1Editorial Note on Franklin’s Accounts, 1779 (Franklin Papers)
One new account begins during the period covered by this volume: XXIII. William Temple Franklin’s Accounts, March 15, 1779, to February 12, 1782: American Philosophical Society, 56 pp. This is a running account in Temple’s hand and is titled by him “Account of Family Expences, begun March 15th 1779.” A variant copy, twenty-six pages in length, begins with the same entries but concludes on...
2From Benjamin Franklin to Jacques Leveux, 1 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have been uneasy that your Acct. of Disbursements for the Prisoners has been so long unpaid. As the whole Business here is now devolv’d on one Person, our Correspondence for the future may be more prompt & regular; and I should be glad to clear the past transactions immediately by paying off your Debt. Be pleas’d therefore to draw on me for the Amount, & your Bill...
3To Benjamin Franklin from the Duc de Croÿ, [1 March 1779] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Le Duc de Croÿ a fait resouvenir que dans la notte quil avoit donné Lannée passée pour que les vaisseaux du Roy menage et ayent tous les egards pour M Coock on navoit pas parlé des corsaires. Sur sa remarque M de Sartinne vient de faire ecrire la lettre la plus forte et circulaire pour que tous nos corsaires soient avertis davoir les plus grands egards pour...
4To Benjamin Franklin from Charles-Guillaume-Frédéric Dumas, 1 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Algemeen Rijksarchief Ma derniere étoit du 23–26 fevr. On s’est assemblé les deux derniers jours de la semaine passée, sans rien faire. Vendredi une Députation marchande de Rotterdam vint présenter des adresses aux Etats- Genx. & à ceux d’Hollde., pour se plaindre du tort que leur fait l’arrêt publié en France. Elle a eu audience aussi du...
5The Duc de Croÿ’s Account of a Dinner with Franklin, [1 March 1779] (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from the vicomte de Grouchy and Paul Cottin, eds., Journal inédit du duc de Croÿ, 1718–1784 … (4 vols., Paris, [1906–7]), IV , 167–9. Le 1er mars, j’allai chez lui, à Chaillot, où il logeait à la petite maison du fond, ci-devant au prince de Monaco, où j’avais tant été dans ma jeunesse. M. de Chaumont occupait la grande et jolie maison, et ce petit réduit très modeste, mais commode,...
6Intelligence from Amsterdam and Other Places, 1 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
D : National Archives The man who seems to have coordinated Franklin’s receipt of maritime intelligence, the chevalier de Kéralio, was kept busy during the four months of this volume. Franklin received from him more than one hundred items of port news, generally arranged in chronological order by an unknown copyist; eventually Franklin forwarded this material to Congress. The flow of...
7To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis de Saint-Lambert, [after 1 March 1779] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Vous n’aurés peutetre pas connu sous le nom de mäer, L’officier dont je Vous ai parlé, ce nom est celui de la famille, mais il porte chès Vous le nom du chevalier de Villepré, il est lieutenant colonel au service des etats unis il est actuellement a nante ou il doit s’embarquer incessamment pour boston. La grace que Mr. de Tressan Vous demande c’est que le...
8From Benjamin Franklin to the Comte de Vergennes, [before 2 March 1779] (Franklin Papers)
L (draft): American Philosophical Society J’ay eu L’honneur avec Messieurs les deputés des etats unis d’amerique de Representer a vostre excellence que le Retard des decisions en france sur Les Reprises faittes sur les anglais par les vaisseaux de guerre americains Les eloignoit des mers D’Europe, Nous avons ajoutté a Cette Consideration d’autres encore plus importantes. Il est de mon devoir,...
9From Benjamin Franklin to Francis Coffyn, 2 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received yours of the 17. past and thank you for your kind Congratulations. It will undoubtedly be best to forward all the Prisoners as fast as they arrive, to some Port used by American Ships, and this if possible by Sea, their Land Journies to Paris and thence to Nantes being very expensive. You will settle Mr Fitzgeralds Account according to Justice and draw upon...
