41Reuben Harvey to the American Peace Commissioners, 10 February 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives Respected Friends John Adams, Benjamin Franklin John Jay & Henry Laurens, Esquires. Although my Name may be unknown to you, it is not so to many of your Countrymen whom the chance of War threw into Captivity at Kinsale & here during the late War, so unnaturally waged, & persisted in by a weak, wicked Ministry— In the early part of it some few warm Friends to America...
To the Ministers plenipotentiary of the United States of America at the Court of Versailles empowered to negociate a peace or to any one or more of them. First. You are instructed and authorized to announce to his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Germany or to his Ministers the high sense which the United States in Congress Assembled entertain of his exalted character and eminent virtues and...
43Lafayette to the American Peace Commissioners, 21 November 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Newberry Library; transcript: New York Public Library Since the Early Period When I Had the Happiness to Be Adopted Among the sons of America, I Ever Made it My Point to do that Which I thought Would prove Useful to Her Cause or Agreable to Her Citizens. After We Had Long Stood By ourselves, France did join in our Quarrell, and So Soon as Count d’Estaing’s departure Made My Presence...
44Robert R. Livingston to the American Peace Commissioners, 25 March 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Two copies: Massachusetts Historical Society; AL (draft): New York Public Library; transcript: National Archives On the morning of March 12 Congress learned from the hand of Joshua Barney, captain of the packet General Washington , that the American peace commissioners had signed conditional preliminary articles with Great Britain on November 30, 1782. In addition to delivering the provisional...
45Continental Congress to the American Peace Commissioners: Instructions, 29 October 1783 (Franklin Papers)
DS : Library of Congress; draft, two copies, and incomplete copy: National Archives; copy: Massachusetts Historical Society By The United States in Congress Assembled To the Ministers Plenipotentiary of the United States of America at the Court of Versailles empowered to negociate a Peace or to any one or more of them. First. You are instructed and authorised to announce to his Imperial...
46Ferdinand Grand to the American Peace Commissioners, 2 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
Quoique la lettre que vous m’aues fait l’honneur de m’écrire le 22 e du mois passé, ne me flattat pas de recevoir les Secours dont les Finances du Congrès avoient besoin; Néantmoins, l’Espérance du Succès des Soins que j’étois bien assuré que vous donneriés, Messieurs, à un objet aussi intéressant, m’a fait parvenir à Satisfaire à tous les payemens qui Se Sont présentés, jusqu’à ce moment; qui...
47Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Robert R. Livingston) to the American Peace Commissioners, 21 April 1783 (Jay Papers)
Upon the receipt of the provisional Articles and a subsequent account brought by a Vessel despatched by Count De Estaing — I wrote the Letter N o 1 to Sir Guy Carleton and N o 2 to Admiral Digby to which I received the answers N o . 3 and 4— You will find them cold and distant, those they wrote to the Minister of France in answer to similar communications made by him were still more so, and...
48Robert R. Livingston to the American Peace Commissioners, 21 April 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society; ALS (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives Upon the receipt of the provisional Articles & a subsequent account bro’t by a Vessel dispatched by Count d’Estaing, I wrote the Letter No. 1. to Sr. Guy Carleton, & No. 2. to Admiral Digby: to which I recieved the Answers No. 3. & 4. You will find them cold & distant— Those they...
49David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners, 14 June 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Library of Congress, William L. Clements Library, Massachusetts Historical Society; two incomplete copies and incomplete transcript: National Archives The American peace commissioners grew increasingly suspicious as they waited for Fox to respond to the article that Hartley had presented to them without prior approval on May 21. Hartley drafted another memorial for them on June 1, but...
50Henry Strachey’s Remarks to the American Peace Commissioners, 25 November 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: New York Public Library Strachey’s return to Paris opened a new round of intensive negotiations which culminated in the signing of a provisional peace treaty on November 30. The present document is Strachey’s recollection of what he said to the American peace commissioners when he presented them with the British counterproposal to their second draft treaty. This meeting was held at...