1Charles-Guillaume-Frédéric Dumas to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 30 April[– 9 May 1776] (Franklin Papers)
AL and copy: National Archives; letterbook draft: Algemeen Rijksarchief, the Hague. J’ai reçu le 6e de ce mois à La Haie, des mains de Mr. Tho. Storey, les dépêches dont vous l’aviez chargé pour moi en date du 9e Xbr. 1775. Je suis touché, pénétré jusqu’au fond du coeur, de l’honneur que me fait et de la confiance que me témoigne le Committé nommé par le Congrès général pour la Correspondance...
2Charles-Guillaume-Frédéric Dumas to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 14 May[–6 June 1776] (Franklin Papers)
AL and copy: National Archives; letterbook draft: Algemeen Rijksarchief, the Hague Après vous avoir donné ci-joint copie ou extrait de ce qu’il y avoit de plus essentiel dans ma premiere dépeche que je nommerai A pour la briéveté, je commence celle-ci, que je nomme B, en forme de Journal. Ayez la bonté, conséquemment, lorsque vous m’écrirez, de me marquer que vous avez reçu, ou non, la Dépeche...
3Lambert Wickes to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 16 June 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : National Archives I received your orders and Instructions by Mr. Bingham, the 14th Inst. but the Shallop with the provisions did not Arrive till this day. We have now got all the provision on board both from the Wasp and Shallop. You may depend on my best endeavours in your Service to prosecute this Voyage with the Most expedition and Advantage in my power. My People, all to two are in...
4Silas Deane to Robert Morris and the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 23 June 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : (duplicate): Library of Congress This letter, in form to Morris but in fact to the committee, is the only one from Deane that Franklin surely saw before his departure for France; it was therefore part of his small stock of information about what would face him in Europe. The letter deals only with the preliminaries of Deane’s mission, because he reached France long after he had hoped to....
5Lambert Wickes to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 11 July 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : National Archives This will inform you of my proceedings since I left Cape May the 3d Instant. We left that place in Company with 13 Merchant Men, who I think all got Safe off, as we did not loose Sight of them till they got a good distance from the Land. We Saw no Ships of War at all on the Coast. We this Day fell in with Captain Mackay, in the Ship Friendship from Granada bound to...
6Lambert Wickes to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 13 July 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : National Archives This will inform of a Small Addition to our good fortune in the Prize Way. We this day took Capt. Muckelno in the Schooner Peter of Liverpool from St. Vincent bound to Liverpool in Brittain, Loaded with: Rum: Sugar Coffee Cocoa and Cotton. We also took Capt. Mackey in the Ship Friendship from Granada, bound to London, which I have wrote you of before, and Now Send a...
7Report of Thomas Story to the Committee of Secret Correspondence and the Committee’s Memorandum upon It, [1 October … (Franklin Papers)
DS and copy: National Archives “On my leaving London Arthur Lee Esqr. requested me to inform the Committee of Correspondence, that he had several conferences with the French Embassador who had communicated the same to the French Court, that in consequence thereof the Duke De Vergennes had sent a gentleman to Mr. Lee, [who informed] him that the French Court could not think of entering into a...
8From Benjamin Franklin to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 8[–10] December 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: National Archives After a short but rough Passage of 30 Days we anchor’d in Quiberon Bay, the Wind not suiting to enter the Loire. Capt. Wicks did every thing in his Power to make the Voyage comfortable to me; and I was much pleas’d with what I saw of his Conduct as an Officer, when on suppos’d Occasions we made Preparation for Engagement, the good Order and Readiness with which...
ALS and copy: National Archives I arrived here about two Weeks since, where I found Mr. Deane. Mr. Lee has since join’d us from London. We have had an Audience of the Minister, Count de Vergennes, and were respectfully receiv’d. We left for his Consideration a Sketch of the propos’d Treaty. We are to wait upon him tomorrow with a strong Memorial requesting the Aids mentioned in our...
10The American Commissioners to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 17[–22] January 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS and two copies: National Archives; copy: South Carolina Historical Society We joined each other at this place on the 22d. of December and on the 28th. had an Audience of his Excellency the Count De Vergennes, one of his most Christian Majesty’s principal Secretarys of State and Minister for Foreign Affairs. We laid before him our Commission with the Articles of the proposed Treaty of...
