1To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 3 May 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mr. Deane having promissd to explain my ideas of the Situation In which I could ever be inducd to revisit Berlin, and Mr. Lee knowing from me what I expected on that Subject, are the reasons which have prevented a personal explanation with you on my part. I do assure you I feel infinitely more pain in solliciting a mode of serving my country than in...
2To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, [4 June 1777] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Inclosd is the Substence of Ld. Chathams motion. The court numbers show at once the hopes and intention of the Ministry. I am with much respect Your very humble Servant. Addressed: A Monsr. / Monsieur le Docteur Franklin / à Passy Notation: Carmicael On May 31 the Public Advertiser reported the defeat in the House of Lords the day before, by a vote of...
3William Carmichael to the American Commissioners, 31 June [30? 1 July?] 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Connecticut Historical Society Gustavus Conyngham, when last heard from, had been in prison with his crew in Dunkirk. On June 2 Deane asked Gérard that they be released and permitted to return to America, and on the 12th they were at large and working on their new ship, the cutter Revenge . On the 30th Carmichael arrived, as he says here, with instructions; they were ostensibly from the...
4William Carmichael to the American Commissioners, 10 July 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Connecticut Historical Society I have had the honor of receiving your Letter of the 7th of July and am sorry that you have not had an opportunity of yet applying to the Minister on the subject of Mr. Hodges vessel. The bond required was to give security here that the vessel should not cruise against the English. The Expressions of the Ministers letters were so vague and General that the...
5William Carmichael to the American Commissioners, 12 July 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Connecticut Historical Society In my last I transmitted you an account of the Extraordinary conduct of the Captain of one of the British Ships of war laying in this road. That Ship joind by two others block up the road so as to make it impossible for any vessel to quit this port without being taken by one or other of them. The detention of the vessel formerly belonging to Mr. Hodge...
6William Carmichael to the American Commissioners, 21 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library I have this day renderd an account to Mr. Deane of the Sums disbursd by me on the Public service; I would have given it in sooner, but that I wishd and hopd to have had it in my power to have reimbursd the Whole. I render it to Mr. Deane because the money was cheifly expended under his orders and directions. I offer to become accountable to the Honorable the...
7William Carmichael to the American Commissioners, 30 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Harvard University Library I arrivd at this place last night in forty four hours from Paris. The Vessels which it was intended I should stop saild eight days ago, and it is most probable that the court knew of that circumstance because it is confidently asserted a french Frigate convoyd them as far as Ushant. Mr. Williams immediately took the proper steps to profit by your advices had...
8To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 1 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Before I leave Europe permit me to return you my most unfeighned thanks for the politeness and confidence with which you have treated me since your arrival in France and more particularly for the letter sign’d by yourself and Mr. Deane and addressd to the Committee of Congress for foreighn affairs. If I know my own breast my principal aim has been to...
9To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 14 May 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Pennsylvania Library The return of the Nymph frigate in which Captain Coulter [Courter] came passenger gives me the honor of informing you that the Deane arrivd at Portsmouth the first of May much about which time the Two ships loaded by Mr. Ross on account of Congress got in to this Port. Mr. Simeon Deane landed a fortnight before us so that we were happy to find the whole...
10To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 30 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The return of the Marquis de la Fayette gives me an opportunity which I seize with pleasure of renewing my assurances of respect and Gratitude to you. I have thro the course of the Summer taken the liberty of transmitting you such accounts of our internal Situation as might contribute to your information, tho’ by no means to your satisfaction. The Marquis...
11To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 25 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have the Honor of informing you of our arrival at this Place this Day in the frigate l’Aurore from Martinico to which Iland the officers of the Confederacy thought proper to proceed in Consequence of the loss of all our Masts & the Damage our rudder received on the Edge of the Bank of New-foundland. We Left Martinico the 28th. of December & have a most agreable...
12To John Jay from William Carmichael, 15 February 1780 (Jay Papers)
I arrived in this city late in the Evening of the 11 th after a tedious and Disagreable Journey. We had heavy rains for more than two thirds of the time, which render’d the roads so very bad that neither persuasion, threats or money could induce our Muleteers to proceed faster. My own State of health and the situation in which I left Cadiz would have prevented me from quitting the company [ of...
