451The 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...
452The American Commissioners: Receipt for Money from the French Treasury, 17 January 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ADS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères We the underwritten, Ministers plenipotentiary from the Congress of the United States of America, do hereby acknowledge, that we have received of Mons. Micaut d’Harvelay, Garde du Tresor Royal, the Sum of Five Hundred Thousand Livres, Money of France. Witness our Hands, The loan discussed in the preceding letter. Joseph Micault d’Harvelay...
453The American Commissioners to Gérard, 14 January 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Harvard University Library The commissioners are here acknowledging, on the surface, the King’s message that Gérard had transmitted to them the day before. Their gratitude, however, had little to do with the message, which offered them nothing beyond a vague promise, at the end, of help in purchasing supplies. What they are in fact...
454The 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...
455Negotiations over Tobacco between the American Commissioners and the Farmers General: Two Documents, 9 January 1777 and … (Franklin Papers)
(I) D : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: American Philosophical Society; incomplete copy, Harvard University Library. (II) AD (draft): American Philosophical Society On January 9 the commissioners met with a committee of the farmers general to begin negotiations for a tobacco contract. The agenda of that meeting, or the product of it, was written questions from the farmers...
456[Duportail and the American Commissioners]: Memorandum on Terms of Service, [11 January 1777] (Franklin Papers)
D : American Philosophical Society 1. M. de Portal demands to be at the Head of the Corps d’Ingenieurs in America: and under the Orders only of the General, or the Commander in chief in the Place where he may be. 2. He demands a Rank superior to that he enjoys at present, which is Major in the marine Infantry. 3. He proposes to take two Captains of the same Professions with him: to whom should...
457The American Commissioners to the Baron de Rullecourt, 10 January 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: University of Virginia Library This letter of appointment is the only dated record of one of the most bizarre schemes to which the commissioners ever lent themselves. A considerable amount of material about the plan is extant among Franklin’s papers in the American Philosophical Society: two letters from the Baron to the commissioners, a proposed agreement between him and Franklin, and a...
458The 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....
459[The American Commissioners]: Memoir [for Vergennes], [c. 8 January 1777] (Franklin Papers)
D : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères The situation of the United-states, require an immediate supply of Stores of various sorts, of which a proportion of Military for the opening and supporting the coming Campaign. Vessels or Ships belonging to the United-States cannot be procured, and if they could, the Danger and Risque would be very great. Diffuculties have arose at the...
460The 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...
461The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 5 January 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Dr. Franklin, Mr. Dean, and Mr. Lee, present their most respectful Complimts. to the Count de Vergennes; and request an audience of his Excellency, to-morrow morning, at such hour as he shall be pleas’d to appoint. Notation: 1777. Janvier 5. In BF ’s hand according to Stevens ( Facsimiles , VI , no. 613), but actually in Arthur Lee’s. We have...
462The 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...
463The 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,...
464The 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...
465The American Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 23 December 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères We beg Leave to acquaint your Excellency, that we are appointed and fully impowered by the Congress of the United States of America, to propose and negotiate a Treaty of Amity and Commerce between France and the said States. The just and generous Treatment their Trading Ships have received, by a free Admission into the Ports of this Kingdom,...
466The 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...
467The Committee of Secret Correspondence to Arthur Lee, 23 October 1776 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Yale University Library; two copies and extract: National Archives By this conveyance we transmit to Silas Deane Esq. a Resolve of the Honble. the continental congress of Delegates from the Thirteen United States of America, whereby you are appointed one of their Commissioners for negotiationg a treaty of alliance, Amity and Commerce with the Court of France, and also for negotiating...
468The Committee of Secret Correspondence to [Arthur Lee], 12 December 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Maine Historical Society By this Conveyance we have the Pleasure of transmitting to you sundry printed Papers, that such of them as you think proper may be immediately published in England. We have written on the Subject of American Affairs to Monsieur C. G. F. Dumas, who resides at the Hague. We recommend it to you to correspond with him, and to send through his Hands any Letters to us...
469The Committee of Secret Correspondence to [Arthur Lee], 30 November 1775 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: University of Virginia Library On November 29, 1775, Samuel Chase brought before Congress a proposal to send ambassadors to France. John Adams seconded the motion, and a vehement debate ensued. A number of alternatives were advanced, and one finally gained approval: to appoint a five-member committee of secret correspondence for the purpose of opening communication with friends of...