1[American Commissioners to Favi, 30 September 1784] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Passy, 30 Sep. 1784 . A letter almost identical with the Commissioners’ letter to D’Aranda and others, 22 Sep. 1784, q.v., and note, but not dated or sent until this date “from a mistake in transcribing.” No copy of the actual letter to Favi has been found.]
2VIII. American Commissioners to William Carmichael, 12 September 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Barclay will deliver you this letter in his way to Morocco. We have appointed him to this negotiation in hopes of obtaining the friendship of that State to our country, and of opening by that means the commerce of the Mediterranean, an object of sufficient importance to induce him to accept of the trust. We recommend him and Colo. Franks who goes with him to your attention and assistance,...
3IV. The American Commissioners to William Carmichael, 12 September 1785 – 11 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
M r. Barclay will deliver you this letter in his way to Morocco. We have appointed him to this negotiation in hopes of obtaining the friendship of that State to our country, & of opening by that means the commerce of the Mediterranean, an object of sufficient importance to induce him to accept of the trust We recommend him & Col o. Franks who goes with him to your attention & assistance, and...
4American Commissioners to Favi, 9 December 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
We have received your letter of the 16th. of Novr. wherein you are pleased to inform us that you had communicated to His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Tuscany the overtures we had the honour of making for the establishment of a treaty of Amity and Commerce between the Subjects of His Royal Highness and the Citizens of the United States of America; that these were agreeable to him, and that...
5The American Commissioners to the Duke of Dorset: Résumé, 9 December 1784 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and copy: Massachusetts Historical Society; copy: National Archives (Passy, December 9, 1784: We received your letter of November 24, and are greatly satisfied with your ministers’ assurances. As to the previous stipulation proposed by your Court, we can only say that if by this proposition it is intended that the United States should appoint a minister to reside at your court, we,...
6American Commissioners to C. W. F. Dumas, [27 July 1785] (Jefferson Papers)
A treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United states of America and his majesty the king of Prussia having been arranged by us with the baron de Thulemeier his majesty’s envoy extraordinary at the Hague specially empowered for this purpose, and it being inconsistent with our other duties to repair to that place ourselves for the purpose of executing and exchanging the instruments of...
7The American Commissioners to Richard Henry Lee: Résumé, [9] February 1785 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives ⟨Paris, February [9], 1785: In our letter to Congress of December 15, we enclosed our letter to the Portuguese ambassador with our proposed draft treaty. Since then, he wrote to inform us that he had received it and forwarded it to his court (Enclosure No. 1). Baron Thulemeier wrote a similar letter (No. 2) and requested, as he had done in his letter of October 8, that...
8American Commissioners to De Thulemeier, 21 January 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
We have received the letter you did us the honour to write us on the 10th. day of December last . We supposed that the principles contained in the project of a Treaty , which we had the honour to transmit you, were a virtual answer to the requisition in the last lines of your letter of the eighteenth of October. By the second and third Articles, the citizens and subjects of each power may...
9The American Commissioners’ Memorandum of a Conversation with the Comte de Vergennes, 15 September 1784 (Adams Papers)
The American Ministers plenipotentiary exhibited officially to the Count de Vergennes Minister and Secretary of State having the Department of foreign Affairs, the Commission of the United States in Congress assembled authorizing them to negotiate & conclude a supplementary Treaty between the United States and His Most Christian Majesty—a Copy whereof was left with the Count, who informed...
10The American Commissioners to John Jay, 11 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
We have the Honour to transmit to Congress, by M r Fitzhughs, the Treaty between the United States and the King of Prussia, Signed Seperately by your Ministers at the Several Places of their Residence, and by the Baron De Thulemeier at the Hague, in English and French and exchanged at the Hague in Presence of M r Short and M r Dumas. As this Treaty may be of considerable Importance to the...
11American Commissioners to Dorset, 28 October 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
The United States of America in Congress assembled judging that an intercourse between the subjects of his Britannic Majesty and the citizens of the said States founded on the principles of equality reciprocity and friendship may be of mutual advantage to both nations, on the 12th day of May last, issued their commission under the seal of the said States to the Subscribers as their Ministers...
12American Commissioners to De Thulemeier, 9 September 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
Passy, 9 Sep. 1784 . This letter is almost identical with the Commissioners’ letter to De Souza of this date, q.v. for variations in the text. FC ( DNA : PCC , No. 116); at head of text: “The object of the Commission with respect to the completion of a Treaty of Amity & Commerce between the United States of America and His Majesty the King of Prussia was communicated in the subsequent Letter...
13The American Commissioners to Sousa Coutinho: Résumé, 30 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives ⟨Passy, November 30, 1784: We received from your secretary the extract of the letter from Monsieur de Sa of October 24. Conformable to the desires of Her Majesty, we enclose a draft of a project of a treaty of amity and commerce to be concluded between our two countries. If this project is acceptable and Her Majesty sends you power to conclude, we are ready to sign such...
