentions of Sending me to this City, a Letter from himself which M. Gerard will deliver, will inform you of the...
16From Benjamin Franklin to William Carmichael, 22 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Two copies: Library of Congress I received with great Pleasure yours of the 25. of January, and shall write to you fully by the first good Oportunity. I cannot recollect the Name of the Correspondent you mention but I have ordered a Credit of 24000 Livres Tournois to be lodged in Madrid for M. Jay and you, which I suppose you will divide in Proportion to your Appointments. Inclosed are the...
17To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 13 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I did myself the Honor of writing to you from Cadiz and since by M. Girard and therefore shall not repeat the information which those Letters and that Gentleman will have given you; on the 25th. of last month I transmitted to Mr. Jay the King’s Determination which was communicated to me by his Excellency the Count de florida Blanca & to himself in a Letter from the...
18To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 29 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress The Count De Montmorin is so obliging as to offer me an Occasion of writing to you by a Courier which I am loth to refuse for fear of betraying a Want of Respect to you or give Reason to others to suspect that I have no Share in your Confidence. I have nothing material to communicate unless the uneasiness I feel in being left here ignorant of the Situation of our...
19From Benjamin Franklin to William Carmichael, 31 March[–7 April 1780] (Franklin Papers)
Copies (two): Library of Congress I received by M. Gerard your kind Letter written at Philadelphia. His safe Return has given me great pleasure. As soon as I received yours of Jan 25 from Cadix, I order’d a Credit of 1000 Louis d’ors to be Lodg’d for Mr. Jay and you, by Mr. Grand with his Banker at Madrid. He wrote by the next post. It does not appear by yours of March 13, that you had then...
20To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 22[–27] April 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have at length the pleasure of being relieved from much Anxiety by the Receipit of your Letter of the 31st. of March and 7th. of April. I endeavoured to recollect every Circumstance of my Conduct since I left france, and altho’ I found in this Scrutiny that I had left many things undone which I ought to have done, I brought myself in not guilty biased perhaps by...
21To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 22 May 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have defered writing to you since my last of the 27th. Ultio. in Hopes of profiting by the Ct. De Montmorin’s Courier, but as it is not certain when one will be dispatched I venture to inform you by the ordinary post that Sir J.D. presented a memorial to the Ct. De FloridaBlanca, containing certain propositions tending to an Accomodation of the present differences...
22From Benjamin Franklin to William Carmichael, 17 June 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress Your favour of the 22 past came duly to Hand. Sir J.D. has been here some time, but I hear nothing of his political Operations. The Learned talk of the Discovery he has made in the Escurial Library, of 40 Epistles of Brutus, a missing Part of Tacitus and a Piece of Seneca, that have never yet been printed which excite much Curiosity. He has not been with me and I am...
23To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael: Extract, 18 July 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D., F.R.S., &c … (2nd ed.; 2 vols., London, 1817), II , 461. I thought, until the receipt of your letter (of the 17th June) that Mr. Jay had sent you Sir John Dalrymple’s Memorial, and other papers while I was at Aranjuez. He sends them, however, by this courier, and I think you will be amused in...
24To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 12 August 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I did myself the Honor of answering yours of the 17th. of June by a Courier from the French ambassador, but not having the Copy of my Letter to you, with me here, I cannot recollect the Date. M. Jay Sent by the same conveyance Sir John Dalrymples memorial and others papers. M. Cumberland Still remain at Madrid, but as the Count de Montmorin doth not appear uneasy in...
25To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael: Two Letters, 25 October 1780 (Franklin Papers)
(I) and (II) Copy: Library of Congress The Duke De Crillon, and who hath not heard of the Name of Crillon? does me the honour of accepting of an Introduction to you, which give me an Occasion of boasting of any influence with you to him, and to you of the honor he has done me by his Acquaintance & Friendship here. This Must be Clear to you when I mentione his name, tho’ that to those who know...
26To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 5 November 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress A Courier which the Ambassador of France dispatches from hence gives me an Opportunity of expressing the pleasure I received from your last to Mr. Jay, and at the same time of communicating the only interesting News from this Country, viz the departure of the Count D’estaing the 30th. ulto. with 38. sail of the Line & 70 Merchant men from Cadiz. The next day Mr....
27To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 21 December 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I am afraid you will think me a troublesome correspondent, because I have no Opportunities of amusing or of giving information that will be agreable to you.— Our Necessities & difficulties are the themes for my Letters & be assured that it is not less disagreable for me to write on these Subjects than for you to be obliged to read what I write— Premising this you will...
28From Benjamin Franklin to William Carmichael, 27 January 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft) and two copies: Library of Congress I have before me your Favours of Oct. 25. Nov. 5. & Dec. 21.— I do not know whether the Duke de Crillon whom you recommend, is come to Paris. That Letter came while I was ill, & I have not since heard any thing of him. But I will enquire for him of the Prince, to whom it was not till yesterday that I was able to pay my Respects & to thank the...
29To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 6 February 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I sincerely grieve for the Cause that hath deprived me of the honour of hearing from you lately & I hope that this will find it removed & your Excellency restored to Health & Spirits. Mr. Cabarus charges himself with the Delivery of it. This Gentleman was among the first of my Friends here, & hath been uniformly such to our Country; He enjoys the Confidence of the...
30To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 28 February[–10 March 1781] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress The Prince Maceran’s [Masserano’s] Courier brought me your Favour of the 27. ulto. I am so sensible of the honour and pleasure of your Correspondence not to regret it. Yet when I tell you with sincerity that every Letter which I receive from you adds to my Desire of meriting your Esteem & consequently that of others, you will not I hope think your Indulgence thrown...