Benjamin Franklin Papers

The American Commissioners to John Paul Jones, 17 December 1777

The American Commissioners to John Paul Jones

ALS:5 Library of Congress

Passy, near Paris Dec. 17 1777.

Sir

We received your several Letters from Nantes and Portsmouth. We shall be glad to see you here, as soon as is consistent with your Affairs, in order to consult with you on the Matters mention’d in your Instructions from the Congress, &c. We are, with Esteem Sir, Your most obedient and most humble Servants

B. Franklin
Silas Deane
Arthur Lee

Honle. Capt. Jones

Addressed: To / John Paul Jones Esqr / Nantes

Endorsed: Paris Decr. 17th. 1777 From the honble. the Commissioners.6

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

5In BF’s hand.

6A notation, which we suspect was made much later, is partly torn and partly illegible; it ends “inviting to a conference.”

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