Benjamin Franklin Papers
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From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 2 December 1784

To John Adams

AL: New York Public Library

Passy, Dec. 2. 1784.—

Mr Franklin presents his respectful Compliments to Mr Adams, with Thanks for his obliging Invitation,3 which he should accept with Pleasure, but that he finds himself oblig’d to renounce dining abroad, his Malady rendring it on many accounts extreamly inconvenient to him.4

Mr F. has receiv’d a Letter & some Papers from Mr Grand, on which he wishes to confer with Mr Adams & Mr Jefferson when convenient to them.—5

Addressed: A son Excellence / Monsieur Adams / Ministre Plenipotentiaire / des Etats Unis, &c / à Auteuil

Endorsed: Dr Franklin 2. Dec. 1784.

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

3The invitation, dated Auteuil, Nov. 28, was for a dinner on Thursday, Dec. 2: University of Pa. Library. For that dinner see Abigail Adams to BF, Dec. 3.

4On Dec. 12, JA wrote to Elbridge Gerry that BF’s stone was so bad that he had not been to Versailles or Paris for a year and, on his last visit to Auteuil, had “suffered such cruel Tortures in coming and going, that he seems determined to venture out no more unless in a Sedan.” As TJ was also confined to his house by illness, JA remarked, “I have been much employ’d as a go between Passy and Paris”: Adams Papers, XVI, 450–1.

5These papers (not found) probably concerned the fresh financial crisis which had arisen from the United States’ recent defaults and anticipated future defaults on debts to France. Grand had sent his current account to the Board of Treasury on Nov. 30 showing that he was 38,592 l.t. 18 s. 9 d. in advance. Due to TJ’s and BF’s ill health, the commissioners probably did not meet until Dec. 9, when they wrote their joint letter to the Duke of Dorset (below). On Dec. 11, JA wrote to the Dutch banking consortium to inquire about the American funds at their disposal. Probably around the same time, BF sent a similar, but now-missing, inquiry to Le Couteulx & Cie. That firm’s response (also missing) indicated that they could remit only 19,000 l.t. to Grand: Grand to the Board of Treasury, Feb. 8, 1785 (National Archives); Adams Papers, XVI, 473.

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