31From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes: Two Letters, 13 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
(I) LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress; (II) copy: Library of Congress I have communicated to Mr Lee the Letter your Excellency did me the honour to write to me of the 8th: Instant, relative to the Money placed in the Kings Treasury for Acct of Mr Stevenson; and also the Copy of the Letter to M. De Sartine which it enclosed: Mr Lee having no...
32From Benjamin Franklin to [Vergennes], [after 14 February 1779] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress M. Franklin se trouve dans une Position aussy facheuse que penible, & a la quelle les Circonstançes du Comerçe ajoutent beaucoup; en ce que le peu d’Envoys qui echappent aux Ennemis, ne lui parviennent pas, ou ne lui sont d’aucun Secours: Si ils sont en Tabacs, Les Fermiers Genereaux les reclament avec raison; & si ce sont des ris, ou tout autre Denrée, M. De...
33From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes: Two Letters, 24 August 1783 (Franklin Papers)
(I) and (II) LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Mr: Carnes, an American Merchant settled at Nantes, who has already presented your Excellency with a Petition requesting un Arrêt de Sur-seance , informs me that it cannot be complied with unless he first obtains the Consentment of a third of his Creditors; that in order to do this, his Presence is necessary at Nantes; but that...
34Benjamin Franklin and Arthur Lee to Vergennes, 10 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
We have the Honour to acquaint your Excellency, that Mr. Adams, appointed by the Congress to replace Mr. Deane in the Commission here, is safely arrived, and purposes to wait upon you as soon as recovered a little from the Fatigue of his Voyage. The Ship in which he came is a Frigate of 30 Guns, belonging to the Congress. In her Passage she took a large Ship from London to New York, with a...
35From Benjamin Franklin to the Comte de Vergennes, [before 2 March 1779] (Franklin Papers)
L (draft): American Philosophical Society J’ay eu L’honneur avec Messieurs les deputés des etats unis d’amerique de Representer a vostre excellence que le Retard des decisions en france sur Les Reprises faittes sur les anglais par les vaisseaux de guerre americains Les eloignoit des mers D’Europe, Nous avons ajoutté a Cette Consideration d’autres encore plus importantes. Il est de mon devoir,...
36From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 22 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress Mr. de Veimerange acquaints me that a Part of the Supplies sent to America in the Rusée, have been taken by the Enemy, and that if it is thought proper to replace them, Orders should be speedily given for that Purpose. I therefore beg leave to mention to your Excellency that the Replacing those...
37The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 24 January 1779: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copies: Library of Congress, National Archives <Passy, January 24, 1779: We received your letter of the 20th enclosing M. de Sartine’s answer relative to the convoy we requested. We do not understand his reference to the four vessels supposedly mentioned by us and fear he has been misinformed. On December 29 we asked for a convoy. You asked...
38Franklin and John Adams to Vergennes, 12 November 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, November 12, 1778: In view of the magnitude of the alliance between France and the United States, we conceive it would be highly pleasing to our constituents to have a portrait of His Majesty to be kept where Congress sits; if you are of opinion this would give no offense, we request your kind offices to...
39The Commissioners to Vergennes, 17 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
We herewith communicate to your Excellency a Resolution of Congress relative to the Treaties, which we request may be laid before the King. Thereby his Majesty will perceive the unfeigned Sentiments of that Body, as well as those of the whole American People, whose Hearts the King has gained by his great Benevolence towards them, manifested in these Treaties, which has made so deep an...
40From Benjamin Franklin to the Comte de Vergennes, 10 July 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, dated the 1st Instant, together with the Papers accompanying it, containing the Correspondence with Mr Adams. I have taken some Pains since to understand the Subject, and obtain Information of the Facts, from Persons lately arrived, having...
41The Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 7 December 1778 (Adams Papers)
To His Excellency Count de Vergennes, Minister & Secretary of State for foreign Affairs: At the time the American War began there was very little real Money in that Country, the same having been constantly drawn out as fast as it came in to pay for British Manufactures and Importations of foreign Goods by the British Merchants, with the Duties and other Expences occasioned by their Monopoly....
42The Commissioners to Vergennes, 16 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
We had this Morning the Honour of receiving your Excellency’s Letter of the 13. Instant relative to the Boston Frigate. We beg leave to assure your Excellency that the Frigate called the Boston, now at Bourdeaux, is a Ship of War belonging to the 13 United States of North America, built and maintained at their Expence, by the Honourable Congress. We therefore, humbly presume that his Majestys...
43From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 25 July 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received yesterday a Letter dated the 20th. Instand, under a Cover mark’d with your Excellency’s Name but the Letter not signed by you or any other Person enclosing a Memoire which is likewise not signed, relating to the taking of the English ship the three friends by Capt. Landais, who is charg’d in the Memoire as having made that Prize in Contempt of the King’s...
44From Benjamin Franklin to [Vergennes], 1 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Le Refus qu’à fait M. Le Directeur General de se prêter aux propositions de M. Franklin, & ses besoins urgents, le determinent pour n’avoir rien a se reprocher, si les Evenements qu’il craint arrivent, de revenir a la charge auprès de l’Administration pour les prevenir, il demande en consequence, & a titre de pret, un Million quoique cette...
