Francesco Favi to the American Commissioners, 26 April 1785
Francesco Favi to the American Commissioners
Paris ce 26 Avril 1785
Messieurs
Le projet du Traité, que vous m’avéz fait l’honneur de m’adresser dans le mois de Decembre dernier, et que vous avéz proposé à Son Altesse Royale Msgr̃ L’Archiduc Grand Duc de Toscane mon Maitre etoit trop conformé à Ses principes pourqu’il ne fût pas agrée.
Ce Prince après L’avoir pris en consideration est venu dans la determination d’y adherer, et c’est par son ordre, que j’ai L’honneur de vous comuniquer la traduction cy jointe.1 Il y a quelques additions, qui ne changent rien ala Substance dela convention, mais que les circonstances locales, et les reglements du pays, aux quels toutes Les nations sont soumises, rendent indispensables. Vous verrèz, Messieurs, que Les Sujèts des Etats unis del’Amerique seront traités dans tous Les cas à Livourne comme la nation la plus favorisée, et qu’ils jouiront par consequent de tous Les avantages, qui sont accordés aux autres Nous demandons Les mêmes conditions, et la même reciprocitè pour Les Toscane, ainsi la base de ce Traité ne sauroit etre fondée sur une egalité plus parfaite.
J’ai L’honneur d’etre avec Le plus grand / respect / Messieurs / Votre trés humble, et trés / Obeissant Serviteur
favi.
TRANSLATION
Paris, 26 April 1785
Sirs
The draft of the treaty that you did me the honor of sending to me last December, and which you have proposed to his royal highness the archduke, grand duke of Tuscany, my lord, was too similar to his principles for him not to agree.
This prince, having taken it into consideration, has come to the decision to approve of it, and it is on his order that I have the honor of sending to you the attached translation.1 There are a few additions that change nothing of the substance of the agreement, but local circumstances and the regulations of the country, to which all nations are subject, render them indispensable. You will see, sirs, that the subjects of the United States of America will be treated in every case in Livorno just as the most favored nation, and that they will enjoy in consequence all the advantages that are granted to others. We ask for the same conditions, and the same reciprocity for Tuscany, so that the basis for the treaty is perfect equality.
I have the honor of being with the greatest respect, sirs, your very humble and obedient servant
favi.
RC and enclosure (PCC, No. 86, f. 251–254, 163–190); docketed: “Paris 26 April / 1785 / from / Mr Favi / with Italian translation of the / Treaty & observations”; notation: “N. 5. a.” The notation refers to the enclosure of Favi’s letter and the treaty in the commissioners’ 11 May letter to John Jay, below. FC of the Italian translation of the draft treaty in JA’s hand (Adams Papers).
1. The commissioners sent Favi, Tuscan chargé d’affaires to France, a draft Tuscan-American commercial treaty on 9 Dec. 1784 (vol. 16:448). No copy of that draft has been found, but except for references to Tuscany rather than Prussia it likely was identical to the draft Prussian-American treaty that the commissioners sent to the Baron von Thulemeier, Prussian minister to the Netherlands, on 10 Nov. 1784 (same, p. 377–398). With this letter of 26 April 1785, Favi enclosed an Italian translation of that draft that incorporated changes proposed by the government of Leopold I, Grand Duke of Tuscany. The commissioners’ 11 May letter to Jay, below, indicates that they initiated discussions with Favi regarding the changes, and at some point, probably before JA’s departure for London, Thomas Jefferson prepared a list of the “Alterations made in our propositions to Tuscany” that included the commissioners’ comments on those changes. Then, on 8 June, Benjamin Franklin and Jefferson wrote to Favi enclosing the commissioners’ “Observations on the alterations proposed on the part of His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Tuscany in the articles of treaty offered by the Commissioners of the United States of America.” The Tuscan chargé replied on the 11th, thanking the Americans for their observations, promising to submit them to his government, and indicating that he would inform them of the Tuscan response upon receiving it. On 10 Nov. Favi wrote to Jefferson, enclosing a 46-page “Nuova Minuta del Trattato” (, 8:105–110, 187–195, 205; 9:26; PCC, No. 86, f. 325–367). According to Jefferson’s 19 Nov. letter to JA, below, therein “the order of the articles is entirely deranged, & their diction almost totally changed.” At that point Jefferson and JA apparently decided that the new Tuscan revisions made the conclusion of a Tuscan-American treaty impractical, for no further negotiations took place and no treaty was concluded. There is no indication in JA’s papers as to what role he played in the commissioners’ discussions with Favi; his position regarding the specifics of their 8 June response to Favi; or, for that matter, his reaction to Favi’s “Nuova Minuta,” but see also Jefferson’s letter of 2 June, below.