1191The Commissioners to John Ross, 30 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
We have received your Letter of the twenty second of September, and take this Opportunity to say, that We have no Authority, either to give you Orders or Advice, any further than respects the large Sum of Money, which the Commissioners put into your Hands sometime ago. Of the Expenditure of this Money, We have demanded an Account, which you have refused to give Us. With your private Concerns...
1192The American Commissioners to John Ross, 18 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We Recd: yours giving an Acct. of the Arrival of the Goods on which we had not made any Insurance. From the Situation of your Affairs when you wrote Us last, we presume that Your Ship, Capt. Green is ready for sailing. Capt. Nicholson will also be ready in a few Days, We have therefore to propose to you that They go in Company as Capt. Nicholson will be...
1193The American Commissioners to John Ross, 3 November 1778 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Justin G. Turner, Los Angeles (1959); AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives We have received yours of the twenty seventh of October, inclosing a Copy of a Resolution of Congress of the 11th August 1778. We shall pay the strictest Attention and Obedience to this Resolution of Congress and to all others, as far as shall be in our Power; and Shall be...
1194The American Commissioners to [John Ross], 9 September 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society <Passy, September 9, 1778: We acknowledge yours of August 29. We are authorized to discharge neither your private nor your public debts. If you purchased goods with money sent you by the commissioners and had given us an account, we could have given you orders. As it is, any goods you have belonging to the United States should be delivered to Mr....
1195The American Commissioners to John Ross, 29 December 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives We have received your Letters of the fifteenth and Twenty-fourth of December, with their Enclosures, and once more assure you, that We have no Authority, to do any Thing in your Affairs, untill you have Settled your Accounts.— Whenever you Shall be ready to lay your Accounts before Us, We shall be ready to receive them...
1196The American Commissioners to John Ross, 13 April 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives (two) <Passy, April 13, 1778: We are unable to comply with your request because the papers are Mr. William Lee’s; he is in Frankfurt, where you may be able to reach him by letter. Neither can we make further advances. We wish you to account for the goods bought with the funds we provided, but we cannot make a complete settlement; the...
1197The American Commissioners to John Ross, 30 September 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Detroit Public Library; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: National Archives (four); transcript: National Archives <Passy, September 30, 1778: We received yours of September 22. We have no authority to give you orders or advice beyond what concerns the large sum of money advanced you by the commissioners some time ago for which you refuse to account. We have nothing to...
1198The Commissioners to John Ross?, 9 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 29 of August We duely received. We return you the Contract inclosed in it. We are neither instructed nor authorised, to discharge your Debts, whether contracted in a private Capacity or otherwise, and if We were, our Finances would not enable Us to do it, at present. In one of your Letters you Say you have certain Merchandises on Hand to ship to America, which you will not ship...
1199The 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...
1200The American Commissioners to William Hill Sargeant, 23 July 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives We herewith Send you the Commission you desire, and wish you good Success with it being your very humble servants
1201The American Commissioners to Sartine, [16 May 1778]: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <[Passy, May 16, 1778:] Basmarein, Raimbaux & Cie. informs us that it has applied to the government for a frigate to defend its commerce and make reprisals for its losses; we request that it may have one, and will give the ship a commission and a letter of marque.> Published in Taylor, Adams Papers , VI , 123. The...
1202The American Commissioners to Sartine, 30 November 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives In Answer to your Excellencys Letter of the Twenty fifth of this Month, We have the Honour to inclose, four Papers, with Blancs to be filled as your Excellency may have occasion. These Requests being all the Protection in our Power to give, We hope will have the desired Effect and We have the Honour to be &c In JA ’s hand.
1203The American Commissioners to Sartine, 15 June 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives de la Marine; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, June 15, 1778: We refused M. Bersolle’s previous draft until he had sent his accounts. He then billed us for a thousand louis advanced to Capt. Jones on his arrival. Again we refused, because we had not authorized the advance and, when the Captain wrote that he could not feed his...
1204The American Commissioners to Sartine, 13 August 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, August 13, 1778: We are sorry for the delay in answering your letter of July 29. We are of opinion that the regulations are very good but wish to make the following observations. We propose that judges of admiralty in America because of the size of their jurisdictions be permitted to delegate their authority....
1205The American Commissioners to Sartine, 30 June 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, June 30, 1778: We enclose a protest about a ship of ours that the British captured off the French coast. As they have reclaimed similar captures made by our cruisers, we hope you will think it fair that we be indemnified from British goods in this kingdom.> Published in Butterfield, John Adams Diary , IV , 143....
1206The American Commissioners to Sartine, 30 October 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: National Archives (two); incomplete copy: Archives nationales <Passy, October 30, 1778: We are honored by your letter of October 26 and grateful for the prompt release of some of our countrymen imprisoned at Dinan. We have received another petition from prisoners at Brest; it appears that there are ten of them, only four of whom we had...
