Copies: National Archives (two), Harvard University Library; transcript: National Archives Monsieur de Monthieu earnestly requests that his accounts may be finished. The receipts were left here some time since. He also repeats his request to be favoured with the Anchors. As we have refused to sell them, he will if we will send them to him deliver them in America to our order. They may thus go...
2The American Commissioners to John Adams, [on or before 5 May 1777] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress With this, you will receive Dispatches; with which you are to sail with all possible expedition. You will enclose the Dispatches in a Box with Lead, and have it always ready to sink, shoud you be in unavoidable danger of falling into the Enemies hands. To prevent this misfortune, you will constantly keep a good look-out, and be very cautious how you approach any...
3The Secret Committee to the American Commissioners, 18 February 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Virginia Library You will receive herewith a Copy of our Letter of Yesterday by the Lexington, with its enclosures. This goes to Boston for a Passage from thence. An armed Vessel belonging to that State will carry the dispatches and will be governed by your directions respecting her Load back, and the Time of her return. Should you have failed in obtaining the Loan, or of...
4The Secret Committee to the American Commissioners, 9 May 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Johns Hopkins University Library; copies: American Philosophical Society, National Archives, Library of Congress, University of Virginia Library This letter is intended to be delivered you by John Paul Jones Esquire an Active and brave Commander in our Navy, who has already performed signal services in Vessels of little Force and in reward for his Zeal, we have directed him to go on board...
5The Committee of Secret Correspondence to the Amerìcan Commissioners, 30 December 1776 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; Haverford College Library; LS without postscript: Joseph E. Fields, Joliet, Ill. (1958); AL (draft ): American Philosophical Society; copies: Historical Society of Pennsylvania; National Archives (two) The military defeats that had followed consistently on the Battle of Long Island, and had brought the British so near Philadelphia that Congress had fled to...
6The Committee of Secret Correspondence to the American Commissioners to France, 24 October 1776 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; letterbook copies: Library of Congress; National Archives The Congress having Committed to our Charge and Management their Ship of War called the Reprisal, Commanded by Lambert Wickes Esqr. carrying sixteen Six pounders and about one hundred and twenty Men, We have allotted her to carry Doctor Franklin to France and directed Capt. Wickes to proceed for the...
7The Secret Committee to the American Commissioners, 17 February 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : British Library; draft: Harvard University Library We have the honor to inclose you a Resolve of Congress that is of great Importance to the public Service, which has suffered considerably the last Fall, and during this Winter, by the insufficient manner in which our Soldiers were clothed. Having found much Delay heretofore in getting Cloth made up, the Congress desire that 40,000...
8The Committee of Secret Correspondence to the American Commissioners, 19 February 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : University of Virginia Library; two copies: National Archives; draft: American Philosophical Society The events of war have not since our last furnished any thing decisive. The enemies Army still remains encamped upon the hills near Brunswick, and still our Troops continue to beat back and destroy their Convoys insomuch that we understand their Horses dye in numbers, and we have reason to...
9The Committee of Secret Correspondence to the American Commissioners, 9 January 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; copies: Library of Congress; Yale University Library Captain Hammond having been detained longer than we expected, furnishes us with an opportunity of giving you the information we have since our last received from the Army, thro a Committee of Congress left at Philadelphia; for we have yet had no regular accounts from General Washington. On the 2d....
10The Committee of Secret Correspondence to the American Commissioners, 25 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Library of Congress We are commanded by Congress to transmit Copies of their Resolve of the 13 instant to all the Gentlemen abroad that hold correspondance with any of their Committees. The Necessity of Such a resolution and due attention to it, is fully evinced by the heavy expence america has been put to by many Gentlemen received into their...
11The Committee of Secret Correspondence to the American Commissioners, 2 February 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; LS : Rutgers University Library ; draft: Harvard University Library; copies: National Archives (two), Library of Congress You will recieve inclosed copies of our letters of the 21st. and 30th. Decemr., and of the Resolves of Congress accompanying them. It concerns us not less than we are sure it will you, that you should have heard so seldom from us, but...
12The Committee of Secret Correspondence to the American Commissioners, 21[–23] December 1776 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society, New York Public Library, University of Virginia Library, British Library; AL (incomplete draft ): American Philosophical Society; three copies: American Philosophical Society, National Archives, Library of Congress This letter was in response to Deane’s of October 1, which was the first word from him in Paris that reached Philadelphia. He complained hotly...
13The Secret Committee to the American Commissioners, 14 January 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; LS : American Philosophical Society, Harvard University Library; copies: Library of Congress, British Library. I have the honor to enclose herein a Copy of two Resolves of Congress passed the 19th and 29th Novr. by which the Secret Committee are directed to import two hundred and twenty Six Brass Canon and Arms and equipage compleat for three thousand...
14The American Commissioners to American Prisoners in England, [19] September 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Draft: Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: National Maritime Museum, Public Record Office, National Archives (two); transcript: Library of Congress <Passy, September [19], 1778: We have not written you for a long time but have been engaged in negotiating a cartel of exchange, and have assurances from England that an exchange will take place. The government of this kingdom has provided a...
Altho We have not written to you directly, for some time You may be assured, We have not been unmindfull of your Interests, your Comfort or your Liberty. We have been engaged, a long time, in negociating a Cartell of Exchange. This Work We found attended with many Difficulties, but at last have obtained Assurances from England that an Exchange shall take Place. We have also obtained from the...
