401The American Commissioners to Franco and Adrianus Dubbeldemuts, [10 November 1777] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress We had the honor of receiving in due time your Letters of the 30th. of Octr. last, together with the Papers annexd. It gives us much concern to find that any persons belonging to America shoud be chargeable with having acted with such violence and injustice. But as it appears they have sent with the Vessel the Papers which will prove the illegality of their...
402The American Commissioners: Certificate for a Supercargo, [29 August 1777] (Franklin Papers)
DS and draft: American Philosophical Society To all Persons in Authority in any of the United States of America. The Ship Harmony of Bordeaux, Francis Barboutin Captain and M. Duler Supercargo being bound to the Continent of North America with Merchandize, and uncertain under the present Circumstances what Port she may be able to make; we hereby request that you would Favour the said M. Duler...
403The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 5 January 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Harvard University Library. On Sunday, January 5, the commissioners went to Versailles. That evening they sent a brief note to Vergennes asking for an audience on Monday morning. Such an interview in the spotlight of the court would have been quite different from the previous clandestine meeting in Paris, but the idea never seems to...
404The American Commissioners to Veuve Cornic & fils, 10 September 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Staatsbibliothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz, früher Preussischer Staatsbibliothek, Berlin; copy: Connecticut Historical Society We have directed Capt. Johnson to draw on Us for the Amount of the Sums furnished by you for his Disbursements, which Bills will be duly honored. In Answer to Yours, to Doct. Franklin, We have to assure You that We have ever had the fullest Confidence in Your...
405The American Commissioners to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, 25 May 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: National Archives; two copies: British Library Agreeable to what we mentioned in ours of March 14 and April the 9th (a third Copy of which we send herewith) Mr. Lee tarry’d here some Weeks after his Return from Spain. No News arriving (tho’ we received Letters from you) of any Commissioner being actually appointed for Prussia, and the Necessity of a good Understanding with that...
406The 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...
407The American Commissioners to the President of Congress, 6 February 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: National Archives This will be delivered to you by M. de Coudray, an Officer of great Reputation here, for his Talents in general, and particularly for his Skill and Abilities in his Profession. Some accidental Circumstance, I understand, prevented his going in the Amphitrite; but his Zeal for our Cause, and earnest Desire of promoting it, have engag’d him to overcome all...
408The 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...
409From Benjamin Franklin to the Speakers of the Colonial Assemblies: a Circular Letter from Franklin, William Bollan, and … (Franklin Papers)
LS : Library of Congress Our last Letter informed you, that the King had declared his Intention of laying the Petition before his two Houses of Parliament. It has accordingly been laid before each House, but undistinguished among a Variety of Letters and other Papers from America. A Motion made by Lord Chatham, to withdraw the Troops from Boston, as the first Step towards a conciliating Plan,...
410Three Public Notices Concerning the Petition from the Continental Congress, 17–18 January 1775 (Franklin Papers)
I and II: printed in The Whitehall Evening Post , respectively January 19–21 and 14–17, 1775; III: printed in The Public Advertiser , January 20, 1775. Once Dartmouth informed the Massachusetts agents on December 24 that the King had received the petition from the Congress and would lay it before Parliament, they had to decide when it might properly be published. As soon as it had been...