From Benjamin Franklin to the Marquis de Castries, 2 April 1782
To the Marquis de Castries
LS:7 William L. Clements Library; copy: Library of Congress
Passy, April 2d. 1782
Sir,
I received the Letter your Excellency did me the honour of writing to me the 31st of March, relating to Messrs. Agnew Father & Son, and Capt Parker,8 Englishmen taken Prisoners in America & brought to France. I know nothing of those Persons or of the Circumstances that might induce the Delegates of Virginia to desire their Detention, no Account of them from that State being come to my Hands; nor have I received any Orders from the Congress concerning them. I therefore cannot properly make any Oposition to their being permitted to reside at Caen on their Parole of Honour, or to ther being exchanged in pursuance of the Cartel, as his Majesty in his Wisdom shall think proper to direct.
I am with Respect, Sir, Your Excellency’s most obedient & most humble Servant,
B Franklin
His Exy, the Marqs. de Castries.
7. In WTF’s hand.
8. Castries’ letter is missing. Loyalists John Agnew, a chaplain, Capt. Stair Agnew, an engineer, and Capt. James Parker were captured aboard H.M.S. Romulus in February, 1781 (see XXXIV, 554n), and at this time were imprisoned in Saint Malo: Evan Nepean to BF(?), Nov. 23, 1782 (APS); Sabine, Loyalists, I, 154–5; II, 148.