13To John Jay from William Carmichael, 18 February 1780 (Jay Papers)
I did myself the honor of writing to you by a Courier whom the French Embassador dispatched to Cadiz yesterday morning since which I have been introduced by Him to their excellencies the Marquis de Florida Blanca & Don Joseph de Galvez. I deliver[ed] your letter to the latter and explain[ed] to the former the reason which induce[d] you [to] address the other
14To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 19 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I cannot Let M. Girard leave this Without a Letter for you altho’ probably he can give you much better Information of the States of Affairs here than it is in my Power to give. I did myself the Honor of writing to you from Cadiz and Informed you of M. Jay intentions of Sending me to this City, a Letter from himself which M. Gerard will deliver, will inform you of the...
15To John Jay from William Carmichael, 26 February 1780 (Jay Papers)
I wait[ed] on his excellency the Conde de Florida Blanca yesterday agreable to the appointm t . of which I had the honor to give you notice the 18 th instant. he in a very polite and gracious manner told me that your letter
16To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 13 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I did myself the Honor of writing to you from Cadiz and since by M. Girard and therefore shall not repeat the information which those Letters and that Gentleman will have given you; on the 25th. of last month I transmitted to Mr. Jay the King’s Determination which was communicated to me by his Excellency the Count de florida Blanca & to himself in a Letter from the...
17To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 29 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress The Count De Montmorin is so obliging as to offer me an Occasion of writing to you by a Courier which I am loth to refuse for fear of betraying a Want of Respect to you or give Reason to others to suspect that I have no Share in your Confidence. I have nothing material to communicate unless the uneasiness I feel in being left here ignorant of the Situation of our...
18To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 22[–27] April 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have at length the pleasure of being relieved from much Anxiety by the Receipit of your Letter of the 31st. of March and 7th. of April. I endeavoured to recollect every Circumstance of my Conduct since I left france, and altho’ I found in this Scrutiny that I had left many things undone which I ought to have done, I brought myself in not guilty biased perhaps by...
19To John Adams from William Carmichael, 22 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
I received with much pleasure your obliging letter of the 8th. Instant and take the earliest opportunity of thanking you for the information it contained. I should have certainly commenced my correspondence with you earlier, had I thought Mr. Jay would have been constrained by various circumstances to reside so long at Cadiz. Your Observations with respect to the conduct which France and Spain...
20To John Adams from William Carmichael, 26 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
I did myself the honor of writing to you last Post in answer to yours of the 8th of April, at that time I had suspicions that a Sir John Dalrymple who has now been here near three weeks, was imployed by G. Britain to sound the Disposition of this Court and in the mean time to work under Ground for the interests of his own Country. I have been hitherto able to trace most of his motions, which...
21To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 22 May 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have defered writing to you since my last of the 27th. Ultio. in Hopes of profiting by the Ct. De Montmorin’s Courier, but as it is not certain when one will be dispatched I venture to inform you by the ordinary post that Sir J.D. presented a memorial to the Ct. De FloridaBlanca, containing certain propositions tending to an Accomodation of the present differences...
22To John Jay from William Carmichael, 25 May 1780 (Jay Papers)
I did myself the honor of writing to you the 18 th and 23 d . instant inclosing in my first letter one from the C t de Florida Blanca and also a summary of news from America which the French Ambassador received via Cadiz; In the last I gave you an acc t of the sailing of the Ferrol Squadron, and of Fleet under Monsr Ternay having doubled Cape Finister, with news of the departure of an...
Notes on a Conference between his Excellency the Count de Florida Blanca and M r . Jay in the Office of the former at Aranjues 2 d . June 1780. Reduced to writing immediately after the Conference ended by M r . Carmichael who was present at it. In consequence of a Card received by M r . Jay yesterday from his Excellency the Count de Florida Blanca, appointing him a Meeting at nine this...
24To John Jay from William Carmichael, 18–19 June 1780 (Jay Papers)
Near 12 this night St Jean brought me your favors of the 16 th and 17 th with their inclosures. As it was too late to carry your letter to the C t . de Florida Blanca, I defer doing it until tomorrow morning. The Letters you sent me were from M r Lecouteux at Cadiz containing others for M r . Harrison & two newspapers, the latter ^ of ^ which I now send you, Two letters ^ also ^ from London,...
25To John Jay from William Carmichael, 29 June 1780 (Jay Papers)
I know not whether I am more greived or hurt by yours of the 27 th which S t John brought me about nine oClock last night. I impute it neither to Pride nor Prudence, because I am perswaded that if you had done me the Justice to wait my return to Town, the latter would have prevented you from giving me without cause the most uneasy sensations, I have felt, since I have been in Spain; and your...
