The 28th. Ultimo I had the honour of writing to you by the Messenger Frederick Weare and of transmitting a Vote of Congress by which you are appointed a Commissioner at the Court of France. Inclosed under this Cover you will find a Commission executed agreeable to the Order of Congress. You have no doubt heard or will hear before this can reach you of the little affair which happened last Week...
2To John Adams from Henry Laurens, 12 November 1782 (Adams Papers)
An untoward Circumstance had hurried me from Bath, where I had been about a Month in the progress of health; I was waiting the Determination of this Court, whether I might, upon terms consistent with my honor, return & continue in the same pursuit during the Winter Months, or be obliged at all hazards to withdraw immediately from the Kingdom. In this dilemma, I had this afternoon the honor of...
3To John Adams from Henry Laurens, 27 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
Soon after I had dispatched a Letter to you this Morning, under the 25th. Inst. I was honor’d by yours of the 18th. but too late for an answer by this days Mail. You inclosed Copy of an old Letter from Mr. Valltravers, which had without doubt been sent to you merely for information that I had given no answer to the original which had cost 5/. in London. The Copy bears the heaviest part of nine...
4To John Adams from Henry Laurens, 4 October 1779 (Adams Papers)
The receipt and perusal of your favour of 10th Ultimo afforded me a very high satisfaction—the answer with which you honored my Letter of May 1778. has not yet reached me. From the earliest intelligence of your return to America I felt a strong disposition to wait on you with a line or two of sincere congratulation on your happy return to your family and American freinds, but there were...
5To John Adams from Henry Laurens, 12 April 1782 (Adams Papers)
If you can recollect the hand writing of an old friend as it is presum’d you will, put full confidence in Mr William the bearer of this, and give him your direction without a moments delay for the further steps of— RC ( Adams Papers ); addressed: “The Honorable John Adams Esquire Hague.”; endorsed: “Henry L.” William Vaughan, who delivered Henry Laurens’ first direct communication with JA...
6To John Adams from Henry Laurens, 26 March 1783 (Adams Papers)
I was yesterday honored by the reciept of your Letter of the 12 th. Instant. Can Mystery remain when Demonstration is produced? Time has acted his part, if We affect to disbelieve the Evidence which he has brought forth, neither will We be persuaded tho’ one rose from the dead. You will herewith receive copy of a Letter from M r. Bridgen in confirmation of what I said to you in my last, if...
7To John Adams from Henry Laurens, 15 January 1778 (Adams Papers)
I was honoured on the 7th. Instant by the Receipt of your favour of the 9th. Ultimo by the hands of Mr. Thaxter. I desired that Young Gentleman to call on me the Morning after he arrived intending to have conversed with him and to have aimed at some plan for procuring a suitable employment for him, but I found that by the Interest of other friends he had been introduced into the Secretary’s...
On the 19th. Instant I had the honour of receiving and presenting to Congress, your favor of the 23d. Ultimo—the Contents of which afforded great satisfaction to the House. It is now the wish of every friend to American Independence to learn speedily of your safe arrival at the Court of Versailles, where your sagacity, vigilance, integrity and knowledge of American affairs are extremely wanted...
9To John Adams from Henry Laurens, 6 March 1783 (Adams Papers)
Nothing but a persuasion of duty to my Country & my friendship to you could have prevailed on me to transmit the Letter which will accompany this; it was originally intended an Address to M r. Jenings, but after it was finish’d, doubts arose in my mind, whether it would work any good effect upon him, as well as whether I ought in honor to myself to hold a further correspondence with that...
10To John Adams from Henry Laurens, 25 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
The anonymos Bill, alluded to, My Dear Sir, in your favor of the 15th. which I was honored with yesterday, I had dismissed at Sight, by a most contemptuos protest, notwithstanding it had been usher’d with great solemnity, boasting a derivation from as good a friend to America as any in Europe and as honest a Man. My friend who said all this, or in terms equal, I know merits that Character in...
