31The American Peace Commissioners to Rodolphe-Ferdinand Grand, 22 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Library of Congress (two), Massachusetts Historical Society; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society We have received the Letter you did us the honour to write us on the 10th. Day of this Month, containing a brief State of the affairs of the United States in your hands. We see the Difficulties you are in, and are sorry to say that it is not in our Power to afford you any Relief....
32Henry Laurens, Richard Henry Lee, and John Adams to Joseph Trumbull, 5 September 1777 (Adams Papers)
The Resolve of Congress which you will receive under this Cover will shew you that we are appointed a Committee and for what purposes. We request you to transmit to us by the earliest good opportunity the fullest intelligence in your late department of Commissary General and you will further oblige us by adding any further information properly authenticated relative to the enquiries which we...
33The American Peace Commissioners to Robert R. Livingston, 27 July 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; copies: Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society The Definitive Treaties between the late beligerent Powers are none of them yet compleated. Ours has gone on slowly, owing partly to the Necessity Mr. Hartley (Successor of Mr Oswald) thinks himself under of sending every Proposition, either his own or ours, to his Court for their Approbation; and their Delay...
34Draft Letter from the American Peace Commissioners to Bariatinskii and Arkadii Markov, [before 15 July 1783] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society Around July 13, the American commissioners had been given to understand that mediation by the imperial courts was “a mere formality—a mere Compliment, consisting wholly in the Imperial Ministers putting their names & Seals to the parchment, & can have no ill effect.” On that basis, and believing that Vergennes was in favor of it, Adams drafted the...
35Preliminary Articles of Peace: Second Draft Treaty, [4–7 November 1782] (Franklin Papers)
D and copy: Massachusetts Historical Society; two D and copy: Public Record Office; transcript: National Archives As new American and British negotiators were converging on Paris, Franklin’s isolation in Passy posed certain inconveniences. John Adams arrived on October 26 but, as he initially refused to call on Franklin, the latter was evidently unaware of his arrival until Matthew Ridley...
36To George Washington from Thomas Burke and Henry Laurens, 15 March 1779 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed papers are referred to us by Congress, and we wish for the assistance of your Ideas to enable us to make a more perfect report. we request you therefore to take the trouble of committing to paper your Opinion on the proposed terms for the exchange of Prisoners in the Southern department, and also any thing which you think will conduce to that End without Contravening your general...
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...
38Appointment of William Temple Franklin, 1 October 1782 (Jay Papers)
To all to whom these Presents shall come, Benjamin Franklin & John Jay send Greetings. Whereas the United States of America in Congress assembled did on the 15 th . June in the year of our Lord 1781, appoint and constitute the said Benjamin Franklin and John Jay, & John Adams, Henry Laurens and Thomas Jefferson Esquires, and the Majority of them, and of such of them as should assemble for the...
39To 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...
40To Alexander Hamilton from Henry Laurens, [27 July 1779] (Hamilton Papers)
[ Philadelphia, July 27, 1779. On July 29, 1779, Henry Laurens wrote to Hamilton : “In addition to the lines with which I troubled you with the day before yesterday.…” Letter not found. ]