To John Jay from Vergennes, 13 March 1780
From Vergennes
Versailles le 13. Mars 1780
M. Jay, ancien president du Congres des Etatsunis de L’Amérique Sept. &c
J’ai reçu, M. la lettre que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’écrire Le 27. Janvr. dr. J’ai été très sensible a La marque de confiance que vous avez bien voulu me donner en me communiquant l’objet de votre mission; vous connoissez trop bien les liens qui attachent le Roi aux Etats unis, pour n’etre pas certain, que S. Mte en fait les [illegible] desire bien sincérement le Succès de votre negociation, et qu’elle S’emploira avec Zele et empressement pour y contribüer. Le Cte. De Montmorin reçoit des instructions analogues à ces dispositions et je ne doute pas que votre confiance en cet ambassadr. ne le mette en mesure de les remplir à votre entiére Satisfaction.1
[Translation]
[Versailles, 13 March 1780.]
Mr. Jay, former president of Congress of the United States of North America, &c.2
Sir
I have received your favor of the 27th of January. I am fully sensible of the confidence you have reposed in me, by communicating to me the object of your mission. You know too well the attachment of his Majesty to the United States not to feel assured that he sincerely wishes you success, and will be eager to contribute to it. The Comte de Montmorin has received instructions3 accordant with this disposition, and I do not doubt that your confidence in him will enable him to fulfil them to your entire satisfaction. I have the honor to be, &c.
De Vergennes.
Dft, FrPMAE: CP-EU, 11 (EJ: 5075). C, in French, embedded in JJ to the President of Congress, 26 May, below, LbkCs, DNA: PCC, item 110, 1: 70–71; NNC: JJ Lbks. 1 and 5; CSmH. C, enclosed in JJ to BF, 17 July, below, LbkC, DLC: Franklin (EJ: 10259). Translation from , 1: 280.
1. Vergennes sent this reply under cover of his letter to Montmorin of this same date. See FrPMAE: CP-E, 598: 107r.
2. For Miralles’s belief that, since the United States had no nobles, JJ’s service as former president of Congress would endow him with sufficient status to make him an acceptable minister to Spain, see the editorial note “Congress Appoints John Jay Minister to Spain,” : 714. Vergennes’s decision to address JJ as former president of Congress rather than as minister to Spain is a concession to Floridablanca’s refusal to receive him as such. See the editorial note “Foreigner of Distinction” on p. 2.
3. Lafayette later informed JJ that Montmorin told him that he had never received any instructions from Vergennes to favor JJ’s negotiations in Spain. See , 3: 117, 118; and for Vergennes’s instructions to Montmorin, see the editorial note “Foreigner of Distinction” on p. 2.