To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 15 July 1777
From Silas Deane
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Paris 15th. July 1777.
Dear Sir,
Inclosed is a Letter from Mr. Lee which I received last Evening, and should have sent it you this Morning but your Son informed me of your being in Town and that I should have the pleasure of seeing you; I send it for Your reflection, untill We meet this Evening. It was the first Intelligence I had of Mr. Lee’s misfortune but Mr. Grand tells Me that Mons. Le Comte Vergennes had an Account of it last Friday.7 I think it must be attended with serious Consequences. I am with the utmost Esteem Dear Sir your most Obedient and very humble Servant
S. Deane
Mr. Grand, and Mr. Boux, dine with me Tomorrow, and if you are not engaged pray you to honor us with your Company, and that of your Son.
I omitted sending this, the Moment it was ready, being again informed you were in Town and would call here. Mons. Beaumont was here and I send you his Letters. He this Moment left me.
9 o:Clock
Addressed: To / the honorable / Docr Franklin / Passy
7. Lee’s letter was the one above of June 28 from Berlin, announcing the theft of his papers. Mr. Grand, here and in the postscript, could be either Georges or Ferdinand, but probably the latter; we have no evidence that Georges was in Paris that summer, and Deane almost invariably referred to him as Sir George.