11The American Commissioners to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 6 February 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS and copy: National Archives; copy: Harvard University Library Since our last, a Copy of which is enclosed Mr. Hodge is arrived here from Martinique, and has brought safely the Papers he was charged with. He had a long Passage and was near being starved. We are about to employ him in a Service, pointed out by you, at Dunkirk or Flushing. He has delivered us three sets of the Papers we...
12The American Commissioners to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 8 February 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: National Archives Since Our last We have received the inclosed Intelligence from London, which we take the earliest Opportunity of forwarding, in hopes it may be received with Our other Letters by Nantes. A Vessel from So: Carolina, loaded by that state, which sailed the 20th December, is arrived at L’Orient with Rice and Indigo. As We were particular in Our last which was sent...
13The American Commissioners to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 4 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: National Archives We send you herewith the Draught of a Frigate, by a very ingenious Officer in this service, which appears to Us peculiarly suitable for Our purpose, and We are in hopes of being able to ship Cordage and Sail Cloth, and Anchors &c. sufficient for Five or Six such Frigates, by the Time you can have them built. Though deprived of any intelligence from you since the...
14The American Commissioners to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 12 March[–9 April 1777] (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; L : British Library; copy: National Archives It is now more than 4 Months since Mr. Franklin’s Departure from Philadelphia, and not a Line from thence written since that time has hitherto reached either of your Commissioners in Europe. We have had no Information of what passes in America but thro’ England, and the Advices are for the most part such only as the Ministry...
15The American Commissioners to [the Committee of Secret Correspondence], 28 April 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Harvard University Library We wrote to you pretty fully on the State of Affairs here, in ours of the 12th of March and 19th of this Month, since which there has been little Alteration. There is yet no Certainty of a sudden Declaration of War, but the Preparations go on vigorously both here and in Spain, the Armies of france drawing towards the Sea Coasts, and those of Spain to the...
16The American Commissioners to John Jay, 2 June 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Two copies: National Archives We refer the Committee to ours to You of the 26 ulto. of which we sent Duplicates, should either arrive, but apprehensive of the Contrary we send you the Substance in this. The Brittish Commerce in Europe, especially in the North, is unguarded, the Greenland Whale Fishery and the Hudsons Bay Shipps in particular. Could two or three of our frigates accompanied by...
17To John Jay from the American Commissioners (Benjamin Franklin and Silas Deane), 2 June 1777 (Jay Papers)
We refer the Committee to ours to You of the 26 Ult o . of which we Sent Duplicates, should either arrive, but apprehensive of the Contrary we send You the Substance in this. The Brittish Commerce in Europe, especially in the North is unguarded, The Greenland Whale Fishery & the Hudsons Bay Shipps in particular. Cou’d two or three of our Frigates accompanied by lesser swift sailing Vessels...
18From Benjamin Franklin to John Jay, 2 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Royal Library, Windsor; copy: Library of Congress; transcript: Columbia University Library I received a few Days since by way of St Eustatia, the Duplicate of a Letter you did me the honour to write to me of 3d Jany. But the Act of Congress of Decr 23d which you mention is not yet come to hand. Col Diricks whom the Secretary names to you called here in his way to Holland, and brought me a...
19To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 2 June 1779 (Jay Papers)
I received a few Days since by way of S t . Eustatia, the Duplicate of a Letter you did me the honour to write to me of 3r d Jan y . But the Act of Congress of Dec r . 23 d which you mention is not yet come to hand. Col Diricks whom the Secretary names to you called here on his way to Holland, and brought me a Recommendatory Letter from Gov r . Trumbull; but neither himself nor that Letter...
20From Benjamin Franklin to John Jay, 4[–28] October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Two LS : National Archives; AL (draft): Library of Congress; copies: Library of Congress, Sheffield City Library, South Carolina Historical Society; transcript: National Archives I received the Letter your Excellency did me the honour to write to me of the of June last inclosing Acts of Congress respecting Bills of Exchange for 2,400,000 Livres tournois, drawn on me in favour of M. De...
