91From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 17 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I received the Letter your Excellency did me the honor of writing to me the 13. Instant. I imagine that M. De Chaumont has been disappointed in the Expectations he had of finding Bankers here who would advance the Sum for which he sollicited your Excellency to guarantee the Interest. He at length...
92From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 14 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Walter R. Benjamin Autographs, Inc., Hunter, New York (1982); copy: Library of Congress The Gout having again attacked me, and confined me to my Chair, I find I shall not be able to present myself at Versailles on Tuesday. Your Excellency will have the Goodness to excuse me, and believe me ever, with the sincerest Esteem and Respect. Your most obedient & most humble Servant. March 16; see...
93From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 10 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress It is with great Reluctance that I give your Excellency any farther Trouble on the Subject of a Loan of Money: But the Bearer Mr. Grand, who is much better acquainted with the Nature and Manner of such Operations than I am, being of Opinion that the Sum we want might with your Permission & Countenance be procured in...
94From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 8 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I am much oblig’d to yr. Excy. for the Notice you were so good as to send me yesterday. I send my Grandson to M. de Sartine, to procure from him two Orders to the proper Officers at Brest. The one to receive the Prisoners brought in long since by Capt. Jones. The other to receive the Mutineers from on Board the Alliance. I beg you would be pleas’d to give a Line, if...
95From Benjamin Franklin to the Comte de Vergennes, [before 2 March 1779] (Franklin Papers)
L (draft): American Philosophical Society J’ay eu L’honneur avec Messieurs les deputés des etats unis d’amerique de Representer a vostre excellence que le Retard des decisions en france sur Les Reprises faittes sur les anglais par les vaisseaux de guerre americains Les eloignoit des mers D’Europe, Nous avons ajoutté a Cette Consideration d’autres encore plus importantes. Il est de mon devoir,...
96From Benjamin Franklin to [Vergennes], [after 14 February 1779] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress M. Franklin se trouve dans une Position aussy facheuse que penible, & a la quelle les Circonstançes du Comerçe ajoutent beaucoup; en ce que le peu d’Envoys qui echappent aux Ennemis, ne lui parviennent pas, ou ne lui sont d’aucun Secours: Si ils sont en Tabacs, Les Fermiers Genereaux les reclament avec raison; & si ce sont des ris, ou tout autre Denrée, M. De...
97From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes: Two Letters, 25 February 1779 (Franklin Papers)
(I) LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (incomplete draft) and copy: Library of Congress; (II) ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress The first of these letters represents one of Franklin’s few imprudent acts as a diplomat. His congressional instructions had ordered him to seek French help in attacking Quebec and Halifax, but here he...
98From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 16 February 1779 [i.e., 17] (Franklin Papers)
AL : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress Dr. Franklin presents his respectful Compliments to his Excellency Count De Vergennes, and sends him enclosed the Extract he desired. Dr. Franklin purposed doing himself the honor of waiting upon his Excellency this Morning, but an Access of the Gout prevents him. Endorsed: M. de Reyneval In WTF ’s hand and dated...
99From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 14 February 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I have the honor to acquaint your Excellency, that I have received from the Congress their Appointment to be their Minister Plenipotentiary at this Court, together with a Letter of Credence, to be presented to his Majesty. I beg thereupon your Excellency’s Advice and Direction. I have need also of your...
100The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 9 February 1779: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: Library of Congress, National Archives (two); translation: American Philosophical Society <Paris, February 9, 1779: For nearly six months Captain Mc-Neill of the privateer General Mifflin has been embarrassed with a lawsuit concerning a French ship he recaptured from the British after it...
101The American Commissioners to Vergennes: Draft by Arthur Lee, 5 February 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: American Philosophical Society We think it necessary to inform your Excellency that there is announced in the Courier de l’Europe a Translation of a Letter signed Silas Deane, & to appear in the next number. This Letter is printed in the English Papers from the New York Gazette, and whether it is genuine or false, it is not in our Power to determine: But as it contains a discovery of the...
102The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 24 January 1779: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copies: Library of Congress, National Archives <Passy, January 24, 1779: We received your letter of the 20th enclosing M. de Sartine’s answer relative to the convoy we requested. We do not understand his reference to the four vessels supposedly mentioned by us and fear he has been misinformed. On December 29 we asked for a convoy. You asked...
103The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 13 January 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: National Archives (two), Library of Congress We have the Honour of your Excellency’s Letter of the 9th of this Month, requesting to be informed of the Port where those Vessels are which have occasion for a Convoy to America. These Vessels are at Nantes where they wait for the Convoy, which...
104The American Commissioners to Vergennes, [before 9 January 1779]: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (drafts): Harvard University Library, Massachusetts Historical Society (two); two copies and two transcripts: National Archives The commissioners, particularly Lee and Adams, devoted substantial effort to the drafting of this memorandum asking that a powerful French fleet be sent to American waters. Their efforts were doomed to failure, at...
