31To Benjamin Franklin from Barthélemy-Pélage Georgelin du Cosquer with the Draft of Franklin’s Reply, 11 June 1778 … (Franklin Papers)
ALS and D : American Philosophical Society <Paris, June 11, 1778, in French: Your concern, as an ally, for a nation that cherishes and reveres you as much as your own does must make you groan at the number and length of lawsuits in France. My patriotic plan, modeled on the twenty-fifth article of the Pennsylvania constitution, to remedy these abuses will, I hope, have your support. The...
32To Benjamin Franklin from ——— de Ponteney with Franklin’s Note for a Reply, 3 June 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society An consequance de ce dont nous sommes convenus ansemble le jour que j’ait eu l’honneur de diner avec vous, Monsieur, chez Mr. de la faye, j’ait celuy de vous anvoier la notte et les echantillions des marchandise que mon mari peut fournir vandues sur le port a auxonne pour de la etre transportees par la saône et le Rhône a arles, soit pour etre ambarquees...
33To Benjamin Franklin from James Jay with Franklin’s Note for a Reply, 14 April 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Implicit faith on any point, in opposition to every attending circumstance and appearance, is so great a difficulty to a person accustomed to require conviction before he yields assent, that I cannot, notwithstanding the high opinion I entertain of your judgment, acquiesce in either the impropriety or impracticability of indulging me with a passage in the...
34The Secret Committee to the American Commissioners, 9 May 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Johns Hopkins University Library; copies: American Philosophical Society, National Archives, Library of Congress, University of Virginia Library This letter is intended to be delivered you by John Paul Jones Esquire an Active and brave Commander in our Navy, who has already performed signal services in Vessels of little Force and in reward for his Zeal, we have directed him to go on board...
35The American Commissioners to [the Committee of Secret Correspondence], 28 April 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Harvard University Library We wrote to you pretty fully on the State of Affairs here, in ours of the 12th of March and 19th of this Month, since which there has been little Alteration. There is yet no Certainty of a sudden Declaration of War, but the Preparations go on vigorously both here and in Spain, the Armies of france drawing towards the Sea Coasts, and those of Spain to the...
36The American Commissioners to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 12 March[–9 April 1777] (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; L : British Library; copy: National Archives It is now more than 4 Months since Mr. Franklin’s Departure from Philadelphia, and not a Line from thence written since that time has hitherto reached either of your Commissioners in Europe. We have had no Information of what passes in America but thro’ England, and the Advices are for the most part such only as the Ministry...
37The Committee of Secret Correspondence to the American Commissioners, 25 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Library of Congress We are commanded by Congress to transmit Copies of their Resolve of the 13 instant to all the Gentlemen abroad that hold correspondance with any of their Committees. The Necessity of Such a resolution and due attention to it, is fully evinced by the heavy expence america has been put to by many Gentlemen received into their...
38The American Commissioners to the Committee of Secret Correspondence, 4 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: National Archives We send you herewith the Draught of a Frigate, by a very ingenious Officer in this service, which appears to Us peculiarly suitable for Our purpose, and We are in hopes of being able to ship Cordage and Sail Cloth, and Anchors &c. sufficient for Five or Six such Frigates, by the Time you can have them built. Though deprived of any intelligence from you since the...
39The Committee of Secret Correspondence to the American Commissioners, 19 February 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : University of Virginia Library; two copies: National Archives; draft: American Philosophical Society The events of war have not since our last furnished any thing decisive. The enemies Army still remains encamped upon the hills near Brunswick, and still our Troops continue to beat back and destroy their Convoys insomuch that we understand their Horses dye in numbers, and we have reason to...
40The Secret Committee to the American Commissioners, 18 February 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Virginia Library You will receive herewith a Copy of our Letter of Yesterday by the Lexington, with its enclosures. This goes to Boston for a Passage from thence. An armed Vessel belonging to that State will carry the dispatches and will be governed by your directions respecting her Load back, and the Time of her return. Should you have failed in obtaining the Loan, or of...