We have received the Extract of the letter from Monsieur de Sa of the 24 th Oct r 1784 which your Excellency was pleased to send us by the hand of the Secretary of your legation. “That in consequence of our letter your Excellency might assure us that Her Most faithful Majesty will be very glad to have the best correspondence with the United States, and that we may explain to your Excellency...
15The American Commissioners to the Duke of Dorset, 16 May 1785 (Adams Papers)
We received in due time the letter which your Grace did us the honour to write us on the 26 th day of March last, and have delayed the acknowledgment of it in expectation of the arrival of the packets, by which we hoped for further Instructions from Congress. We have now the honor to inform your Grace that Congress on the 24 th day of Feb y last, appointed a Minister Plenipotentiary to reside...
16American Commissioners to D’Aranda and Others, 22 September 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
Passy, 22 Sep. 1784 . These letters are virtually identical with the Commissioners’ letter to De Souza, 9 Sep. 1784 , q.v. for variations in the text. FC ( DNA : PCC , No. 116); at head of text: “On the 22nd day of Septr. the following communication was made to His Excellency the Count d’Aranda Ambassador extraordinary & plenipotentiary from His Catholic Majesty the King of Spain at the Court...
17American Commissioners to De Thulemeier, 26 May 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
We received the letter you did us the honour of writing to us the 3d. inst. and are happy to find that all points of the proposed Treaty being thro the King’s goodness and condescension now agreed, nothing remains but to transcribe it fairly and to sign and exchange the copies according to our powers and the usual forms. But the signature of at least two of our number being necessary, and Mr....
18The American Commissioners to Francesco Favi, 9 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
We have received your letter of the 16 th. of Nov r. wherein you are pleased to inform us that you had communicated to His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Tuscany the overtures we had the honour of making for the establishment of a treaty of Amity & Commerce between the Subjects of His Royal Highness & the Citizens of the United States of America; that these were agreeable to him, and that...
19American Commissioners to John Jay, 11 October 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
We have the Honour to transmit to Congress, by Mr. Fitzhughs, the Treaty between the United States and the King of Prussia, Signed Seperately by your Ministers at the several Places of their Residence, and by the Baron De Thulemeier at the Hague, in English and French and exchanged at the Hague in Presence of Mr. Short and Mr. Dumas. As this Treaty may be of considerable Importance to the...
20American Commissioners to John Lamb, 29 June–7 July 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
The Importance of Peace with the Algerines, and the other Inhabitants of the Coast of Barbary, to the United States, renders it necessary that every information which can be obtained, should be laid before Congress. And as the demands for the Redemption of Captives, as well as the amount of Customary Presents, are so much more considerable, than seem to have been expected in America, it...
21The American Commissioners to Thomas Barclay, 25 January 1787 (Adams Papers)
We have transmitted to M r. Lamb a Resolution of Congress vacating his Commission & Instructions & we had long before written to him, that we had no further service for him in Europe, and advising him to embark by the first oppertunity for America & lay his accounts before Congress— But by his Letter of october the 10 th. to M r. Jefferson dated Alicant he say’s “he is not able to take passage...
22American Commissioners to De Souza, 30 November 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
We have received the Extract of the letter from Monsieur de Sa of the 24th Octr. 1784 which your Excellency was pleased to send us by the hand of the Secretary of your legation. “That in consequence of our letter your Excellency might assure us that Her Most faithful Majesty will be very glad to have the best correspondence with the United States, and that we may explain to your Excellency the...
23The American Commissioners to Aranda: Résumé, 28 October 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives ⟨Passy, October 28, 1784: We received your letter of September 27 and thank you for sending the news of our appointment to your court. Regarding your question of whether one or more of us could travel to Madrid in order to conduct and conclude the negotiation, we have the honor to inform you that the United States in Congress assembled has proposed treaties with most of...
24Extract from Proceedings of the American Commissioners, 8 February 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
About this time came to hand through the French Post Office thirteen large Packets all of them addressed, “A Messieurs Messrs. Les Deputés des Etats Unis de l’Amerique a Paris”: containing the Minutes of the Proceedings of the Court of Admiralty at the Cape, and the adjudications as legal prizes of an equal number of British Vessels captured by armed Vessels belonging to the United States of...
25American Commissioners to Vergennes, 11 October 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
The friendly dispositions which his Majesty has been pleased to shew to the United States of America on every occasion, as well as the assurances given them in the 8th. Article of the treaty of Amity and Commerce that he would employ his good offices and interposition with the powers on the coast of Barbary to provide for the safety of the Citizens of the United States, their vessels and...
