130831From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 10 December 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress M. Grand, our Banker, acquaints me, that there will be wanting to discharge the old Bills drawn by Congress upon Mr Lawrens, Mr Adams and Mr Jay, with the usual Drafts on myself, all payable by the End of this Month, about the Sum of Five hundred thousand Livres; and that probably nearly as much more...
130832From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 10 November 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères I have examined the Captain if it might not be possible that he had left your Excellys. Letters in his Ship. He says that he certainly had no others for you than the Pacquets he delivered: But that there came with him as a Passenger, a Mr Forest, who was a Commis he thinks in the Office of the Secretary of the French Minister, and who left...
130833From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 24 April 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères This description of the visit from Franklin’s old friend, David Hartley, raises the question of its purpose. North approved his coming, Hartley had written in February; he later said that he had been offered, apparently in March, written power to treat. All of this, however, was before Pulteney’s mission, which might have been expected to...
130834The Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 1 October 1778 (Adams Papers)
We have received, the Letter which your Excellency, did Us the Honour, to write to us, on the twenty seventh of the last Month: together with a Copy of a Letter from the Ministre of the Marine to your Excellency, of the twenty first of the Same Month. Convinced of the Propriety of those Ecclaircisements, which his Excellency demands, We had recourse to our Instructions from Congress, and...
130835From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 20 November 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Library of Congress Your very obliging Letter communicating the News of the important Victory at York, gave me infinite Pleasure. The very powerful Aid afforded by his Majesty to America this Year, has rivetted the Affections of that People, and the Success has made Millions happy. Indeed the King appears to me from this and...
130836From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes: Letter and Memoir, 15[–16] February 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; Copy: Library of Congress I received the Letter your Excellency did me the Honour of writing to me the 6th. Instant, enclosing an Aperçu of the Situation of the Congress Account for the Year 1781. On considering that Account this Day, there seems to me an Error in stating one of the Sums, viz. that of 2,216,000. l.t. I have therefore drawn a...
130837The American Peace Commissioners to Vergennes, 10 July 1783 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Messieurs Adams, Franklin & Jay, Ministers of the United States for treating of Peace, present their Respects to Mr le Comte de Vergennes, & request he would be pleased to favour them with a Copy of the Offer made by the two Imperial Courts of their Mediation. Notations: juillet 10 / rep. le 31 Juillet 1783. Written by BF . At Versailles on...
130838From Thomas Jefferson to Vergennes, 2 December 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I have had the honour of receiving your Excellency’s letter of November the 30th. in which you are pleased to inform me of the late abatement of the duties on all fish oils, made from fish taken by citizens of the United States and brought into this kingdom, in French or in American bottoms: and I am now to return thanks for this relief given to so important a branch of our commerce. I shall...
130839The 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,...
130840From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, [on or before 26 May 1780] (Franklin Papers)
L : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress Note for his Excellency Monsieur le Comte de Vergennes. When the Alliance Frigate arrived in France, Mr. Franklin was desirous of employing her in annoying the English Trade, and obtaining Prisoners to Exchange for the Americans who had long languished in the Prisons of England. A Cruise with a small Squadron, under...
130841From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 26 February 1784 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): American Philosophical Society Mr. Williams desiring no farther Surseance against the Bulk of his Creditors with whom he has amicably arranged his Affairs, and to whom he proposes to do exact Justice, I the more willingly join my Request with his, that he may be secured against the small Number remaining, who aim at forcing him to...
130842From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 28 September 1784 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Library of Congress I communicated immediately to Mr Williams the Letter your Excellency did me the Honour of writing to me the 26th. Instant, with the Memorial of Mr Denevers which accompany’d it.— I inclose a Letter from him to your Excellency, by which it will appear that the Complaint is not well founded; and I am persuaded...
130843From 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...
130844From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 24 July 1783 (Franklin Papers)
L : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; L (draft): Library of Congress M. Franklin a l’honneur d’envoyer à Monsieur Le Comte de Vergennes un Exemplaire des Constitutions des Etats-Unis de l’Amerique qu’il le prie de vouloir bien accepter. M. Franklin prend la Liberté d’envoyer en même tems, ceux destinés pour le Roi et la Famille Royale; et il prie Monsieur le Comte de Vergennes, de...
130845From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 5 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères I have the honour to communicate to your Excellency herewith three Articles proposed between Mr. Hartley and the American Commissioners, respecting Commerce. He has sent them to his Court for their Approbation. I doubt their Obtaining it; But we shall see. I am with Respect, Sir, Your Excellency’s Most obedient & most humble Servant In the...
130846From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 4 May 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress; transcripts: Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives I have the honour to acquaint your Excellency, that Mr Oswald is just returned from London and now with me. He has deliver’d me a Letter from Lord Shelburne, which I enclose for your Perusal, together with a Copy of my Letter to which it is an Answer....
