To Benjamin Franklin from François-Pierre de Séqueville, 4 June 1779
From François-Pierre de Séqueville4
LS:5 Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Paris, le 4 Juin 1779.
Monsieur,
Le Roi ne verra point Mardi prochain6 huit du mois, Messieurs les Ambassadeurs et Ministres étrangers.
De Séqueville
Secrétaire ordinaire du Roi, à la conduite des
Ambassadeurs.
Addressed: A Monsieur / Monsieur francklin / Ministre Plenipot. de La / Republ. des Provinces Unies / de l’Amerique Septentrionale / a Passy / De Sequeville.
Notation: Advertisements & ceremonial Notices.
4. In 1761 Séqueville (1725–93), a commis in the foreign ministry, became the court official dealing with the ministers of foreign states: Jean-Pierre Samoyault, Les Bureaux du Secrétariat d’Etat des Affaires étrangères sous Louis XV (Paris, 1971), p. 306.
5. A printed form with only the word “huit” and the date written by hand. There are thirty similar notices from Séqueville among BF’s papers at the APS and one at the University of Pa. Library. None of the others is fully dated.
6. The day of the week on which the king received foreign diplomats accredited to the French court.