26III. The American Commissioners’ Draft Letter to Wilhem & Jan Willink and Nicolaas & Jacob van Staphorst, 12 September … (Adams Papers)
We have the honor to inform you that we have rec d. fm. the U: States of America, in Congress, full power & instructions to form treaties with the Emperor of Morocco & the Regencies of Algiers, Tunis & Tripoli, and we enclose you a Copy of a Resolution of Congress of 14 th. February 1785. impowering us to apply so much of the money borrowed in Holland to that use as we may deem necessary, not...
27American Commissioners to Stael de Holstein, 28 September 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
The United States of America in Congress assembled judging that it might be necessary, for the purpose of promoting and perfecting the commercial intercourse so happily begun between his Sweedish Majesty and them, that supplementary Treaties be formed in addition to the Treaty of Amity and Commerce already entered into between the two Nations, on the third day of June last, constituted the...
28The American Commissioners to the Duke of Dorset, 28 October 1784 (Adams Papers)
The United States of america in Congress assembled judging that an intercourse between the Subjects of his Britannic Majesty & the Citizens of the Said States founded on the Principles of equality, reciprocity & friendship may be of mutual advantage to both nations, on the 12 th. day of may last, issued their Commission under the Seal of the Said States to the Subscribers as their Ministers...
29American Commissioners to President of Congress, [9] February 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
In our last of Decr. 15 we had the honour of communicating to Congress our letter to the Ambassador of Portugal which accompanied the draught of the treaty of Amity and Commerce proposed on our part. Since that date he addressed to us the letter No. 1. acknowledging the receipt of ours and informing us that he had forwarded it to his court. The Baron de Thulemeier also, the Prussian Minister...
30American Commissioners to Dorset, 9 December 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
We have received the letter which your Grace did us the honour of writing us on the 24th day of last Month, and we receive with much satisfaction the assurances on the part of His Britannic Majesty’s Ministers of their readiness to take into consideration any proposals coming from the United States of America that can tend to the establishing a system of mutual and permanent advantage to the...
31American Commissioners to Carmarthen, 4 April 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Agreably to your Lordships request expressed to one of us in Conversation, and again communicated to us through Mr. Fraser , we have drawn up the enclosed Project of a Treaty of Commerce, which we do ourselves the Honour to propose to the Consideration of his Majesty’s Ministers. We have the honor to be Tr ( DNA : PCC , No. 86); in Smith’s hand; endorsed by him. Tr ( DLC ); also in Smith’s...
32V. The American Commissioners’ Draft Letter to the Comte de Vergennes, 15 September 1785 (Adams Papers)
We do ourselves the Honour to acquaint your Excellency, that We have appointed Thomas Barclay Esq the Consul General of the United States in France, to proceed to the coast of Barbary in Africa, there to enter into Negotiation and to endeavour to form Treaties, of Amity between the United States and the King or Emperor of Morocco or Fez; the Regencies of Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli, or with any...
In our letter of Nov r 11 th. we had the honour of laying before Congress a state of our proceedings till that date. As from that it would appear that the last communications had in every instance passed from us to the other parties we can now only add the answers of such of them as have yet answered, & our replies; these are the courts of Portugal, Tuscany & Great Britain. N o. 1. is a copy...
34American Commissioners to Dorset, 16 May 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
We received in due time the letter which your Grace did us the honour to write us on the 26th. day of March last, and have delayed the acknowledgment of it in expectation of the arrival of the packets, by which we hoped for further Instructions from Congress. We have now the honor to inform your Grace that Congress on the 24th. day of Feby. last, appointed a Minister Plenipotentiary to reside...
35The American Commissioners to Favi: Résumé, 9 December 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives ⟨Passy, December 9, 1784: We received your letter of November 16, informing us that His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Tuscany would receive with pleasure our propositions for a treaty. We now enclose a plan of such a treaty of amity and commerce, and are ready to sign it if it should meet with approbation. It is founded on principles of equal right and is calculated...
36American Commissioners to the President of Congress, 15 December 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
In our letter of Novr. 11th. we had the honour of laying before Congress a state of our proceedings till that date. As from that it would appear that the last communications had in every instance passed from us to the other parties we can now only add the answers of such of them as have yet answered, and our replies; these are the courts of Portugal, Tuscany and Great Britain. No. 1. is a copy...
37The American Commissioners to Paul R. Randall, [7 July 1786] (Adams Papers)
We have written to M r Lamb, to return to America without Loss of Time, either by the first Opportunity from any Port in Spain, or by the French Packett at L’Orient.— If You Should choose to Accompany him, We wish to accommodate you and therefore consent: but our Desire is rather that you Should come first to Paris & London that We may avail ourselves of an opportunity of conversing with you...
38The American Commissioners to Taher Fennish, 27 January 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
To His Excellency, Sidi Hadq Taher Ben Abdelhack Fennish, in the Service of His Majesty the Emperor of Morocco We have recieved with high satisfaction the letter, which your Excellency by the command of His Majesty the Emperor of Morocco, did us the honor to write us, on the first day of the blessed month Ramadan twelve hundred and transmitted to us, by the Honorable Thomas Barclay Esqr., who...