10From Benjamin Franklin to Pierre Landais, 2 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress Your other Swedish Prize is retaken and carried into England, as we hear by the English News Papers. The other which is arrived, will I suppose be tried in the Court of Admiralty of the Port at which she is arrived, unless being unable to find Proofs that the Property of the Cargo is English, you should think fit to discharge her. Mr Adams will take his Passage in...
11From Benjamin Franklin to Antoine-Raymond-Gualbert-Gabriel de Sartine, 2 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress The Orders which your Excellency did me the honor to inform me (in your Letter of the 13. of January last) were sent to all the Ports, for receiving into his Majesty’s Prisons, the English Prisoners brought in by our Cruizers, have not it seems arriv’d at Brest. For I have just received a Letter from M. Schweighauser of Nantes, who has the Care of the Prisoners taken...
12From Benjamin Franklin to Jean-Daniel Schweighauser, 2 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress The enclosed from Mr Adams I suppose acquaints you with his Intention of embarking at your Port for America. I am confident you will readily afford him all the Assistance in your Power, that he may be well accommodated at Nantes and in the Ship Alliance. I have the honor to be Sir &
13From Benjamin Franklin to John Walsh et al., 2 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I am sorry to understand by your Memorial of the 16. Past, which came to hand but Yesterday, that you are still in that uncomfortable Situation on board the Brigantine in Brest Road, having understood that Orders had been long since given for taking you on Shore. I write again this Day to the Minister of the Marine, to obtain a Renewal of those Orders; and I hope in...
14Certification of John Adams’ Shipment of Books, 2 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
DS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania These certify, that the Box or Caise which accompanies this contains only a Quantity of Books belonging to the Honourable John Adams, one of the late Commissioners from the United States of America, and that they are intended for Nantes in their Way to America.— All concerned are requested to permit them to pass. Notation in Franklin’s hand: Certificate...
15To Benjamin Franklin from Rodolphe-Ferdinand Grand: Memorandum, 2 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AD : University of Pennsylvania Library Le retour á protest des traittes du Congrés sur ses Comissionaires en france, seroit un malheur plus grand sans doutte, que la perte de la Georgie si elle est vraye, parceque cette province peut etre reconquise & quil n’en est pas de meme du Credit & de la Confiance, dont La perte inevitable par la, entrainera necessairement celle de Lamerique,...
16To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 2 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress Yours of 22d of february received. I have been as much discontented with the delay respecting the Exchange of prisoners as you can have been, and before the receipt of yours, I had made an heavy complaint and remonstrance upon the Subject. I have now the Satisfaction to tell you, that the first Cartel ship has actually left...
17To Benjamin Franklin from Stephen Hills et al., 2 [March] 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : University of Pennsylvania Library Such is our unlimited confidence in your candour and generosity that we again presume to trouble you with a few lines respecting our present situation, and the manner in which things have been conducted, Vizt, In America we were called upon by the Gentlemen who have the honour to compose the Navy-Board (Eastern Department) to exert ourselves with all...
18To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Bennett Lloyd, 2 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The inclosed copy is from a letter which Mr. Hartley has received from the Office for sick & wounded seamen— I would have sent you it by the last Mail but was prevented by a violent cold and inflammation in my eyes— I make no doubt if these people have been in earnest, but that you have heard from them before this time—. Mr. Hartley received me with much...
19To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Williams, Jr., 2 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Yale University Library Capt Collas is now ready to sail in a little Brig which Mr Johnson has given him & in which I have a small Share.— At His request I gave him the Privateer Commission which was made out for his intended Cruize last Spring in the Mediterranean, and in order to put the matter on a regular Footing I inclose you a new Bond in...
20William Bingham to the American Commissioners, 3 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Two ALS : American Philosophical Society The arrival at this place of the Continental Frigate the Deane, & the armed Brigantine the General Gates, in order to be careened & refitted, & to procure a fresh Supply of Provisions, has greatly embarrassed me, not having sufficient Funds to answer their Demands. I am therefore under the Necessity of refusing them the necessary Supplies, or of...