26To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael: Extract, 18 July 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D., F.R.S., &c … (2nd ed.; 2 vols., London, 1817), II , 461. I thought, until the receipt of your letter (of the 17th June) that Mr. Jay had sent you Sir John Dalrymple’s Memorial, and other papers while I was at Aranjuez. He sends them, however, by this courier, and I think you will be amused in...
27To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 12 August 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I did myself the Honor of answering yours of the 17th. of June by a Courier from the French ambassador, but not having the Copy of my Letter to you, with me here, I cannot recollect the Date. M. Jay Sent by the same conveyance Sir John Dalrymples memorial and others papers. M. Cumberland Still remain at Madrid, but as the Count de Montmorin doth not appear uneasy in...
28To John Jay from William Carmichael, 12 August 1780 (Jay Papers)
I did myself the honor of writing to you on the Seventh 10 th & 11 th to which letters I beg leave to refer you. At a very early hour this morning an express arrived from Cadiz with an acct of the arrival at that Port of a Convoy from S t . Domingo. I am not yet certain that the Person whom I mentioned in my letter of the 11 th is the one we expected, altho’ circumstances render it probable....
29To John Jay from William Carmichael, 14 August 1780 (Jay Papers)
I wrote you on the 12 th Ins t . since which I have had the honor to receive yours of the 11 th . I yesterday dined with the French Ambassader at a grand entertainment given to 28 of the Nobility of both sexes & the Foreighn Ministers. The Ambassader & the C t . D’Estaing took every opportunity of making their attention to me, and on the whole I was well received. The C t . De F. B. came in...
M r . Jay waited on the Count de Montmorin this Morning at nine OClock agreeable to appointment the Day before. The Former commenced the Conversation by observing that in his first Conferences with the Minister of Spain at Aranjuez, The Minister divided the Subject into two parts, and spoke largely on that of the Bills drawn on M r . Jay, and on the Treaty proposed to be entered into between...
31To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael: Two Letters, 25 October 1780 (Franklin Papers)
(I) and (II) Copy: Library of Congress The Duke De Crillon, and who hath not heard of the Name of Crillon? does me the honour of accepting of an Introduction to you, which give me an Occasion of boasting of any influence with you to him, and to you of the honor he has done me by his Acquaintance & Friendship here. This Must be Clear to you when I mentione his name, tho’ that to those who know...
32To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 5 November 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress A Courier which the Ambassador of France dispatches from hence gives me an Opportunity of expressing the pleasure I received from your last to Mr. Jay, and at the same time of communicating the only interesting News from this Country, viz the departure of the Count D’estaing the 30th. ulto. with 38. sail of the Line & 70 Merchant men from Cadiz. The next day Mr....
33To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 21 December 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I am afraid you will think me a troublesome correspondent, because I have no Opportunities of amusing or of giving information that will be agreable to you.— Our Necessities & difficulties are the themes for my Letters & be assured that it is not less disagreable for me to write on these Subjects than for you to be obliged to read what I write— Premising this you will...
34To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 6 February 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I sincerely grieve for the Cause that hath deprived me of the honour of hearing from you lately & I hope that this will find it removed & your Excellency restored to Health & Spirits. Mr. Cabarus charges himself with the Delivery of it. This Gentleman was among the first of my Friends here, & hath been uniformly such to our Country; He enjoys the Confidence of the...
35To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 28 February[–10 March 1781] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress The Prince Maceran’s [Masserano’s] Courier brought me your Favour of the 27. ulto. I am so sensible of the honour and pleasure of your Correspondence not to regret it. Yet when I tell you with sincerity that every Letter which I receive from you adds to my Desire of meriting your Esteem & consequently that of others, you will not I hope think your Indulgence thrown...
36To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 12 March 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress Since writing a Letter which you will receive by the same Courier which brings this I am informed from good authority that Mr. Cumberland will shortly leave this & take Paris in his way to England— I shall inform you of the time he sets out or any other particular I may hear further with your Notice— He received an express yesterday morning from Lisbon which it seems...
37To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 25 March 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress At the Embassadors Table I had the Pleasure of meeting Mr. Senrat the Bearer of this Letter. He hath just returned to Europe after a long Absence from his native Country France, which he quitted with a View of travelling at the kings Expence in Africa & the east Indies & returns loaded with the Spoils of these Countries in the Vegetable & animal World, He expressed a...