105From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 1 January 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress I have made Enquiry concerning the James Barnet mentioned by your Excellency, and can learn no more of him than that he came here with some Americans who had been Prisoners in England and escaped, and who were all furnished with Money by us to bear their Expences to Nantes. We do not know what Countryman he is,...
106The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 29 December 1778 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives We have been favoured with a Letter signed by many Gentlemen of Nantes and dated the fifteenth of this Month, informing us that most of their Vessels were ready to sail to America, and that others were expected to be ready immediately, so that the Convoy need not wait...
107The American Commissioners to Vergennes: Letter and Memoir, 7 December 1778 (Franklin Papers)
(I) LS and copy : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives; (II) LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères We have the Honour to inclose to your Excellency a Memorial of very great Importance to the United States, to which We beg your Excellency’s Attention and a favourable Answer. We have the Honour to...
108The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 17 November 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives We communicated to Dr Smith, the Letter which your Excellency did Us the Honour to write to Us concerning his Goods. Since which he has inclosed to Us, the Certificate, of Mr Anthy Paine, which We have the Honour to inclose to your Excellency.— If there are two offices, one in which are deposited, Goods Seized, the...
109Franklin and John Adams to Vergennes, 12 November 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, November 12, 1778: In view of the magnitude of the alliance between France and the United States, we conceive it would be highly pleasing to our constituents to have a portrait of His Majesty to be kept where Congress sits; if you are of opinion this would give no offense, we request your kind offices to...
110The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 29 October 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, October 29, 1778: We are ready to execute and exchange the declarations concerning the omission of the 11th and 12th articles of the treaty of commerce, and ask you to appoint a day for us to wait on you.> Published in Taylor, Adams Papers , VII . In the hand...
111From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 22 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères I am perfectly of the same Sentiments with your Excellency respecting Count d’Estaign. I know his Zeal for the Cause, and have a high Opinion of his Abilities. I have therefore not the least doubt but that his going to Boston was a Measure absolutely necessary, and will appear to be for the common Good. We just now learn that our Troops on...
112From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 20 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Mes Colleagues croyent qu’il seroit necessaire que je fusse en Hollande, et que ma Presence pourroit y accelerer les Choses. Ils me pressent en consequence. Je crains que ce seroit plutôt les reculer que les avancer, et que ce ne soit pas le moment de s’y presenter. Personne ne sçait mieux que votre Excellence ce que nous convient de faire à...
113The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 1 October 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; three copies and transcript: National Archives <Passy, October 1, 1778: We have received your letter of September 27 and its enclosure. Our instructions from Congress do not empower us to conclude treaties with the Barbary states but we request your help in obtaining passes from them for American...
114The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 26 September 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, September 26, 1778: Last evening we received your letter of the 24th and shall observe the rules prescribed by M. Necker. We also received your letter of the 25th; article 16 of the treaty of commerce applies to Mr. Izard’s goods as they were shipped before...
115The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 22 September 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives We have the honor of enclosing to your Excellency a Letter to us from the Honble. Ralph Izard Esqr. Commissioner of Congress to the Grand Duke. We beg the favor of yr. Excellency to give directions for the delivery of the Packages mentiond therein to Monsieur Etienne Cathalan Mercht. at Marseilles, subject to the disposal of Mr. Izard. We have the honor of being with...
116The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 10 September 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, September 10, 1778: On April 13 Congress resolved that the commissioners should settle with Roderigue Hortalez & Cie. on a compensation for the supplies they provided. The commerce committee sent us the contract made with Beaumarchais’ agent Théveneau de...
117The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 28 August 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, August 28, 1778: We have several subjects that we must lay before you. One, unfortunately, is money. The nature of the war has necessitated far more emissions of paper currency than would ordinarily have been wise; to limit them Congress has borrowed...
118From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 25 July 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères We have just received another Copy of the Ratification. We understand the Congress have sent five by so many different Conveyances. The Vessel now arriv’d left Boston the 16th June. There was then no News there of Count D’Estaign. I send enclos’d a Letter from Dr. Cooper to me, the latest Newspaper, and an Account of the Cargo of the Duchesse...
119The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 17 July 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: National Archives <Passy, July 17, 1778: We enclose a resolution of Congress about the treaties, and request that it be laid before the King. It will show him how he has won the hearts of that body and of the American people by a beneficence that time will never efface.> Published in Taylor, Adams Papers , VI , 298. See also the...
120The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 4 June 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copy: National Archives <Passy, June 4, 1778: We enclose the copy of a letter from Capt. Whipple, which contains all the intelligence he brought.> Published in Butterfield, John Adams Diary , IV , 127. In Arthur Lee’s hand, signed by him and Adams. To BF above, May 31.