51The 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...
52From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 30 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have the honour of your Excellency’s letter of this day, in answer to mine of the 21st. of this month. Untill the receipt of it, I had taken it for granted that the presentation of every Ambassador was regularly inserted in the Gazette of France; and untill very lately, several days since the date of my letter to your Excellency of the 21st. of this month, I had supposed that the...
53From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 25 July 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received yesterday a Letter dated the 20th. Instand, under a Cover mark’d with your Excellency’s Name but the Letter not signed by you or any other Person enclosing a Memoire which is likewise not signed, relating to the taking of the English ship the three friends by Capt. Landais, who is charg’d in the Memoire as having made that Prize in Contempt of the King’s...
54From Benjamin Franklin to [Vergennes], 1 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Le Refus qu’à fait M. Le Directeur General de se prêter aux propositions de M. Franklin, & ses besoins urgents, le determinent pour n’avoir rien a se reprocher, si les Evenements qu’il craint arrivent, de revenir a la charge auprès de l’Administration pour les prevenir, il demande en consequence, & a titre de pret, un Million quoique cette...
55From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 8 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I am much oblig’d to yr. Excy. for the Notice you were so good as to send me yesterday. I send my Grandson to M. de Sartine, to procure from him two Orders to the proper Officers at Brest. The one to receive the Prisoners brought in long since by Capt. Jones. The other to receive the Mutineers from on Board the Alliance. I beg you would be pleas’d to give a Line, if...
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,...
57From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 14 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Walter R. Benjamin Autographs, Inc., Hunter, New York (1982); copy: Library of Congress The Gout having again attacked me, and confined me to my Chair, I find I shall not be able to present myself at Versailles on Tuesday. Your Excellency will have the Goodness to excuse me, and believe me ever, with the sincerest Esteem and Respect. Your most obedient & most humble Servant. March 16; see...
58From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 27 June 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress Enclosed I send your Excellency the Copy of a Letter I have just received from Mr Hartley, in which he expresses a Desire of making me a visit to talk about Peace, if it may be done with the Consent of the Ministry here. I should be glad to see him as my Friend and a Friend to America: but unless he...
59From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 8 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Yesterday Mr Oswald communicated to Mr. Jay and me a Paper he had just received from his Court being a Copy of the King’s Order to the Attorney or Sollicitor General to prepare a Commission to pass the great Seal, appointing him to treat with us &ca. and he shew’d me a Letter from Mr Secretary Townshend, which expresses his Concern that the...
60From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 4 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères I have considered the Proposal of M. le Mis. de Segur, to cede to the Congress the military Stores left by M. de Rochambeau at Baltimore; and I am of Opinion that it is probable a Part of them may be acceptable, if not the whole; and that possibly some of the different States may be enclined to purchase what the Congress should not want. But...
61The 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...
62From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 15 December 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères I have the honour to acquaint your Excellency, that our Courier is to set out to-morrow at Ten aClock, with the Dispatches we send to Congress by the Washington, Capt. Barney, for which Ship we have got a Passport from the King of England. If you would make any Use of this Conveyance, the Courier shall wait upon you to-morrow at Versailles,...
63From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 22 November 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress M. De Chaumont m’ayant procuré par pure bonne Volonté des Etoffes pour l’Habillement des Troupes Americaines, me demande aujourd’huy que je lui assure le Remboursement en France des Lettres de Change que je lui ai promises sur le Congrès, et dont je ne doute nullement qu’il y sera fait Honneur. J’ai l’honneur de...
64From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 23 November 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress Mr de Chaumont informs me that it has been agreed between your Excellency and him, that I should write you a Letter, requesting your Assurance of Payment here of the Bills I am to draw in his Favour upon the Congress for 500,000 Livres, in case they should not be paid in America. He has accordingly furnished me with...
65The American Commissioners to Vergennes, [before 9 January 1779]: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (drafts): Harvard University Library, Massachusetts Historical Society (two); two copies and two transcripts: National Archives The commissioners, particularly Lee and Adams, devoted substantial effort to the drafting of this memorandum asking that a powerful French fleet be sent to American waters. Their efforts were doomed to failure, at...
66From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 3 August 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress It was indeed with very great Pleasure that I received and read the Letter your Exy. did me the honour of writing to me, communicating that of the President of Congress and the Resolutions of that Body relative to the Succours then expected: For the Sentiments therein express’d are so different from the Language held...
