Thomas Mifflin to Franklin and John Adams, 20 May 1784
Thomas Mifflin to Franklin and John Adams
Copy: National Archives
Annapolis May 20th. 1784
Gentlemen,
I have the Honor to transmit to you the following Acts of Congress relating to the formation of commercial Treaties &c Viz—
N 1. Letter to the Ministers plenipotentiary at the Courts of Versailles and Madrid dated 17th. of October 1780—6
N 2. Instructions to the Ministers of the United States for making Peace with Great Britain dated May 30th. 17837
N 3. Instructions to the Ministers plenipotentiary of the United States of America at the Court of Versailles empowered to negotiate a Peace &c. dated the 29th of October 1783,8 May 7th. 1784 & May 11th 1784.—
N 4. Instructions to the Ministers of the United States at the Court of Madrid dated May 3d 1784.9
I also transmit to you the Papers relating to the detention of the Schooner Nancy referred to in the Instruction of May 11th 1784.
I have the honor to be with the greatest Respect and Esteem Your Obident & humble Servant
Thomas Mifflin
The Honorable John Adams & Benjamin Franklin
6. A letter to Jay, then minister to Spain, with a copy to be sent to BF, explaining why the United States insisted on the Mississippi River as the western boundary and on free navigation and free ports on that river: XXXIII, 471–2; William T. Hutchinson et al., eds., The Papers of James Madison, Congressional Series (17 vols., Chicago and Charlottesville, 1962–91), II, 127–36. Congress was still concerned about access to the Mississippi; see the June 3 portion of the instructions to the new commission, May 7[–June 3], above.
7. See the first congressional resolution of May 11, published with the instructions cited above.
8. XLI, 154–8.
9. Directing the minister to obtain compensation from Spain for South Carolina for the participation of the frigate South Carolina in the Spanish capture of the Bahamas: JCC, XXVI, 332. A copy of the instructions in BFB’s hand, and a press copy of it, are at the APS. BF endorsed the copy “Resolution May 3. 1784 Relating to the South-Carolina Frigate.”