11To John Adams from Edmund Jenings, 11 August 1782 (Adams Papers)
I obeyed your Excellencys Commands most Litterally when I wrote to Mr L. to which I have this day receivd the following Answer. “When you write next to my good Friend Mr Adams I beg you would assure Him from the moment I receivd Intelligence of that Anonymous Scrip, I treated it with the Utmost Contempt and Abhorrence, I replied to the Gentleman, who transmitted it to me in the following words...
12To John Adams from Henry Laurens, 19 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
Will you permit me to congratulate with you upon the favorable appearances in our American concerns and particularly upon your safe arrival at Paris, and further to request you will forward in the best manner the times will afford, the two inclosed Letters, one to Ralph Izard Esquire and the other to my daughter in Law in London the latter if War is kindled between France and England must take...
13To John Adams from Henry Laurens, 25 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
I beg leave to refer you to my Letters of the 17 th. and 20 th. Instant to the American Ministers. I had very early applied to Ramsden one of the most celebrated opticians in London for the Spectacles which you desired me to procure for you he was dilatory in finishing them and occasioned the loss of an excellent opportunity for transmission, they came to me just as I was leaving London in...
14From Henry Laurens, with Appended Note of John Adams to Richard Cranch, 5 January 1778 (Adams Papers)
I had the honour of Addressing you on the 28th. November and 3d. Ultimo in Official Letters from Congress. My present business is to intreat your protection to the inclosed Packet from Baron Kalb which he intimates to me is intended to be of particular service to these States. You will be pleased either to take it under your immediate care if you intend within a few Weeks to embark for France...
The delegates of the United States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pensylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, to all who shall see these presents send greeting. Whereas a trade upon equal terms between the subjects of his most Christian majesty the king of France and the...
16Henry Laurens to the American Peace Commissioners, 17 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
I had the honor of addressing you the 10 th. immediately after my landing at Dover— As early as possible after my arrival here I obtained an Interview with M r. Secretary Fox, who was pleased to read to me part of his latest Dispatches to M r. Hartley which he supposed would reach Paris on the 14 th. tis probable therefore that before this time, as much of the Contents as is proper for your...
17Henry Laurens to the American Peace Commissioners, 20 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
Permit me to refer to what I had the honor of writing to you the 17 th. You will recollect my Suggestions, as soon as we perceived the falling off, from those warm Assurances which had been pressed in March and April, they were not ill founded; I dalayed a Week in hopes of Intelligence & left you with Reluctance; the temper of the times forbids even an essay. What a happy Country is this,...
18Henry Laurens to the American Peace Commissioners, 9 August 1783 (Adams Papers)
Availing my self of your consent & recommendation I embarked at le Havre on board the Washington & Sailed from thence the 1 st Inst. On the 2 d. at 9 o’Clõ. AM. we were within six Leagues of Poole in Dorsetshire. The Wind being very favorable, I quitted the Ship, went on board a small Hoy bound to Poole & urged Capt. Barney to proceed on his Voyage, leaving my excellent Post Carriage to take...
19The American Peace Commissioners to Prince Bariatinskii, [2 July 1783] (Franklin Papers)
Retranslation: reprinted from Nina N. Bashkina et al. , eds., The United States and Russia: the Beginning of Relations, 1765–1815 ([Washington, D.C., 1980]), p. 199. On Tuesday, July 1, at the weekly gathering of ministers at Versailles, Vergennes informed the American peace commissioners that the Anglo-French treaty had been settled, pending British approval, and the time had come for them to...
20The American Peace Commissioners to Francis Dana, 12 December 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS, AL (draft), and copy: Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: Library of Congress We have the Honour to congratulate you, on the Signature of the preliminary Treaty of Peace, between his Britannic Majesty and the United States of America, to be inserted in the definitive Treaty, when France and Britain Shall have agreed upon their Terms. The Articles, of which We do ourselves the...