130847From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 10 June 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft), press copy, and copy: Library of Congress I received the Letter your Excellency did me the honour of writing to me on the 8th. Inst. in answer to mine of the 4th—. The State of Mr Lawrens’s Transaction in Holland, as I understood it, is this.— Capt. Gillon represented to him, that he had bought Clothing &ca for the Troops of South...
130848From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 11 June 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I received the Letter your Excellency did me the honour of writing to me the 8th. Inst. relating to the Pension of M. Toussard. I am persuaded that his not receiving the Same regularly, does not proceed from any Change in the Disposition of Congress towards that brave Officer, nor from any Neglect or...
130849From Thomas Jefferson to Vergennes, with Enclosure, 15 October 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the honor some time ago of asking from your Excellency by letter a permission to export from the Ports of Bourdeaux and Havre certain arms and accoutrements which I had had made for the State of Virginia, which request I now take the liberty to repeat. I beg leave to sollicit at the same time a passeport for the entrance of certain articles for my own private use, some of which are...
130850From John Jay to Vergennes, 8 May 1784 (Jay Papers)
I have rec d . & thank your Exy. for, the Passport inclos d . in y r . obliging Letter of the 5 Instant, & have now the Honor of transmitting the Acc t . necessary to compleat the order respecting my Baggage. There is a N York Vessel at London, in w h . I have engaged a passage. The Cap t . offers to take us i on board at Dover—but to avoid Embarrassments I at the Custom House there, I have...
130851From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 16 February 1779 [i.e., 17] (Franklin Papers)
AL : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress Dr. Franklin presents his respectful Compliments to his Excellency Count De Vergennes, and sends him enclosed the Extract he desired. Dr. Franklin purposed doing himself the honor of waiting upon his Excellency this Morning, but an Access of the Gout prevents him. Endorsed: M. de Reyneval In WTF ’s hand and dated...
130852From Benjamin Franklin and John Jay to Vergennes, 28 June 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copies: Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives Mr Grand, Banker to the Congress, having laid before us the annexed State of their Affairs in his Hands, we conceive ourselves indispensably obliged to communicate the same to your Excellency, as some important Interests of both Countries are concerned. Before...
130853From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 20 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Mes Colleagues croyent qu’il seroit necessaire que je fusse en Hollande, et que ma Presence pourroit y accelerer les Choses. Ils me pressent en consequence. Je crains que ce seroit plutôt les reculer que les avancer, et que ce ne soit pas le moment de s’y presenter. Personne ne sçait mieux que votre Excellence ce que nous convient de faire à...
130854From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 20 September 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress Since I have the honour of speaking to your Excellency on the Subject of a farther Loan of Money to the United States, our Banker M. Grand has given me a State of the Funds necessary to be provided, which I beg leave to lay before you. I have frequently written to Congress to draw no farther upon me,...
130855William Temple Franklin to Vergennes, 28 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from John Bigelow, ed., The Works of Benjamin Franklin (12 vols., New York and London, 1904), X , 120. By direction of my grandfather, I have the honor to send your Excellency a copy of the proposition Mr. Hartley lately made to the American ministers, and which he has wrote to his court for permission to sign, provided the same is agreed to on our part. With great respect, I am sir,...
130856From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 15 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Je vous envoye une Epreuve de La traduction d’une Lettre du Congrès; et je vous prie de mettre au bas que vous ne vous opposez pas à son impression. Cette formalité Est nécessaire: Les censeurs ne veulent laisser paraitre qu’à cette condition, cet ouvrage dont il est bon pour nous que Le public n’ignore pas plus Long-tems Le contenu. Je vous...
130857From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 5 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copies: Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society It was my Intention to pay my Devoirs at Versailles to-morrow. I thank your Excellency nevertheless for your kind Admonition. I omitted two of the last three Days from a mistaken Apprehension that being Holidays there would be no Court. Mr Laurens & Mr Jay are both Invalids; and...
130858From Thomas Jefferson to Vergennes, 31 May 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellency’s Letter of Yesterday, inclosing a Copy of the Resolutions of the Committee on the Subject of Tobacco, and am bound to make my Acknolegements for this Attention to the Commerce between this Country and the United States, which will I hope by this Measure be kept alive till more simple and permanent Arrangements become practicable. I have communicated it...
130859The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 26 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères We beg your Excellency’s Permission to make an appeal from the Judgment of the Admiralty at Nantes which ordains a confiscation of two Prizes (British Westindia Ships) taken legally on the high seas by two American Privateers, and that Your Excellency will be pleased to request his Majesty to suspend the Departure of those Prizes, and their...
130860From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 18 January 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copies: Library of Congress (two), Massachusetts Historical Society Agreable to the Notice just receiv’d from your Excellency, I shall acquaint Mr Adams with your Desire to see us on Monday before 10 aClock, at Versailles; and we shall endeavour to be punctual. My other Colleagues are absent: Mr Laurens being gone to Bath in England to...