67The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 12 August 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Harvard University Library After Wickes’s squadron was sequestered on July 15 and Conyngham sailed from Dunkirk two days later, the commissioners’ relations with Versailles might have been expected to improve. Instead they grew worse, largely because Conyngham disobeyed his orders and took prizes. When one was recaptured, and most of...
68From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 16 August 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères I have the honour to inform your Excellency, that the English Ministry do not agree to any of the Propositions that have been made either by us, or by their Minister here; and they have sent over a Plan for the definitive Treaty, which consists merely of the Preliminaries formerly signed, with a short Introductory Paragraph, & another at the...
69The Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 9 February 1779 (Adams Papers)
It is now near six Months that Capt. McNeil, of the Mifflin Privateer from America, has been embarras’d with a Process on Account of a French Ship, which he retook from the English after she had been three Days in their Possession. The Laws of France are clear with regard to the Validity of this Prize, and our Captains have Orders, contained in their Commissions, to submit their Prizes to the...
70From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 9 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangeres The American Commerce in general, and that between France and America in particular having suffered greatly of late, from the Number of Frigates employed by the Enemy to cruise on our Coasts, I am directed to communicate to your Excellency the Paper on that Subject which I have the honour now to enclose, wherein the Means of protecting that...
71From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 15 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received the Letter your Excellency did me the honour of writing to me yesterday, & have perused the Papers inclosed with it relating to William Campbell. They are undoubtedly genuine Papers, but I know nothing more of the Person, having never seen him, or heard any thing of him during his residence in Paris that I can recollect. I return the Papers, and am, with...
72From Benjamin Franklin to the Comte de Vergennes, 15 April 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; press copy of ALS , and copy: Library of Congress; transcripts: Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives On Sunday, April 14, Shelburne’s representative Richard Oswald, accompanied by Franklin’s old friend Caleb Whitefoord, arrived in Paris bearing Shelburne’s April 6 letter. That evening Whitefoord traveled to Passy on his own...
73The American Commissioners to [the Comte de Vergennes], 4 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères We have the Honour to acquaint your Excellency that we have just receiv’d an Express from Boston, in 30 Days, with Advice of the total Reduction of the Force under General Burgoyne, himself and his whole Army having surrendered themselves Prisoners. General Gates was about to send Reinforcements to Gen. Washington, who was near Philadelphia...
74From 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...
75From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 17 December 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères I received the Letter your Excellency did me the Honour of writing to me the 15th. Instant. The Proposal of having a Passport from England was agreed to by me the more willingly, as I at that time had Hopes of obtaining some Money to send in the Washington, and the Passport would have made its Transportation safer, with that of our...
76From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 15 November 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères I received the Letter you did me the honour of writing to me the 13th. Inst, and I loose no time in forwarding to your Excellency the Orders you desire for the 4 English Vessels destined to pass between Dover and Calais; tho’ I am persuaded the Passports they are furnished with from his most Christian majesty; would have been sufficient...
77From 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...
78The 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...
79From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 15 November 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress I thank your Excellency for the Information contain’d in the Letter you did me honour of writing to me the 12th. Instant, relating to the American Prisoners at Lisbon. Mr. Dohrman was, I think, appointed by the Congress to take care of them. I do not know the Reason of his Discontinuing that Care. But if he has not...
80From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 11 February 1779 (Adams Papers)
As Your Excellency reads English perfectly well, my first Request is, that you would do me the Favour to read this, without a Translation after which I Submit it to your Excellency to make what Use of it, you shall think proper. I have hitherto avoided, in my Single Capacity, giving your Excellency, any trouble, by Letter, or Conversation: but the present Emergency demands that I should ask...
81From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 6 December 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères I have the honour of returning herewith the Map your Excellency sent me Yesterday. I have marked with a strong Red Line, according to your desire, the Limits of the thirteen United States, as settled in the Preliminaries between the British & American Plenipotentiarys. With great Respect, I am Sir, Your Excellency’s most obedt & most humble...
82From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 25 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
printed : JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams, ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 4:253–254 . Replying to Vergennes’ letter of the 24th (calendared above), John Adams expressed his appreciation for his upcoming presentation at the French court. He also agreed to avoid publicizing his peace commission before its announcement in the...