38To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 30 March[–1 April 1781] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I am this moment informed that an express to Mr. Cabarus whom I took the Liberty of introducing to your Notice leaves this for Paris in less than an hour. I seize the Opportunity to give you an Acct. of our present critical Situation. You will recollect that I have mentioned more than once the promise of the Court to furnish as far as three Millions of Reals for the...
39To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 14 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress Some time ago I made you a volontary promise to contribute to your pleasure by introducing to your Acquaintance Mr. Giuste late chargé d’Affairs of Vienna & Tuscany at this Court— He now to the great regret of all his Friends here puts it in my Power to fulfill my Engagements & to add to the Number of these few of the Many who have desired your Acquaintance, that have...
40To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 20 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received by Mr. Jay’s Courier who returned last night your favour of the 12th. & seize the earliest Opportunity of acknowledging my Obligations for this fresh Mark of your Confidence & Esteem, Mr. Jay communicated to me your Letters, & their Contents with Respect to the Situation of public affairs here as well as to what concerned ourselves personally gave me the...
41To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 30 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress On my return home from Mr. Jay’s, I find that a Courier for France is expected to pass thro’ Madrid this Night, I profit of the Occasion to inform your Excellency that Mr. Jay has this Day drawn a Bill on Mr. Grand in favour of the Marquis D’Yranda for 487,320 livres Tournois to pay the Bills of Congress which will become due the ensuing Month— There is some...
42To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 23 May 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I seize the Opportunity of a Russian Courier on his return to Petersburg from Lisbon to transmit you the inclosed Letter from M. Vaughan & to thank you for the Pleasure your Introduction afforded me. He is a promising young Man & seems exceedingly desirous to improve himself, Mr. Jay having no Instructions to administer the oath of Allegiance, declined doing it until...
43To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 26 June 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress An Express which Mr. Gabarus sends to Paris afords me an Opportunity of sending you the latest Spanish Gazettes & to apologize for not having yet sent the Books you expressed a desire of reading— They have been long in readiness to send, but I have not yet been able to find a Person going directly to Paris, who could conveniently charge himself with the Delivery of...
44To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 13 July 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Library of Congress I send you the last Spanish Gazettes in this inclosure by a Courier which the French Ambassador dispatches this with the news of the arrival of Monsr. de Guichen at Cadiz. The United fleet by this Junction amts to 52 sail of the Line, besides 3 other Spanish ships which are in the vicinage of the above-mentioned Port. The General...
45To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 15 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I had the pleasure of receiving your obliging favor of the 24th Ulto. a few days ago— I am happy that the Persons whom I took the Liberty of Introducing to your Notice, have not been thought unworthy of it. Mr Giusti in a Letter from Paris to me, expressed himself in terms of great sensibility for the pleasure I had procured him by my Introduction of him at...
46To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 23 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mr Boyetet Consul General for France in this Country has been so obliging as to charge himself with the Works of the Conde de Campomanes & the memorials published by the Society of the Friends of their Country which I have long promised to send you; & which I should have done sooner if an oppertunity had offered— Permit me to Introduce this Gentleman to...
47To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 20 November 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mr Charles Traverse having been so obliging as to offer to charge himself with my pacquets for your Excellency, I have seized the opportunity of sending you a Discourse of Mr. Iove Llanos, which I mentioned in a former Letter & the Poem of Mr Ths. Iriarte on Musick. I am on an Intimate Footing with the Authors & If their Works give you any pleasure in the...
48To John Jay from William Carmichael, 1 December 1781 (Jay Papers)
Immediately on the receipt of your Excellencys last note I dispatched my Servt to the Chevalier de Bourgoyng requesting him to send me a copy of the Gazette containing the Capitulation of L d . Cornwallis. I have this moment his answer in which he informs me, that the only copy the Embassador reserved yesterday, was sent last night to the Consul at Cadiz— I am exceedingly sorry that any...
49To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, [before 23 January 1782] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society You who know so well the public & private obligations we have to the Marquis de Yranda, would never pardon me, If I should suffer one of his family to pass thro’ Paris, without giving you an opportunity of convincing him of the sense you have of the obliging notice, it has taken of us here—But you would be Still more offended with me, After having been...
50To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 22 February 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received with very great Satisfaction your Letter of the 23d Ulto. I am sorry that you should think it necessary to make any apology for your Silence, for I make this Sacrifice which is not a small one to the Public Service as I have been constrained to make others. I feel all the force of what you say with respect to our pecuniary Situation, but present...