To Benjamin Franklin from Vergennes, 8 March 1785
From Vergennes
L (draft):5 Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères
A Versailles le 8. Mars 1785.
J’ai communiqué M. a M. le Mal. de Castries la nouvelle note que vous m’aviez fait l’honneur de me remettre relativement à la Contestation qui S’etoit elevée a Nantes entre le Contre maitre et le Capne. du navire americain La marianne.6 Ce ministre vient de me faire la reponse dont je joins icy une copie. Vous y verrez, M. les raisons qui lui font penser que la Sentence rendue par l’amirauté de Nantes le 5 mars 1784, doit avoir Son execution. Cette reponse indique aussi les voyes qui Sont ouvertes aux parties qui peuvent avoir à Se plaindre de cette Sentence.7
M. franklin
5. Neither BF’s copy of this letter nor its enclosure has been located. They were probably sent to William Alexander, owner of the Mariamne; see Carrol to BF, Oct. 4.
6. BF had followed up on his Oct. 11 request (above) with a second letter, now missing, that Vergennes forwarded to Castries on Feb. 24. His cover letter asked what he should tell BF: Vergennes to Castries, Feb 24, 1785 (AAE).
7. Castries’ Feb. 28, 1785, letter reported that the admiralty had taken jurisdiction because there was no recognized American consul at Nantes, and had retained it after the establishment of a consul because the tribunal did not have the capacity to reverse itself. Rulings could neither be contested nor invalidated. The Nantes admiralty had allowed the Mariamne to leave port by mistake, but, spurred by the complaint of Burk’s agent, caused it to be seized at Le Havre. The ship was released after BF ordered Limozin to post a bond; the interested parties could now lodge an appeal on procedural grounds. AAE.