1The American Peace Commissioners to David Hartley, 13 August 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Public Record Office; copies: William L. Clements Library, Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society We have received the Letter which you did us the honour to write on the 12th. Inst. and shall take the first Opportunity of conveying to Congress the agreable Information contained in it. The Sentiments & Sensations which the Re-establishment of Peace between our two Countries,...
2Definitive Treaty of Peace between the United States and Great Britain, 3 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
DS : Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives (two), Public Record Office; copies: Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives (two.) Early on the morning of September 3, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and William Temple Franklin rode into Paris carrying four official copies of the treaty that would end the War for American Independence. Joined by Adams,...
3The American Peace Commissioners: Declaration of the Cessation of Arms, 20 February 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ADS and AD (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, Library of Congress; transcript: National Archives By the Ministers Plenipotentiary of the United States of America for making Peace with Great Britain: A Declaration of the Cessation of Arms, as well by Sea, as Land, agreed upon between His Majesty the King of Great Britain and the United States of...
4The American Peace Commissioners to David Hartley, 5 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Public Record Office, William L. Clements Library, Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives; press copy of copy: National Archives; copies of draft: Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society We have received the Letter which you did us the Honour to write yesterday. Your friendly Congratulations on the signature of the definitive Treaty, meet...
5The American Peace Commissioners: Commission for William Temple Franklin, [1 October 1782] (Franklin Papers)
DS : Yale University Library; copies: Library of Congress (two), American Philosophical Society, Massachusetts Historical Society The present document, penned by William Temple Franklin on October 1, was most likely signed by Franklin the same day. It was eventually signed by all the peace commissioners, but not without hesitation (on the part of John Jay) and outright hostility (on the part...
6The American Peace Commissioners to David Hartley, 17 July 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Public Record Office; AL (drafts): American Philosophical Society, Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: William L. Clements Library, Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives We have the honour to inform you that we have just received from Congress their Ratification in due Form of the Provisional Articles of the 30th. of November 1782, and we are ready...
7The American Peace Commissioners to David Hartley: Proposals, [29 June 1783] (Franklin Papers)
Copies: William L. Clements Library, Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives, Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; press copy of copy and transcript: National Archives Propositions made to Mr Hartley for the definitive Treaty— 1st To omit in the Definitive Treaty the Exception at the End of the 2d Article of the Provisional Treaty: Viz: these Words “Excepting such Islands...
8The 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...
9The American Peace Commissioners to Robert R. Livingston, 20 December 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : National Archives The Proposal inclosed, has been transmitted to us by Mr Bridgen, a Gentleman in London, who has been uniformly a Friend to America, and in a Variety of Ways, and at a great Expence has Served her Cause. It is a Project for introducing Copper Coins into the United States, and Seems to Us to merit the early Attention of Congress, to whom We have the Honour to recommend...
10To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams and John Jay, 28 April 1783 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Historical Society of Delaware Mr Adams and Mr Jay present their Compliments to Dr Franklin and inform him, that they have just seen Mr Laurens and agreed with him upon a Meeting of the American Ministers Tomorrow at Eleven, at Mr Laurens’s Lodgings. The Drs Company is desired, and Mr Franklin Junr is requested also to attend. Addressed: Son Excellence / Monsieur Franklin / Ministre...