I am now to acknowledge the favor of your joint Letter by the Washington, together with a Copy of the preliminary Articles —Both were laid before Congress— The Articles have met their warmest approbation, and have been generally seen by the People in the most favorable point of view. The steadiness manifested in not treating without an express acknowledgment of your Independence previous to a...
Upon the receipt of the provisional Articles & a subsequent account brôt by a Vessel dispatched by Count d’Estaing, I wrote the Letter N o. 1. to S r. Guy Carleton, & N o. 2. to Admiral Digby: to which I recieved the Answers N o. 3. & 4. You will find them cold & distant— Those they wrote to the Minister of France, in answer to similar Communications made by him, were still more so, and...
By the direction of Congress, contained in the enclosd resolutions, I have the honor to transmit you the Correspondence between General Washington & Sir Guy Carlton, together with minutes of their Conference, when, in pursuance of the invitation of the first, they met in Orange-County. Nothing can be a more direct violation of the 7 th: Article of the Provisional Treaty, than sending off the...
Congress were yesterday pleased to pass the enclosed Resolutions on the subject of the payment of British Debts— The language they speak requires no Comment— I complained in my last of your long Silence, or rather laid before you the Complaint of Congress. These I think receive additional force from Intelligence I have since had, that the Negotiations are still going on, and that important...
5To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 20 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and LS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania; copy and transcript: National Archives Congress having lately thought it adviseable to alter the arrangement of their great executive departments, & to desolve the boards & committees under whose direction they formerly were, I am to inform you that they have done me the honor to appoint me their Secretary for foreign affairs. In which capacity...
6To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 24 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; copy and transcript: National Archives I three days since did myself the honor to write to you informing you of my appointment to the secretary ship of foreign affairs & preparing you for the happy event which has since taken place. Inclosed you have the capitulation of York & Gloster town, by which a british army of about 5600 men was surrendered to...
7To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 2 November 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives It is with peculiar pleasure that I obey the directions of Congress in making Communications, which shew their Sense of the Exertions of their Ally, & the merit of the Officers She Employs. The Confidence inspired by the first, & the Esteem Excited by the last, form new bonds of Union between Nations whom reciprocal Interests had before Connected. In this View I flatter...
8To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 24 November 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; copies: New-York Historical Society, National Archives; transcript: National Archives Majr Genl Du Portail will have the honor to present this. Congress in consideration of their Long & faithful services in this country have grantd permission to him & Colls. De Laumoy & Gouvion to revisit their friends in Europe for the winter. As the merit of these...
9To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 26 November 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania Library; al (draft): New-York Historical Society; copy and transcript: National Archives The Marquis de la Fayette who has obtained leave to revisit his family for the winter does me the honor to be the Bearer of this, and duplicates of two former Letters to you. The degree of Estimation in which he is held here you will...
10To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 28 November 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): New-York Historical Society I shd inform you that congress have discharged the commission for negotiating a treaty of commerce with great Britain & taken that burden from Mr. Adams’s Sholders—that in compt. [compliment] to the Marquis La fayette they have made him the bearer of Letter to the King of France of which I enclose a copy. That in answer to your favor of the 11th. June...