31The 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...
32The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 17 July 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copies with variations: Harvard University Library, National Archives (two) We are very sensible of the Protection afforded to us and to our Commerce since our Residence in this Kingdom, agreeable to the Goodness of the King’s gracious Intentions, and to the Law of Nations; and it gives us real and great Concern, when any Vessels of War,...
33The American Commissioners to Vergennes, [26 June 1777] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères To his Excellency the Count de Vergennes, Minister for Foreign Affairs We the underwritten, Commissioners from the Congress of the United States of N. America, beg leave to represent to your Excellency, that Captain Burnel, Commander of an armed Vessel commissioned by the said States, did lately take Refuge in the Port of Cherburgh with his...
34The American Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 7 May 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft) and copy: Harvard University Library The Commissioners from the United States of America desire to represent to his Excellency the Count de Vergennes, that they have received Intelligence of a Vessel belonging to the States having been taken by the Culloden, an English Ship of War, close on the Coast of France; and that the same...
35[The American Commissioners]: Memorandum [for Vergennes], 28 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AD : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Harvard University Library On the 19th of November, the Congress resolved, That 100 brass Cannon 3 pounders 50 6 pounders 50 12 pounders 13 18 pounders 13 24 pounders
36The 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...
37The 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...
38The 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...
39The 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...
40The 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,...
41[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...
42The 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...
43The 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...
44The 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,...