To Benjamin Franklin from Graf von Schönfeld, 20 July 1783
From Graf von Schönfeld8
ALS: American Philosophical Society
a Paris ce 20 Juillet 1783
Monsieur
Ayant ordre de ma Cour de Vous presenter Mr. Thieriot de Leipsic et qui va se rendre à Philadelphie en qualité de Commissionaire du Commerce de Saxe,9 je Vous prie Monsieur, de vouloir bien me faire Savoir si je ne Vous generois point en me rendant chés Vous avec lui demain Lundy ou Mercredy dans la matinée.1
Agrées je Vous en prie Monsieur l’assurance des Sentimens respectueux avec les quels j’ai l’honneur d’être Monsieur Votre très hûmble et très obeissant Serviteur
DE Schönfeld
Notation: Schonfeld: 20 Juillet 1783
8. In the four months since he had last written (XXXIX, 311–12), the Saxon minister had puzzled over why he had been unable to engage BF in establishing formal commercial relations, attributing BF’s reticence to such reasons as his own perceived errors of protocol and the influence of France, a commercial rival of Saxony. By June, he had realized that Saxony’s proposals were “vague et générale” by comparison with the maritime nations: William E. Lingelbach, “Saxon-American Relations, 1778–1828,” American Hist. Rev., XVII (1911–12), 521–3.
9. Philipp Thieriot was selected for this position on June 24 and awarded an annual salary of 1,500 thalers. His mission was to establish mercantile relations between the two countries and assist his fellow Saxon merchants. He also intended to establish his own business in Philadelphia. When informing Carmichael of the appointment, the Saxon minister to Spain described Thieriot as a “merchant of Bordeaux” born in Leipzig, and characterized him as honest and intelligent: Lingelbach, “Saxon-American Relations,” pp. 524–5; Horst Dippel, Germany and the American Revolution, 1770–1800 …, trans. Bernhard A. Uhlendorf (Chapel Hill, N.C., 1977), p. 270; Wharton, Diplomatic Correspondence, VI, 609–10.
1. They may have come on Wednesday. On that day, BF wrote three letters of introduction for Thieriot and sent them to Schönfeld, as requested. See BF to Schönfeld and to Livingston, July 23.