John Jay Papers
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To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 4 September 1781

From Benjamin Franklin

Versailles, Sept. 4. 1781.

Dear Sir,

I received a few Days since a very obliging Letter from you. I have it not with me here, and therefore cannot mention the Date.1 I shall answer it particularly by the next Opportunity. This serves chiefly to cover the Communication of two Letters, which I have viewed, one from Mr Adams, relative to the Propos’d Mediation.2 The other from some Merchants who possess Congress Drafts of a Late Date.3 I have declar’d my Opinion of those drawn on Mr Laurens, that we have nothing to do with them, and that I can give no Expectations of their being paid. I believe I sent you a Copy of M. le Comte de Vergennes’s Letter, in which I am explicitly told that I shall not be assisted to pay any Drafts made after the first of April.4 You will see that the Promise of drawing no more upon you, has not been kept: and you will judge for your self whether it will be right for you to accept these new Bills. But I ought to acquaint you; that I see no Prospect at present of my being able to help you ^in paying them.^—5 I just now hear that Mr Adams is very ill.6 I think it would be of Service if you and I could meet. Cannot you make a Trip to Paris? Or will you meet me at Bourdeaux? Mr Laurens is not likely to be at Liberty to join us. And it is perhaps a Question whether Mr Jefferson will cross the Seas.7 He refus’d the Appointment of coming with me. And I should not wonder if Mr Adams should return before the Treaty commences: In which case the Business will rest much with us two. I have many reasons for desiring to converse with you besides the Pleasure it would give me. With great and Sincere Esteem, I am, Dear Sir, Your most obedient and most humble Servt.

B Franklin

I write this in a Crou’d. Excuse the Incorrectness.

His Excelly Jno Jay Esqr

ALS, NNC (EJ: 5595). Addressed: “A Monsieur / Monsieur Jay, / Minister des Etats Unis de / l’Amerique Septentrionale / à Madrid”. Endorsed: “ansd. in part 3 Octr: 1781 / by Majr. Franks”. LbkCs, DLC: Franklin (EJ: 10311, 10333).

1. Probably JJ to BF, 20 Aug. 1781, above.

2. See JA to BF, 25 Aug. 1781, PJA description begins Robert J. Taylor, Gregg L. Lint, et al., eds., Papers of John Adams (15 vols. to date; Cambridge, Mass., 1977–) description ends , 11: 467–71, in which JA expressed his reservations about the proposed mediation and applauded Congress’s decision to enlarge the peace commission, suggesting that his own talent, if he had one, lay “in making War.”

3. Bills issued to John Ross, in the hands of the firm of Parish & Thomson. For the bills paid to Ross, see Robert Morris to JJ, 29 June, above. On bills presented to BF for payment, and on Vergennes’s refusal to advance funds to meet them, see “Spain’s Finances and the Bills Drawn on John Jay” (editorial note) on pp. 368–69; PRM description begins E. James Ferguson et al., eds., The Papers of Robert Morris, 1781–1784 (9 vols.; Pittsburgh, Pa., 1973–99) description ends , 2: 261–63; and PBF description begins William B. Willcox et al., eds., The Papers of Benjamin Franklin (39 vols. to date; New Haven, Conn., 1959–) description ends , 35: 404–5, 429, 465–67.

4. For Vergennes’s letter, dated 23 Aug., which could not have been enclosed in BF’s letter to JJ of 20 Aug. (above), see PBF description begins William B. Willcox et al., eds., The Papers of Benjamin Franklin (39 vols. to date; New Haven, Conn., 1959–) description ends , 35: 395.

5. For BF’s opinion about bills drawn on Laurens and those issued to Ross, see his letter to JA, 31 Aug. 1781, PBF description begins William B. Willcox et al., eds., The Papers of Benjamin Franklin (39 vols. to date; New Haven, Conn., 1959–) description ends , 35: 429–30. In his letter to BF of 15 Sept., Carmichael indicated that the news that no more funds would be available “was a Thunder Clap to us—& The Public credit will not only be scorched severly, but we shall be on the Pavè.” See PBF description begins William B. Willcox et al., eds., The Papers of Benjamin Franklin (39 vols. to date; New Haven, Conn., 1959–) description ends , 35: 486.

6. On JA’s illness, see PJA description begins Robert J. Taylor, Gregg L. Lint, et al., eds., Papers of John Adams (15 vols. to date; Cambridge, Mass., 1977–) description ends , 11: 469–70.

7. On the peace commission, see the communications of Congress to the peace commissioners of 15 June 1781 [1st, 2nd, 3rd], above. Jefferson declined to serve. See PTJ description begins Julian T. Boyd, Charles T. Cullen, et al., eds., The Papers of Thomas Jefferson (36 vols. to date; Princeton, N.J., 1950–) description ends , 6: 113–14.

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    Jay Papers
    Title
    To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 4 September 1781
    Author
    Franklin, Benjamin
    Recipient
    Jay, John
    Date
    4 September 1781

    Reference

    Cite as
    “To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 4 September 1781,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jay/01-02-02-0228. [Original source: The Selected Papers of John Jay, vol. 2, 1780–1782, ed. Elizabeth M. Nuxoll. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2012, pp. 544–546.]

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