45From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 8 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I am much oblig’d to yr. Excy. for the Notice you were so good as to send me yesterday. I send my Grandson to M. de Sartine, to procure from him two Orders to the proper Officers at Brest. The one to receive the Prisoners brought in long since by Capt. Jones. The other to receive the Mutineers from on Board the Alliance. I beg you would be pleas’d to give a Line, if...
46The American Commissioners: Memorandum to Vergennes, 1 February 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ADS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Harvard University Library This memorandum, most of it in Franklin’s hand, marks a distinct departure from the position that he generally maintained. He “was from the first averse to warm and urgent solicitations with the Court of France,” Silas Deane remarked years later. “His age and experience, as well as his philosophical temper,...
47From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 14 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Walter R. Benjamin Autographs, Inc., Hunter, New York (1982); copy: Library of Congress The Gout having again attacked me, and confined me to my Chair, I find I shall not be able to present myself at Versailles on Tuesday. Your Excellency will have the Goodness to excuse me, and believe me ever, with the sincerest Esteem and Respect. Your most obedient & most humble Servant. March 16; see...
48From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 27 June 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress Enclosed I send your Excellency the Copy of a Letter I have just received from Mr Hartley, in which he expresses a Desire of making me a visit to talk about Peace, if it may be done with the Consent of the Ministry here. I should be glad to see him as my Friend and a Friend to America: but unless he...
49From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 8 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Yesterday Mr Oswald communicated to Mr. Jay and me a Paper he had just received from his Court being a Copy of the King’s Order to the Attorney or Sollicitor General to prepare a Commission to pass the great Seal, appointing him to treat with us &ca. and he shew’d me a Letter from Mr Secretary Townshend, which expresses his Concern that the...
50From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 4 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères I have considered the Proposal of M. le Mis. de Segur, to cede to the Congress the military Stores left by M. de Rochambeau at Baltimore; and I am of Opinion that it is probable a Part of them may be acceptable, if not the whole; and that possibly some of the different States may be enclined to purchase what the Congress should not want. But...
51The American Commissioners: Memorandum [for Vergennes], [12 March 1777] (Franklin Papers)
AD : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères While Great Brittain engross’d the Commerce of the United States, merchandize imported from thence into France was considered as British, and Consequently subject to the same duties, Customs &c, as if imported direct from the Islands of Great Brittain or Ireland. Since the separation of those States from Brittain it is presumed their...
52From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 15 December 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères I have the honour to acquaint your Excellency, that our Courier is to set out to-morrow at Ten aClock, with the Dispatches we send to Congress by the Washington, Capt. Barney, for which Ship we have got a Passport from the King of England. If you would make any Use of this Conveyance, the Courier shall wait upon you to-morrow at Versailles,...
53From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 22 November 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress M. De Chaumont m’ayant procuré par pure bonne Volonté des Etoffes pour l’Habillement des Troupes Americaines, me demande aujourd’huy que je lui assure le Remboursement en France des Lettres de Change que je lui ai promises sur le Congrès, et dont je ne doute nullement qu’il y sera fait Honneur. J’ai l’honneur de...
54From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 23 November 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress Mr de Chaumont informs me that it has been agreed between your Excellency and him, that I should write you a Letter, requesting your Assurance of Payment here of the Bills I am to draw in his Favour upon the Congress for 500,000 Livres, in case they should not be paid in America. He has accordingly furnished me with...
55The American Commissioners to Vergennes, [before 9 January 1779]: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (drafts): Harvard University Library, Massachusetts Historical Society (two); two copies and two transcripts: National Archives The commissioners, particularly Lee and Adams, devoted substantial effort to the drafting of this memorandum asking that a powerful French fleet be sent to American waters. Their efforts were doomed to failure, at...
56From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 3 August 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress It was indeed with very great Pleasure that I received and read the Letter your Exy. did me the honour of writing to me, communicating that of the President of Congress and the Resolutions of that Body relative to the Succours then expected: For the Sentiments therein express’d are so different from the Language held...
57The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 12 August 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Harvard University Library After Wickes’s squadron was sequestered on July 15 and Conyngham sailed from Dunkirk two days later, the commissioners’ relations with Versailles might have been expected to improve. Instead they grew worse, largely because Conyngham disobeyed his orders and took prizes. When one was recaptured, and most of...
58From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 16 August 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères I have the honour to inform your Excellency, that the English Ministry do not agree to any of the Propositions that have been made either by us, or by their Minister here; and they have sent over a Plan for the definitive Treaty, which consists merely of the Preliminaries formerly signed, with a short Introductory Paragraph, & another at the...
59The Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 9 February 1779 (Adams Papers)
It is now near six Months that Capt. McNeil, of the Mifflin Privateer from America, has been embarras’d with a Process on Account of a French Ship, which he retook from the English after she had been three Days in their Possession. The Laws of France are clear with regard to the Validity of this Prize, and our Captains have Orders, contained in their Commissions, to submit their Prizes to the...
60From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 9 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangeres The American Commerce in general, and that between France and America in particular having suffered greatly of late, from the Number of Frigates employed by the Enemy to cruise on our Coasts, I am directed to communicate to your Excellency the Paper on that Subject which I have the honour now to enclose, wherein the Means of protecting that...