21From Benjamin Franklin to John Jay, 22 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Columbia University Library; two copies: Library of Congress It gave me infinite Pleasure to hear of your Excellency’s safe Arrival in Spain. I Knowing that the Confederacy had sailed the 28th of Octr., we began to despair of ever hearing more of her. I received your Advice of the Bill drawn on me for four thousand and seventy nine Livres Tournois, at sixty Days date, which I order’d to...
22From Benjamin Franklin to John Jay, 7 April 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Columbia University Library; copies: Library of Congress (two) I have been sometime in Suspense about Writing to you, not knowing whether you were at Cadiz or Madrid. But being inform’d a few Days since that you had set out for the latter, I now acknowledge the receipt of your several Favours of Sept. 26. from Philadelphia. Decr 27. from Martinique, Jan 26th. & 28th and March 3d from...
23To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 7 April 1780 (Jay Papers)
I have been sometime in Suspense about Writing to you, not knowing whether you were at Cadiz or Madrid. But being inform’d a few Days since that you had set out for the latter, I now acknowledge the receipt of your several Favours of Sept. 26. from Philadelphia. Dec r 27 from Martinique, Jan 26 th . & 28 th and March 3 d from Cadiz. The Account you give of the prudent & pleasing Conduct of M....
24From Benjamin Franklin to John Jay, 13 June 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Columbia University Library; AL (draft): Library of Congress; two copies: Library of Congress It was a Mistake of a figure in my Letter that occasion’d you the Trouble of writing yours of the 28th. April. I find you charg’d only with 2564 Livres, 18.10 and not with 4564.18.10. l.t. That Bill is paid, as also another drawn since for 3596. livres, 13. Sols. 0 dated March 20. In setting...
25To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 13 June 1780 (Jay Papers)
It was a Mistake of a Figure in my Letter that occasion’d you the Trouble of writing yours of the 28 th . April.— I find you charg’d only with 2564 ^ Livres ^ , 18..10 and not with £4564.18.10. That Bill is paid, as also another drawn since for £3596 ^ livres ^ .. 13 ^ Sols ^ ..0. dated March 20. In setting right these Money Matters, it is fit to mention ^ a ^ small Mistake that you have made;...
26From Benjamin Franklin to John Jay, 25 June 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Columbia University Library; two copies: Library of Congress Mr. Ross having been employed by the Committee of Commerce to purchase Goods for the Use of the Army, has advanced and engaged his Credit for near 20,000£ Sterling more than he has been supply’d with by that Committee; several ships they had sent with Tobacco for that Purpose having been taken, and what arriv’d having been...
27Committee for Foreign Affairs to Franklin and John Jay, 11 July 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy and transcript: National Archives; copy: Massachusetts Historical Society Congress have appointed the Honorable Henry Laurens Esqr to solicit a loan of Money in the United provinces of the low Countries, in order to facilitate his Success the enclosed resolution, has been passed. We need say nothing to explain or urge it, except that it is thought a Mark of attention and confidence due to...
Congress having appointed the Honble Henry Laurens to solicit a Loan of Money in the United Provinces of the Low Countries, in Order to facilitate his Success the enclosed Resolution has been passed. We need say Nothing to explain or urge it, except that it is thought a Mark of Attention and Confidence due to those Powers; that their Interest, if the State of Politicks incline them to exert...
29From Benjamin Franklin to John Jay, 31 July 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; two copies: Library of Congress I write this Line just to acknowledge the Receipt of your Favour of the 17th. & Mr. Carmichaels of the 18th. (with the Pacquet of Papers in good Order,) which I shall soon answer fully. At present I can only say that I have given Orders for a Credit to you of another 1000 £ Sterg., to be proportionally divided between you: I...
30From Benjamin Franklin to John Jay, 2 October 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Columbia University Library; copies (two): Library of Congress I received duly and in good Order the several Letters you have written to me of Augt. 16. 19. Sept. 8. & 22. The Papers that accompanied them of your writing, gave me the Pleasure of seeing the Affairs of our Country in such good Hands, and the Prospect from your Youth of its having the Service of so able a Minister for a...