Benjamin Franklin Papers
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To Benjamin Franklin from Giuseppe Doria Pamphili: Letter and Note, 28 July 1783

From Giuseppe Doria Pamphili: Letter and Note

(I) L: Library of Congress; copy and transcript: National Archives; press copy of copy: American Philosophical Society; (II) Copy and transcript:3 National Archives; press copy of copy: American Philosophical Society; copy: Archives of the Congregatio de Propaganda Fide

The independence of the United States presented the Holy See with the problem of how to minister to the needs of American Catholics. The colonies had been under the authority of the vicar apostolic in London, but once the political ties were officially dissolved, that religious bond would break. On January 15, 1783, Cardinal Leonardo Antonelli, prefect of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, instructed the papal nuncio in Paris, Archbishop Pamphili, to seek the assistance of the French government on two matters. One was persuading the Americans to include in their peace treaty an article guaranteeing the free exercise of the Catholic religion. The other was devising a plan for the establishment of missions in America and appointing a vicar apostolic or bishop (preferably an American) in one of the major cities. Vergennes assured the nuncio on February 4 that an article was unnecessary, as all religions were tolerated in America, and evidently ignored the nuncio’s request that he speak to Franklin.4 Pamphili himself could not broach these topics with Franklin until the American was recognized by the diplomatic corps.

That general recognition came at the weekly gathering of foreign ministers at Versailles on Tuesday, July 8. Pamphili reported to Rome that Franklin, Adams, and Jay were received by the diplomatic corps without having presented the customary card announcing themselves as ministers of the United States of America, but rather, “in the same manner customarily observed with foreign nobility who present themselves in this capital.”5

With the way now cleared for diplomatic initiatives, Pamphili sent this note to Franklin for forwarding to Congress. Though the American responded that it would be “absolutely useless” to do so,6 he nonetheless forwarded the note in his September 13 letter to Elias Boudinot.

I.

Ce 28. Juillet 1783.

M. Le Nonce Apostolique a l’honneur d’envoyer à Monsieur Franklin la note ci-jointe. Il le prie de vouloir bien la faire passer au Congrès des Etats Unis de l’Amerique Septentrionale et l’appuyer de son credit./.

II.

Note.

[July 28, 1783]

Avant la Revolution qui vient d’être consommée dans l’Amérique septentrionale, les Catholiques et les Missionaires de ces Provinces dependoient dans le Spirituel du Vicaire Apostolique résident à Londres. On sent bien que cet Arrangement ne peut plus avoir lieu, mais comme il est essentiel que les Catholiques Sujets des Etats Unis ayent un Eclesiastique qui les gouverne en ce qui concerne leur Religion. La Congregation de Propagandâ Fide, existante a Rome pour l’Etablissement et la Conservation des Missions, est venue dans la Determination de proposer au Congrès d’établir dans quelque Ville des Etats Unis de l’Amerique septentrionale, un de leurs Sujets catholiques, avec les Pouvoirs de Vicaire Apostolique et avec le Caractere d’Eveque ou simplement en qualité de préfet Apostolique, L’Etablissement d’un Eveque Vicaire Apostolique paroit le plus convenable, d’autant plus que les Sujets Catholiques des Etats Unis se trouveroient à portée de recevoir la Confirmation et les ordres dans leur propre Pays sans être obligés de se rendre à cet Effet dans des Pays d’une Domination étrangere, Et comme il pourroit arriver quelque fois que parmi les Sujets des Etats Unis, il n’y eut Personne en état d’être chargée du Gouvernement spirituel soit comme Eveque, soit comme Préfet Apostolique; il seroit nécessaire dans une telle Circonstance que le Congrès volut bien consentir à ce qu’on la choisit, parmi les Sujets d’une Nation étrangere la plus amie des Etats Unis.

Notation: Note of Pope’s Nuncio 28 July 1783.

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

3The English translation made for Congress, also at the National Archives, is published in Wharton, Diplomatic Correspondence, VI, 614–15n.

4See Jules A. Baisnée, France and the Establishment of the American Catholic Hierarchy: the Myth of French Interference (1783–1784) (Baltimore, 1934), pp. 21–4, 45–9, where the correspondence is described as well as reproduced in translation. Antonelli’s letter in the original Italian is in Carl R. Fish, ed., “Documents relative to the Adjustment of the Roman Catholic Organization in the United States to the Conditions of National Independence, 1783–1789,” American Hist. Rev., XV (1909–10), 801–4.

5Antonio Pace, Benjamin Franklin and Italy (Philadelphia, 1958), p. 99. See also the baron de Thun to BF and Jay, July 7.

6See BF to Pamphili, [before Aug. 27].

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