83From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 1 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress I received the Letter your Exy did me the honour of writing to me of the 25th past, inclosing a Memorial relating to the Claim of two Corporals of the Artillery to Shares of the Prize Ship the Fox, taken by the Boston Frigate, on board of which they were, and assisting in the Action. Nothing appears to me more just...
84From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 3 May 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress When I last had the honor of waiting upon your Excellency, I mentioned certain Applications from the States of Virginia and Maryland, for Arms, Ammunition and Clothing, which I am desired by their Agents here to sollicit. I should sooner have presented your Excellency a Note of the Particulars, which I now enclose,...
85The American Commissioners to [Vergennes], 19 April 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères <Passy, April 19, 1778: We hear from Bordeaux and Nantes that high insurance rates and British captures create almost an embargo on shipping to America, which defeats the aim of the treaty. We earnestly request you to provide convoys.> Published in Taylor, Adams Papers , VI , 42. In WTF ’s hand.
86From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 12 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have received the letter which you did me the honor to write me on the 10th. of this month. Altho’ the writer of the letter, an extract of which I had the honor to enclose to you, may be right in his conjecture that the British Administration wish to know more than they do at present of my sentiments upon the great subject of a pacification, yet I have had too long experience of their...
87The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 21 July 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Capt. Wicks when he left France on his last Cruise was ordered not to return if he could possibly avoid it, but to intercept some of the Irish Linnen Ships, and proceed with them for America where the Article was much wanted. Unfortunately he miss’d those Shipps, and having giv’n The Alarm, he had no way to avoid being taken but by sheltering...
88From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 24 July 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères The two extracts inclosed in this letter were brought to Passy as part of a conciliatory mission that backfired. On July 11, Franklin wrote Benjamin Vaughan to express doubts about Shelburne’s intentions. Vaughan immediately showed that letter to Shelburne, who denied any grounds for suspicion. Vaughan volunteered to visit Franklin and...
89From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 24 November 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress I received the Letter your Excelly. did me the honour of writing to me the 22d. Instant, concerning the Complaint of the Sieur Rasquin against Mr. Williams, together with the Exposition des Faits as stated by the said Rasquin, which I return inclosed. In September last I received a Letter from the same Person with...
90From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 12 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 12 February 1780. printed : JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams, ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 4:243–245 With this letter John Adams formally notified Vergennes of his mission. Stating that he had been appointed to negotiate treaties of peace and commerce with Great Britain, he explained, so far as he knew it, the origins of...
91From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 26 September 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Library of Congress I received Yesterday Evening the Letter your Excellency did me the honour of writing to me, together with the Pacquet for M. De la Luzerne, which I shall take Care to forward with my Dispatches. I could have wished it had been possible to have written something positive to the Congress by this Opportunity on the Subject of the...
92From 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...
93From 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...
94The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 19 May 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; three copies and transcript: National Archives <Passy, May 19, 1778: We have received your letter of May 15 with its enclosure, and have forwarded copies of both to Congress. Justice, we have no doubt, will be promptly done.> Published in Butterfield, John Adams Diary , IV , 103 and discussed...
95From 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...
96The 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...
97From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 18 September 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress I send herewith to your Excellency a Translation of the Invoices of the Goods desired, with the Original. The Packet Boat which brought our Dispatches will be ready to depart for America next Week, but shall wait your Orders. She is a fast Sailer being built expressly for the Business; and the Captain is a trusty...
98The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 3 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: National Archives We have just receivd information that Mr. Thomas Morris, at Nantes, one of the commercial Agents of Congress, is at the point of death; and that his Papers, on that event, will be taken possession of by the Officers of the Crown. As some of these Papers may very materially concern the public business, we beg an Order...
99From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 6 July 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères The State of Maryland being the last that acceded to the Confederation, & therefore esteemed by some the least hearty in the Cause, your Excellency may judge, by the Sentiments of the General Assembly of that State, as express’d in their Resolutions which I have the honour to send you enclos’d, what Reception any Propositions made by General...
100From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 6 November 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Library of Congress I wonder much that your Excellency has received no Letters by our Packet Boat. There were some for M. De Castries & M. de Segur. I enclose what News I have which is not in the News papers. Those will have informed you of the Unhappy Loss of the Eagle, and saving of the Money &ca. I am with great Respect Sir,...