21To Benjamin Franklin from Nathan Blodget, 3 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have many pressing affairs that urge me strongly to Paris. & pray your Excellency to give me leave to go for a short time. I am Purser on board the Alliance, my duty is very light at present, so, that I can safely assure your Exy. that the service I have the honor to be in, shall not suffer in the least. Capt. Landais says he would give me leave to go,...
22To Benjamin Franklin from Dumas, 3[–9] March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Algemeen Rijksarchief Je viens ce soir de chez notre Ami. Le Committé, dont j’ai parlé dans ma précédente, n’a rien fait encore. Notre Ami va demain à Amsterdam, où les Bourguemaîtres l’ont mandé pour conférer avec lui. Ce matin Sir J. Y., après avoir quelque temps paradé dans l’antichambre, ayant à la main une Lettre du Roi d’Angleterre pour...
23To Benjamin Franklin from ——— Duverger and Other People with Goods to Offer, with Franklin’s Notes for Replies, 3 March … (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Goodwill toward America and its representative kept flowing—sometimes at a price—from various sources. Some correspondents wanted to help the war effort, others to make known whatever interesting discoveries they had made. On March 3 came the offer, printed below, of the Liège arms manufacturer Duverger. Writing from Pennautier, near Carcassonne, on March...
24To Benjamin Franklin from Landais, 3 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mr Windship arrived So late the 28th of february that I had no Time to answer the last article of Yours of the 22d. I have no other orders or papers from the Hble Navy Board of Boston Promissing any one of the Ship Money but one of which herein is inclos’d a Copy; Mr Cottentin adgent Commrs. here had a translated one in french at my arrival here (of which I...
25To Benjamin Franklin from Jean-Baptiste Le Roy, [3 March? 1779] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Un oubli Mon Illustre Docteur m’oblige à vous récrire un mot c’est pour vous prévenir que pour arriver à tems à L’Académie françoise nous nous mettrons à Table à une heure au plus tard. J’espere toujours que vous ne nous ferez pas banqueroute et que vous ferez un effort en faveur de Mr D’arcy qui le mérite bien vous aurez un dîner de choses fort saines enfin...
26To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Pierce et al., 3 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Pennsylvania Library The known goodness of your disposition and firm attachment to the Welfare of America has emboldned us to make application to your Excellency in this manner in preference to any other, being destitute of Friends in France, and ignorant of the method made use of for the redress of grievances. Some of us applied, upon our Arrival here to Captain Landais...
27From Benjamin Franklin to All Commanders of Vessels of War, [4 March 1779] (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society; copy: Library of Congress To all Commanders of Vessels of War commission’d by the Congress of the United States of North America, These are to certify you, that the Bearer M. Riotto is a Subject of his most Christian Majesty the King of France, appertaining to his Highness the Prince of Conti, and that the Horses and the Dogs, or other Effects that...
28From Benjamin Franklin to the Prince de Conti, 4 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress Je joins ici Le Passeport que votre Altesse serenissime ma demandé pour Le Sr. Riotto dans La Lettre qu’ill ma fait l’honneur de mécrire Le du mois dernier. J’ai l’honneur d’etre avec Le plus profond Respect, Monseigneur de votre altesse Serenissime Le tres h. & t. o. S. Louis-François-Joseph de Bourbon, comte de la Marche and prince de Conti, a leading French...
29From Benjamin Franklin to Landais, 4 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I receiv’d yours of the 26 past, relating to the Refitting of your Ship. Your Reasons for not mixing french seamen with the American seem to be good. On the Representations of Dr. Winship to the same Effect, who came from you and expressed your Mind to me, I laid aside the thought of applying to the Minister for a proper Number of them, to enable you to make a Cruize...
30To Benjamin Franklin from Jean-Gabriel Montaudoüin de La Touche, 4 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Permettés moi de vous faire mon compliment sur le nouveau caractere dont vous venés d’être revetu, ou plutôt d’en feliciter le Congrès, et les Etats unis, et tous ceux qui s’interessent a la cause Ameriquaine qui au fond est la cause du genre humain. Malgré vôtre Modestie on aura le droit en vous parlant ou en vous ecrivant d’emploïer le mot Vôtre Excellence...