21The American Peace Commissioners to Alleyne Fitzherbert, [20 February 1783] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society We have recd. the Letter wh you did us the Honor to write on the 18th. Inst, together with the Passports mentioned in it. His britannic Majesty’s Proclamation of the 14th. Instant has our entire approbation, and we have the Honor of transmitting to you, herewith enclosed, a Declaration perfectly correspondent with it. It appears to us important to...
22To Benjamin Franklin from Henry Laurens, 6 March 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress; incomplete copy: South Carolina Historical Society Hitherto, since my arrival on this side of the Channel I have had nothing worth your attention, to offer, indeed five or six last days excepted I had been confined at Bath. Mr. Oswald said to me yesterday, he was going to the proper place for learning, whether he should be soon, or when required to attend upon the...
23To Benjamin Franklin from Henry Laurens, 24 December 1782 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society; copy: South Carolina Historical Society Mr. Laurens presents his Compliments to Doctor Franklin & requests him to give a place to the Inclosed Letter for Robt. R. Livingston Esqr among his dispatches for the Ship Washington & to inform him whether he will be in time for saving the Courier with other Letters any time to day. Addressed: His Excellency /...
24To Benjamin Franklin from Henry Laurens, 17 March 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Library of Congress; copy: South Carolina Historical Society I beg leave to refer to my letter of the 6th Instant by the hands of Mr. Storer—to speak in the current stile, Government is still a float. In the moment when it was thought an Administration would be formed, the prospects of the Coalition have been dashed— The K. it seems has been the stipulator, insisted upon keeping the Lord...
25To Benjamin Franklin from Henry Laurens, 30 April 1782 (Franklin Papers)
L : Historical Society of Pennsylvania; copies: Library of Congress, South Carolina Historical Society; transcript: National Archives I writ to you on the 7th. Inst: by Mr Oswald, since which, that is to say, on the 28th. I was honored by the receipt of your letter of the 12th. inclosing a copy of the Commission for treating for Peace, by the hands of Mr Young. The Recognizance exacted from me...
26To Benjamin Franklin from Henry Laurens, 27 August 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress; copy: University of South Carolina Library My thanks are due for the justice you did me, in beleiving I had written to some one or other of my Colleagus since my last return to London, altho’ it appears by the Letter you have honored me with under the 21st Inst. mine of the 9th. addressed to the whole had not reached them, an unlucky circumstance which gives me much...
27To Benjamin Franklin from Henry Laurens, 7 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: University of South Carolina Library; incomplete copy: Library of Congress Very late in the evening of the 12th of July I had the honor of recieving at Vigan your favor of the 2d. By the dawn of day the next morning I had mounted the chaise in order to prosecute my journey to this place & here I arrived in a very shattered state of health on the 30th. & have been ever since confined to...
28To Benjamin Franklin from Henry Laurens, 24 June 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress; L (draft): University of South Carolina Library In pursuance of the measure which I had the honour of intimating in my last of the 17th. Ulto. I waited on Mr. Adams at Hague and made a tender of my Service in the duty first charg’d upon me by Congress, that of borrowing Money for the Use of our United States, provided I was included and Authoriz’d in the Commission...
29To Benjamin Franklin from Henry Laurens, 30 December 1782 (Franklin Papers)
L : University of Pennsylvania Library Mr. Laurens presents his Compliments to Doctor Franklin and requests the honor of his company at dinner on thursday next at 3 oClock. In the hand of Henry Laurens, Jr. Laurens sent a separate invitation to WTF on the same day ( APS ). He was still in ill health, and on Jan. 9 he asked WTF to procure passports for himself, his son, and a servant to return...
30To Benjamin Franklin from Henry Laurens, 10 September 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): University of South Carolina Library I had the honor of addressing you under the 3d Inst. requesting you to procure & transmit a Passport for myself & family to go out of this Kingdom into England—this Morning I am advised from London that the proper document of leave to re-enter the latter, had been obtained & would be forwarded to Mr. Ginett...