39American Commissioners to D’Aranda, 28 October 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
We have received the Letter you did us the honour to write us on the 27th day of Septr. last, and we thank you for your care in transmitting to your Court, the information of our appointment to treat with it. You desire to be informed if one or more of us can repair to Madrid for the purpose of conducting and concluding the negotiation, because that it is the system of your Court in matters...
40The American Commissioners to [Richard Henry Lee]: Résumé, 15 December 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives ⟨Paris, December 15, 1784: In our letter of November 11 we outlined to Congress what we had done up to that date, which included sending all our letters. We can now only add the answers we have received, and our replies. Enclosures 1 and 2 are our exchange with the ambassador of Portugal, enclosure 3 being the draft treaty we enclosed. Enclosures 4 and 5 are the...
41American Commissioners to John Lamb, [26 September 1786] (Jefferson Papers)
We have recieved your two letters of the 15 and 18 July from Alicant and are sorry to learn that your indisposition discourages you from travelling by land or by sea. We still think it most advisable both for your own interest and that of the United States, that you should return to Congress for their further instructions as soon as possible, and we again propose to you to embark from Spain by...
We have received the letter you did us the honour to write us on the 10 th day of December last. We supposed that the principles contained in the project of a Treaty, which we had the honour to transmit you, were a virtual answer to the requisition in the last lines of your letter of the eighteenth of October. By the second & third Articles, the citizens & subjects of each power may frequent...
43American Commissioners to John Jay, 11 May 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Our last letter to you was dated April 13. 1785. and went by the packet of that month from l’Orient. Since that date the letter No. 1.a. directed to Dr. Franklin enclosing those marked No. 1.b and c. and also the paper No. 2. have come to hand. These relate to supplies furnished by Mr. Harrison to the crew of the ship Betsy taken by the Emperor of Morocco, on which subject Congress will be...
44The American Commissioners’ Memorandum of a Conversation with Per Olof von Asp, 8 October 1784 (Adams Papers)
The objects of the supplementary Treaty proposed on the part of the United States with His Sweedish Majesty are in substance these: MS in David Humphreys’ hand ( PCC , No. 116, f. 46–47). At the head of the MS , David Humphreys wrote, “in consequence of the preceding letter the subsequent verbal information was remitted to his Excellency the Ambassador by the hand of M r d’Asp Secretary to the...
We received the Letter your Excellency did us the honour of writing to us the 8 th Ult o. together with the copy of your full powers to treat with us. M r Adams had as you suppose, preserved a copy of the project of a Treaty that had been concerted between your Excellency & him; but having by instruction from the Congress our Sovereign certain new articles to propose in all our Treaties with...
46The American Commissioners to Thulemeier: Résumé, 21 January 1785 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives ⟨Passy, January 21, 1785: We have received your letter of December 10. We assumed that the principles contained in the draft treaty, which we sent to you, would answer the request made at the end of your letter of October 18. According to Articles 2 and 3, the citizens and subjects of each power may visit all the coasts and countries of the other and reside and trade...
47The American Commissioners to the Duke of Dorset, 9 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
We have received the Letter which your grace did us the honour of writing us on the 24 th. day of Last month, and we received with much Satisfaction the assurances on the part of his Britannic Majesty’s Ministers of their readiness to take into consideration any proposals coming from the United States of america that Can tend to the establishing a System of mutual & permanent advantage, to the...
48II. The American Commissioners’ Heads of Enquiry for Thomas Barclay in Negotiations with Morocco, 12 September 1785 (Adams Papers)
Heads of enquiry for M r Barclay as to Morocco, Algiers, Tunis & c — 1 Commerce. What are the articles of their export & import? what articles of American produce might find a market in Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli & c. and at what prices? whether rice, flour, tobacco, furs, ready built ships, fish, oil, tar, turpintine, ship timber & c. and whether any of these articles would hereafter be...
49The American Commissioners to the Conde de Aranda, 28 October 1784 (Adams Papers)
We have received the Letter you did us the honour to write us on the 27 th day of Sept r last, and we thank you for your care in transmitting to your Court, the information of our appointment to treat with it. You desire to be informed if one or more of us can repair to Madrid for the purpose of conducting & concluding the negotiation, because that it is the system of your Court in matters...
50The American Commissioners to the Duke of Dorset, 28 October 1784 (Adams Papers)
While M. hartley was here as Minister from the Court of Great Britain, we had the honour of mentioning to him that we were instructed by the Congress to treat on Some points distinct from any regulations of Commerce He Communicated this to his Court & the very Satisfactory answer which he received & made to us of its good disposition & willingness to receive & consider any propositions that...