31From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 16 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have just recieved a Letter from Nantes brought in a Ship from New London. I inclose your Excellency a Newspaper inclosed in it, and an Extract of the Letter, which is from a Gentleman who is a member of the Assembly and one of the Judges at Boston. This is all the News I have. I hope your Excellency has more by the same Vessel. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( Arch. Aff. Etr., Paris, Corr. Pol....
32From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 20 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
Last Evening I received the Letter, an Extract of which I have the honour to inclose. It is from Mr. Gerry, a Member of Congress who has been a Member of their Treasury Board from the beginning of the year 1776. It is much to be regretted that the Congress did not publish their Resolution to pay off the Loan Office Certificates, according to the value of Money, at the time of their being...
33From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 20 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have just now received Some Newspapers and Journals, which I think it my Duty to inclose without Loss of Time to your Excellency. The Account from Charlestown in the Newspapers does not favour the Report of Clinton’s Defeat. The Journals of the ninth and twenty fifth of February, show what measures Congress have taken for raising and subsisting an Army of thirty five thousand Men. Your...
34From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 22 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have received this day the letter which your Excellency did me the honour to write me on the Twenty first Day of this Month. I thank your Excellency for the Confidence, which induced you to communicate this letter to me, and the continuance of which I shall ever study to deserve. When your Excellency says that his Majesty’s Minister at Congress, has already received Orders to make...
35From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 22 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
I this day acknowledged the Receipt of the Letter which you did me the honor to write me on the 21st. by mistake I dated my Letter on the twenty third. I have the Honor to agree with your Excellency in Opinion that it is the Intention of Congress to redeem all their paper Bills which are extant at an Exchange of Forty for one; by which means the two hundred Millions of Dollars which are out,...
36From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 1 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
I had this morning the honour of your letter of the Thirtieth of June. It is very certain that the Representations from his Majesty, which may be made by his Minister the Chevalier De La Luzerne, will be attended to by Congress with all possible Respect, and its due weight will be given to every Fact and Argument that he may adduce, and I am well persuaded that Congress will be able to give...
37From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 2 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to inclose a Boston News Paper of the first of May, containing an Account of the Arrival of the Marquiss de la Fayette; an Extract of a Letter from London; and another of a Letter from Dr. Benjamin Rush of Philadelphia, once a member of Congress, and a Gentleman of very good Intelligence. He speaks the French Language very well, was about ten Years ago in Paris, and a...
38From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 13 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
By the Treaty of Alliance of the sixth of February 1778, his Majesty and the United States agreed, in Case of War, to join their Councils and Efforts against the Enterprises of the common Enemy: to make it a common Cause, and aid each other mutually with their good Offices, their Councils and their Forces, according to the Exigences of Conjunctures, and each of the contracting Parties, in the...
39From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 17 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
In your Excellency’s letter to me of the Twenty Fourth of February last, I was honored with your opinion in the following Words. Quant au plein pouvoir, que vous autorise à negocier un Traité de Commerce avec la Cour de Londres, Je pense qu’il sera prudent de n’en donner Communication a qui que se soit, et de prendre toutes les precautions possibles pour que le Ministere Anglois n’en ait pas...
40From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 21 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have receiv’d the letter you did me the honor to write me yesterday; and am extreamly sensible of your Excellency’s Confidence in communicating to me, the destination of the Armament under M. Le Chevr. de Ternay and M. Le Comte de Rochambau, and the probability that the Ships will winter in North America. I assure your Excellency, that scarcely any News I ever heard, gave me more...
41From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 26 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have recieved the letter which your Excellency did me the honor to write me the twenty fifth of this month. The sincere respect I entertain for your Excellency’s Sentiments would have determined me, upon the least intimation, to have communicated my letter and your Excellency’s answer to Congress, and to suspend, until I should recieve orders on their part, all measures towards the British...
42From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 27 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
Since my Letter of the Twenty first; and upon reading over again your Excellency’s Letter to me of the Twentieth, I observed one Expression which I think it my Duty to consider more particularly. The Expression I have in view is this, That the King, without being sollicited by the Congress, had taken measures the most efficacious to sustain the American Cause. Upon this part of your Letter, I...
43From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, with a Letterbook Memorandum, 7 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have the honour to inform, you, that, upon an Intimation, from your Excellency, Signified to me by Mr. Berenger, and afterwards, by the Duke de la Vauguion, that the Interests of the United States required me here, I arrived last night in Paris, and am come to day to Versailles, to pay my Respects to your Excellency, and receive your farther Communications. As your Excellency, was in...
44Austro-Russian Proposal for Anglo-American Peace Negotiations, with John Adams’ Translation, 11 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
Articles pour Servir de base à la négociation du retablissement de la paix. Il sera traité entre la grande Bretagne et les Colonies Américaines du rétablissement de la paix en Amérique; mais sans l’intervention d’aucunes des autres parties Belligérentes, ni même celle des deux Cours Impériales, à moins que leur médiation n’ait été formellement demandée et accordée sur cet objet. Cette paix...
45From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 13 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have the Honour to inclose, to your Excellency Some Remarks, upon the Articles to Serve as a Basis of the negotiation for the Re-establishment of Peace, which you did me the Honour to communicate to me. As I am unacquainted, whether you desired my Sentiments upon these Articles, merely for your own Government, or with a design to communicate them to the Imperial Courts I should be glad of...