16The American Commissioners to Americans Taken on Board of English Frigates, 15 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives We have received a Letter from Mr. Robert Harrison of the 7 Octr. and another from John Lemon, Edward Driver and John Nichols, of the 12, all Prisoners in Dinant Castle, all professing to be Americans who have been first compelled into the Service of their Enemies, and then taken Prisoners by the French. You are not...
17The American Commissioners to Peter Amiel, 23 June 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Virginia Library The foregoing is a true Copy of original Instructions from Congress to Commanders of private Ships or Vessels of War, having Commissions or Letters of Marque and Reprisal, which you are strictly enjoyned and required to observe. See the note on Arthur Lee to BF above, April 2. Amiel was now lodging in Passy, and was slated to command a privateer owned by a...
18The American Commissioners to the Conde de Aranda, 28 December 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archivo Historico Nacional; draft: Harvard University Library We wish to inform your Excellency, that we are directed by the United States of America, to cultivate the Friendship of the Court of Spain, with that of France. For that purpose, as well as to pay our personal Respects to your Excellency, we purpose to wait upon you to-morrow, or on any other Day that will be more convenient,...
19The 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....
20The Commissioners to Caron de Beaumarchais, 10 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
In a Letter We have received from the Committee of Commerce of the 16 May We are informed that they had “ ordered Several Vessells lately to South Carolina for Rice, and directed the Continental Agents in that state to consign them to y our Address. ” In the Letter from Mr. Livingston to Us dated Charlestown So. Carolina 10. June 1778 he has Subjected the Cargo of the Theresa Thérèse to our...
21The American Commissioners to Beaumarchais, 10 September 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, September 10, 1778: The cargo of the Thérèse has been assigned to us. We do not know how you claim her as your vessel since Mr. Montieu claims her as his and demands the remainder of our payment for her hire. We request your attention to our powers and instructions from Congress. Until the accounts of Roderigue...
22The American Commissioners to Bérard frères, 24 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Report of the Committee of the House of the 17th February on the Subject of the Claims of the Heirs of Caron de Beaumarchais . . . (20th Congress, 1st session, House of Representatives Report No. 220; [Washington, 1828]), pp. 44–5. Beaumarchais’ letter above to the commissioners of December 6, with a copy to Vergennes, brought to a head the dispute about the cargo of the...
23The American Commissioners to Bérard frères, 26 November 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society Yours of the 17th is before us. Our Letter by your Express will direct you how to proceed with the Cargo of the Amphitrite. The Ship herself is at the Order of Mr. Peltier, and the sooner he has her the better, but the Cargo is at ours. In regard to which we have nothing to alter from the Directions given in our former untill you favour us with an Answer to...
24The American Commissioners to Van Berckel, 29 October 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): National Archives <Passy, October 29, 1778: Some of your propositions can only be discussed in a personal interview. We wish you or someone authorized by you might meet one of us at Aix-la-Chapelle or any other place you may judge more convenient. We also leave to you the selection of fictitious names to be used when meeting.> Published in Taylor, Adams Papers , VII . In Arthur...
25The Commissioners to E. F. van Berckel, 29 October 1778 (Adams Papers)
Upon maturely considering the Letter and declaration which we have had the honor of receiving from you, we are of opinion that there are some propositions relative to that proposed treaty business which can only be properly discuss’d in a personal interview. We therefore wish that you, or a person authorizd by you, woud meet one of us at Aix la Chapelle, or any other place which you may judge...
26The American Commissioners to Emmanuel-Yves Bersolle, 22 April 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress Your Bill upon our Banker was not paid, because it was drawn without our leave; and before you had sent us the Accounts to shew we were your Debtors. When we have examind your Accounts and found them just; we shall give you Notice, that our Banker will pay your Draft for the Sum due. We conceive you cannot with any sort of propriety require payment sooner. We...
27The American Commissioners to Bersolle, 3 May 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: National Archives (two), Massachusetts Historical Society Your Bill upon our Banker was not paid, because it was drawn without our Leave; and before you had sent Us the Accounts to shew we were your Debtors, and he could not regularly pay a Bill on our Account, which he had not our Orders to pay. We are Sir, your most obedient Servants. Published in Butterfield, John Adams Diary , IV ,...
28The American Commissioners to ——— Berubé de Costentin, 15 August 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives We desire you will allow Mr. Thomas Wilkinson, one of the Prisoners made by the Ranger, and now in your Hospital, to go into the Country for the benefit of his health, on his parole. We are Sir your most obedient Servants Signd The man Schweighauser had put in charge of American vessels and prizes in Brest. See Costentin to BF , Aug. 24. In Arthur Lee’s hand. He had...
29The American Commissioners to Dumas with a Covering Note and a Draft Letter to the Grand Pensionary, 10 April 1778 … (Franklin Papers)
(I) AL (draft): Library of Congress; incomplete LS : New-York Historical Society; copies: Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères, Koninklijk Huisarchief, Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives (two); (II) AL (draft): Library of Congress; copies: Koninklijk Huisarchief, Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives (three); (III) AL (draft): Library of Congress;...
30The Commissioners to Pieter van Bleiswyck, 28 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
We have the Honour of acquainting your Excellency, that the United States of North America, being now an Independant Power, and acknowledged as such by this Court, a Treaty of Amity and Commerce is compleated between France and the Said States, of which we shall speedily send your Excellency a Copy, to be communicated if you think proper to their High Mightinesses, for whom, the United States,...