To Benjamin Franklin from Gérard de Rayneval: Two Letters, 23 August 1783
From Gérard de Rayneval: Two Letters
(I) and (II) ALS: American Philosophical Society
I.
A Vsailles le 23. août 1783
J’ai reçu, Monsieur, la lettre que vous mavez fait l’honneur de mecrire en faveur de Mr. Carnes;9 je pense que pour procèder en règle, il conviendroit que vous écrivissiez directement à Mr. le Cte. de Vergennes; ce ministre m’a parû disposé à accorder les lettres de Sauf-conduit à votre recommandation. J’ai lhonneur dêtre avec un sincere attachement Monsieur, votre très-humble et très-obeissant serviteur
DE Rayneval
Notation: De Rayneval 23 août 1785.—
II.
A Versailles le 23. aout 1783
J’ai l’honneur, Monsieur, de vous renvoyer votre projet de traité deffinitif: Mr. votre fils vous aura sûrement rendu compte de mes observations concernant la manière dont l’article de la pêche est exprimée.
Je joins ici copie de la recette pour la gravelle; je desire qu’elle vous Soulage; je desirerois bien plus, que vous ne fussiez pas dans le cas d’en faire usage.1
La demande [de] Mr. Williams sera raportée au Conseil des dépêches de Vendredy prochain.2
J’ai l’honneur detre avec un sincère attachement Monsieur votre très humble et tres obeissant Serviteur
DE Rayneval
Notation: De Rayneval 23 août 1783—
9. Written on Aug. 22. Carnes had carried that letter to Versailles and brought back the present response, which he left with the porter at the Hôtel Valentinois. He also left a letter for WTF, asking him to follow up with this request; he had just received news that required him to return immediately to Nantes: Carnes to WTF, Aug. 23, 1783 (APS). He was still in Paris a week later, desperate for news: Carnes to WTF, Aug. 29, 1783 (APS).
1. WTF responded on his grandfather’s behalf on Tuesday, Aug. 25, a day BF would normally have gone to court. BF was grateful for Rayneval’s “kindness and attention.” His “gravel” had “now turned into the gout,” making travel impossible. BF begged Rayneval to explain to Vergennes the cause of his absence: WTF to Rayneval, Aug. 25, 1783 (AAE; Bigelow, Works, X, 154–5).
2. The progress of JW’s application, for which see his letters of July 29 and Aug. 9, continued to be complicated. The day Rayneval sent this note, JW learned from WTF that Chaumont himself was opposed. WTF, meanwhile, received from JW his Aug. 19 letter to Vergennes, which WTF forwarded on Aug. 25 with a cover letter stressing how little time remained on the existing arrêt de surséance. Vergennes drafted a letter to the Conseil on Aug. 26 requesting an extension of six months instead of the full year JW had sought. Although Rayneval believed that the Conseil would consider the matter at the end of that week (as he writes here and on Aug. 29, below), it did not rule until Saturday, Sept. 6 (the final day of JW’s current arrêt), granting a new arrêt valid for six months. JW had rushed to Paris at the end of August in case his presence was needed, remaining in seclusion with his in-laws at Saint-Germain until he had the arrêt in hand. On Sept. 22, before returning to Nantes, he wrote a letter thanking Vergennes: JW to WTF, Aug. 23 and 31, Sept. 1 and 8, 1783 (all at the APS); WTF to Rayneval, Aug. 25, 1783 (cited above); Vergennes to the Conseil, Aug. 26, 1783, draft and fair copy marked “6 7bre 1783 accordé pour Six mois” (AAE); Rayneval to WTF, Aug. 29, 1783 (APS); JW to Vergennes, Sept. 22, 1783 (AAE).