1The American Commissioners: Memorandum for Vergennes and Aranda, 25 September 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; LS : Archivo Historico National This memorandum, under its calm surface, conveys a sense of depression; and the commissioners had reason to be depressed. They seem to have become suddenly aware that they were in deep financial trouble, because they had made commitments that they did not have the money to honor and that Congress could not....
2From Benjamin Franklin to Edmund Burke, Matthew Ridley, and Vergennes: Three Unsent Letters, [before 26 December 1781] (Franklin Papers)
(I), (II), and (III) AL (draft): Library of Congress On December 13, Franklin learned that Matthew Ridley was planning a trip to England to visit his wife. He proposed furnishing Ridley with powers to exchange Henry Laurens for John Burgoyne, and giving him instructions for the relief of American prisoners. Eight days later he promised Ridley a commission and instructions. Ridley was...
3The Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 24 January 1779 (Adams Papers)
We had the honor of receiving your Excellency’s Letter of the 20th. enclosing M. de Sartine’s Answer, relative to the Convoy which we requested of your Excellency, for the Ships now assembled at Nantes. We are totally at a loss to understand what Mr. de Sartine writes of four Vessels mentioned by us, as ready to sail and a Convoy having sailed with two of them. We never mentioned any thing...
4From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 18 August 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress I received the Letter your Excellency did me the honour of writing to me yesterday relating to Mr. Jackson Jones. I knew nothing of him ’till his Appearance here. He has shown me a Letter of Governor Johnston’s by which it appears that Mr. Jones was establish’d in a Trading House of good Credit in West Florida, while...
5The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 18 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Archivo Historico Nacional On March 14 the commissioners received their first dispatches from America. Among them was the letter above of December 30 from the committee of secret correspondence, enclosing the Congressional authorization to offer Versailles territorial inducements to enter the war. Deane promptly informed Vergennes that...
6From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 8 May 1782 (Franklin Papers)
L : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Mr Franklin presents his respectful Compliments to Count De Vergennes & has the honour of acquainting him with the Arrival of Mr Grenville; who is desirous of knowing when his Excellency will be pleased to admit him to the honour of a Conference. Endorsed: Rec. le meme jour In WTF ’s hand.
7The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 17 July 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: National Archives <Passy, July 17, 1778: We enclose a resolution of Congress about the treaties, and request that it be laid before the King. It will show him how he has won the hearts of that body and of the American people by a beneficence that time will never efface.> Published in Taylor, Adams Papers , VI , 298. See also the...
8II. The Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 9 January 1779 (Adams Papers)
Some late Proceedings of the Enemy, have induced us, to submit a few Observations to your Excellency’s superior Lights and Judgement. His Britannic Majesty’s Commissioners, in their Manifesto of the 3d of October, have denounced “a Change in the whole Nature and future Conduct of the War,” they have declared “that the Policy as well as Benevolence of Great Britain, have thus far checked the...
9From Benjamin Franklin to [Vergennes], 26 September 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress N’ayant aucun moyen de Satisfaire aux payemens de Sommes aussi considerables & ne pouvant Supporter l’Idée de perdre le reste de Confiance que nous avons acquis en Europe par un retour à protest qui apprêteroit à rire aux Anglois à nos dépens en leur fournissant les moyens d’ajouter des realites aux fictions qu’ils...
10From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 27 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Library of Congress J’ai l’honneur de remettre a votre Excellence une Lettre que jai recu de M. Gratien Lieutenant Gal. de L’amirauté de Morlaix avec une copie de la reponse que j’y ai faite, et un Exemplaire du reglement du 27. 7bre 1778 concernant les prises faittes par les corsaires Français et Americains, permettez moi de vous observer, Monsieur...