46Enclosure: Draft of Peace Negotiation Articles, 13 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
Answer of the Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America, to the Articles to serve as a Basis to the Negotiation, for the Re-establishment of Peace. The United States of America, have no Objection provided their Allies have none to a Treaty with Great Britain, concerning the Re-establishment of Peace in America, or to another concerning the Re-establishment of Commerce, between...
47From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 16 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
Since my Letter of the thirteenth, upon further Reflection I have thought it necessary to explain myself a little more particularly in some Points to your Excellency. If I comprehend the Facts, the British Court first proposed to the Imperial Courts, a Congress, and a Mediation, upon two Conditions 1. The Dissolution of the Treaties between France and the United States. 2. The Return of the...
48From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 18 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have received the Letter, Sir, which you did me the honour to write me of this Days Date: and I assure your Excellency I never had a Thought of appearing upon the Scaene, or of taking ministerially or otherwise any Step towards the two mediators. I must confess to your Excellency, that I have too many Jealousies of the motives, and too many Apprehensions of the Consequences of this...
49From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 19 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
In my Letter, Sir, of the Eighteenth, I had the Honour to mention Some Things which lay upon my Mind: but am Still apprehensive that in a former Letter, I have not conveyed my full meaning to your Excellency. In my Letter of the Sixteenth, I Submitted to your Excellencys Opinion and Advice, whether an American Minister, could appear at the Congress at Vienna, without having his Character...
50From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 21 July 1781 (Adams Papers)
Since my Letter of the nineteenth, Sir, another Point has occurred to me, upon which it seems necessary, that I Should Say Something to your Excellency, before my Departure for Holland, which will be on Monday Morning. An Idea has, I perceive been suggested, of the several States of America, choosing Agents seperately, to attend the Congress, at Vienna, in order to make Peace, with Great...
51The American Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 28 March 1785 (Adams Papers)
We have the honour to enclose an extract of a letter from the Commissioners of the United States of America to Your Excellency dated Aug st. 28 th. 1778. Copy of Your Excellency’s ans r dated 27. Sept r. 1778. & Copy of M. de Sartine’s letter to Your Excellency of the 21 st of Sept r. 1778 all relative to a proposed negotiation with the States of Barbary. Not having any particular authority or...
52The American Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 23 December 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères We beg Leave to acquaint your Excellency, that we are appointed and fully impowered by the Congress of the United States of America, to propose and negotiate a Treaty of Amity and Commerce between France and the said States. The just and generous Treatment their Trading Ships have received, by a free Admission into the Ports of this Kingdom,...
53The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 5 January 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Harvard University Library. On Sunday, January 5, the commissioners went to Versailles. That evening they sent a brief note to Vergennes asking for an audience on Monday morning. Such an interview in the spotlight of the court would have been quite different from the previous clandestine meeting in Paris, but the idea never seems to...
54The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 5 January 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Dr. Franklin, Mr. Dean, and Mr. Lee, present their most respectful Complimts. to the Count de Vergennes; and request an audience of his Excellency, to-morrow morning, at such hour as he shall be pleas’d to appoint. Notation: 1777. Janvier 5. In BF ’s hand according to Stevens ( Facsimiles , VI , no. 613), but actually in Arthur Lee’s. We have...
55[The American Commissioners]: Memoir [for Vergennes], [c. 8 January 1777] (Franklin Papers)
D : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères The situation of the United-states, require an immediate supply of Stores of various sorts, of which a proportion of Military for the opening and supporting the coming Campaign. Vessels or Ships belonging to the United-States cannot be procured, and if they could, the Danger and Risque would be very great. Diffuculties have arose at the...
56The American Commissioners: Memorandum to Vergennes, 1 February 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ADS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Harvard University Library This memorandum, most of it in Franklin’s hand, marks a distinct departure from the position that he generally maintained. He “was from the first averse to warm and urgent solicitations with the Court of France,” Silas Deane remarked years later. “His age and experience, as well as his philosophical temper,...
57The American Commissioners: Memorandum for Vergennes, [24 February 1777] (Franklin Papers)
D : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères We have ordered no Prizes into the Ports of France, nor do we know of any that have entered, for any other purpose than to provide themselves with necessaries untill they could sail for America, or some Port in Europe, for a Market. We were informed this was not inconsistent with the Treaty between France and Great Brittain, and that it would...
58The American Commissioners: Memorandum for Vergennes, 1 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AD : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères In the several Memoires which Mr: Deane had the honor of presenting previous to the arrival of his Colleagues, the history of the dispute between the United States of America and Great Brittain was brought down to the Time of presenting the Memoires, the situation and resources of the United States justly stated; and Conjectures as to the...
59The American Commissioners: Memorandum [for Vergennes], [12 March 1777] (Franklin Papers)
AD : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères While Great Brittain engross’d the Commerce of the United States, merchandize imported from thence into France was considered as British, and Consequently subject to the same duties, Customs &c, as if imported direct from the Islands of Great Brittain or Ireland. Since the separation of those States from Brittain it is presumed their...
60The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 18 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Archivo Historico Nacional On March 14 the commissioners received their first dispatches from America. Among them was the letter above of December 30 from the committee of secret correspondence, enclosing the Congressional authorization to offer Versailles territorial inducements to enter the war. Deane promptly informed Vergennes that...