As your Excellency reads English perfectly well, my first Request is that you would not communicate this Letter, even to a Translator. I have hitherto avoided, in my single Capacity, giving your Excellency, any Trouble at all either by Letter or by Conversation. But the present Crisis Emergency demands that I should ask the Favour of your Excellency to explain my Sentiments to you, either by...
2Benjamin Franklin and Arthur Lee to Vergennes, 10 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
We have the Honour to acquaint your Excellency, that Mr. Adams, appointed by the Congress to replace Mr. Deane in the Commission here, is safely arrived, and purposes to wait upon you as soon as recovered a little from the Fatigue of his Voyage. The Ship in which he came is a Frigate of 30 Guns, belonging to the Congress. In her Passage she took a large Ship from London to New York, with a...
3The Commissioners to Vergennes, 19 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
By sundry Letters from Merchants of Bourdeaux and Nantes, we are inform’d, that many Adventures to America are discouraged by the high Price of Insurance, and the Number of Captures made by the English, which together have an Operation almost equal to an Embargo; so that the Commerce which might be so advantageous, to both Countries, by supplying their mutual Wants, is obstructed, and the...
4The Commissioners to Vergennes, 16 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
We had this Morning the Honour of receiving your Excellency’s Letter of the 13. Instant relative to the Boston Frigate. We beg leave to assure your Excellency that the Frigate called the Boston, now at Bourdeaux, is a Ship of War belonging to the 13 United States of North America, built and maintained at their Expence, by the Honourable Congress. We therefore, humbly presume that his Majestys...
5The Commissioners to Vergennes, 17 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
We herewith communicate to your Excellency a Resolution of Congress relative to the Treaties, which we request may be laid before the King. Thereby his Majesty will perceive the unfeigned Sentiments of that Body, as well as those of the whole American People, whose Hearts the King has gained by his great Benevolence towards them, manifested in these Treaties, which has made so deep an...
6The Commissioners to Vergennes, 28 August 1778 (Adams Papers)
There are several Subjects, which we find it necessary to lay before your Excellency; to which we have the Honour to request your Attention. At a time when the Circumstances of the War may demand the Attention of Gouvernment, and without doubt call for great Expence, we are very sorry to be obliged to request your Excellency’s Advice respecting the Subject of Money but the Nature of the War in...
7La Vauguyon to Vergennes, 15 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
J’ai receu, Mr. le Comte, les depesches que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’addresser. La lettre de Mr. Franklin est arrivée, comme Je m’y attendois; mais j’ai engagé son Emissaire, ainsi que je vous en avois assuré, à suspendre la demarche qui lui étoit prescrite, sans lui faire connoitre mon motif. Je lui ai temoigné qu’il me paroissoit prudent, de sonder encore les dispositions de notre ami...
8La Vauguyon to Vergennes: A Translation, 15 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have received, M. le Comte, the dispatches that you did me the honor to send. Mr. Franklin’s letter arrived as I expected, but I convinced the emissary, in accordance with my promise to you, to suspend the démarche he had been prescribed without revealing my motive. I indicated to him that it seemed wiser to me to explore deeply again the dispositions of our friend from Amsterdam and ask for...
9The Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 10 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
By some of the last Ships from America, we received from Congress certain Powers and Instructions, which we think it necessary to lay before your Excellency, and which we have the Honor to do in this Letter. We have the Honor to enclose to your Excellency a Copy of the Contract made between the Committee and Mr. Francy, a Copy of Mr. Francy’s Powers, and a Copy of the list of Articles to be...
10The Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 26 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
We had last Evening the Honour of your Excellencys Letter of the twenty fourth of this Month, in Answer to ours of the twenty Eighth ultimo relative to the Liberty for Americains to pass through this Kingdom with their Effects, in their Way home, Duty free, inclosing Copy of a Letter from Mr. Necker to your Excellency, upon the same subject. We shall take the Liberty to pursue the Rules...