We have received the Letter you did us the honour to write us on the 27 th day of Sept r last, and we thank you for your care in transmitting to your Court, the information of our appointment to treat with it. You desire to be informed if one or more of us can repair to Madrid for the purpose of conducting & concluding the negotiation, because that it is the system of your Court in matters...
2The American Commissioners to the Conde de Aranda, 28 December 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archivo Historico Nacional; draft: Harvard University Library We wish to inform your Excellency, that we are directed by the United States of America, to cultivate the Friendship of the Court of Spain, with that of France. For that purpose, as well as to pay our personal Respects to your Excellency, we purpose to wait upon you to-morrow, or on any other Day that will be more convenient,...
3From Benjamin Franklin to the Conde d’Aranda, 7 April 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archivo Historico Nacional; ALS (draft): Library of Congress I left in your Excellency’s Hands, to be communicated, if you please, to your Court, a Duplicate of the Commission from the Congress, appointing me to go to Spain as their Minister Plenipotentiary. But as I understand that the Receiving such a Minister is not at present thought convenient, and I am sure the Congress would have...
4The American Commissioners: Memorandum for Vergennes and Aranda, 25 September 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; LS : Archivo Historico National This memorandum, under its calm surface, conveys a sense of depression; and the commissioners had reason to be depressed. They seem to have become suddenly aware that they were in deep financial trouble, because they had made commitments that they did not have the money to honor and that Congress could not....
5From Benjamin Franklin to the Conde de Aranda, 4 March 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress The Bearer Don Gabriel Olivar, a Clergyman of the Island of Minorca, is recommended to me by a Friend in London, as an honest worthy Man. I beg leave at his Request to present him to your Excellency, and to ask in his Favour a few Moments of your Attention. With great & Sincere Respect, I am, Your Excellency’s &c. See Raspe’s letter of [February], above.
6The American Commissioners to Aranda: Résumé, 28 October 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives ⟨Passy, October 28, 1784: We received your letter of September 27 and thank you for sending the news of our appointment to your court. Regarding your question of whether one or more of us could travel to Madrid in order to conduct and conclude the negotiation, we have the honor to inform you that the United States in Congress assembled has proposed treaties with most of...
7From John Jay to Aranda, 25 June 1782 (Jay Papers)
On leaving Madrid his Excellency the C t . De Florida[blanca] assured ^ informed ^ me that the Papers relating to the objects of my mission there had been transmitted to y r . Ex y with such instructions & authority & Instructions to treat me with me on the Subjects of them— I arrived here ^ the Day before
8From John Jay to Aranda, 10 September 1782 (Jay Papers)
Agreable to your Ex y s Request I have now the Honor of repeating to your Ex y ^ in writing, ^ that I am not authorized by Congress to make any Cessions of any Countries belonging to the United States, but ^ & therefore ^ that I [ will mention