1207The American Commissioners to Sartine, 23 June 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, June 23, 1778: Mr. Joy Castle of Philadelphia informs us that his bark Jane , William Castle master, and her cargo have been seized at Bordeaux on the King’s order as British property. He is an American citizen, abroad because of sickness in the family, and now wants to return home, where he has an estate. His...
1208The American Commissioners to Sartine, 26 September 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives The Honourable Ralph Izzard Esqr., Minister from the United States to the Grand Duke, having ordered his Baggage to Italy from London has had the Luck to have them taken in an English Vessell, and carried into Marseilles. We have written to the Compte de Vergennes on the subject who refers Us to your Excellency. We...
1209The American Commissioners to Sartine, 22 July 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copy: National Archives <Passy, July 22, 1778: We have received your letters of July 15 and 18. Niggins and Selby are unknown to us, but unless something appears to invalidate their story please grant their request. We are sorry for the dispute between two officers of the Boston and some French crewmen. Captain Tucker has sent us his account of the...
1210The American Commissioners to Sartine, 25 December 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Translation: Archives de la Marine Nous avons l’honneur d’adresser à V.E. la copie ci jointe de la lettre que nous avons reçu de M. Langdon, de Portsmouth, ville de l’Etat de New-hampshire. Nous serons très satisfaits si l’avis qu’elle contient peut être utile à V.E. Tout ce que nous pouvons dire c’est que nous ne doutons pas que M. Langdon ne soit très capable d’exécuter ce qu’il propose; Et...
1211The American Commissioners to Sartine, 11 July 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society; National Archives (two) <Passy, July 11, 1778: We received your Excellency’s letter of the fifth regarding Captain Jones, and we readily consent to place him at your disposal.> Published in Butterfield, John Adams Diary , IV , 158.
1212The American Commissioners to Sartine, 3 June 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives de la Marine; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, June 3: We enclose a list of duties paid in Bordeaux on supplies for the Boston . Such payment is unusual for warships, and we ask you to regulate the practice in future. The captain of the Ranger has put his prizes into the hands of the intendant or commandant at Brest, and...
1213The American Commissioners to Sartine, 2 January 1779: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives (three), Library of Congress <Passy, January 2, 1779: We are obliged for the concern you expressed on December 22 for the American prisoners escaping from England. Our agents in Bordeaux, Brest, Lorient, Nantes and Dunkirk, as well as a volunteer in Calais, assist them. We will reimburse your commissaries engaged in this relief as we...
1214The American Commissioners to Sartine, 10 September 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; three copies: National Archives <Passy, September 10, 1778: Captain Daniel McNeill of Boston retook a French vessel [the Isabelle ] held by a Guernsey privateer more than three days. He brought her into Port Louis where he has met with difficulties selling her and her cargo. In keeping with His Majesty’s interest and the treaties between our two...
1215The American Commissioners to Sartine, [13] October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; three copies: National Archives We had the Honour of receiving your Excellencys Letter of the 7 Instant to which We shall take the Liberty of answering fully by another opportunity. As you mention that the Prize was condemned on the 20th Mr. Izard is apprehensive that the goods in Question may be sold, before the ordinary Course of Law can prevent...
1216The American Commissioners to Sartine, 2 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives We have the Honour of your Excellencys Letter of yesterdays Date, requesting Us to give to the Sieur Fagan all the Security in our Power, for three Vessells, to transport the Merchandises of France to England. We have the Honour to acquaint your Excellency, that we have accordingly given the Sieur Fagan, three...
1217The American Commissioners to Sartine, 1 February 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: Library of Congress, National Archives (two) We have the Honour to inclose to your Excellency, a Letter We have this day recd from Nantes, together with a Representation from Mr The Congress have not as yet appointed any Consuls in any of the Ports of this Kingdom, and they have not invested Us with Power to appoint such officers. We expect...
1218The American Commissioners to Sartine, 5 November 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, November 5, 1778: We received your letter of the fifth of this month, but since the memoir concerning the French surgeon was omitted, we cannot give you an adequate answer. The United States has no official policy for prisoners in England. We have loaned small sums to those who have escaped English captivity to...
1219The American Commissioners to Sartine, 12 November 1778 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives de la Marine; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives Last Night, We had a Letter from Nantes a Copy of which we have the honour to inclose to your Excellency. The Subject of it appears to us, of great Importance to the United States, as well as to the Individuals, Frenchmen and Americans, who are interested in the Vessels destined to America,...
1220The American Commissioners to Sartine, 30 August 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives We have just received a Letter from Brest relating to the insecure State of our Prisoners there a Copy of which We inclose and request your Excellencys Aid in Securing them more effectually, till they can be exchanged. We also beg Leave to remind your Excellency of the Passport we desired for the English Cartell ship...