61[The American Commissioners]: Memorandum [for Vergennes], 28 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AD : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Harvard University Library On the 19th of November, the Congress resolved, That 100 brass Cannon 3 pounders 50 6 pounders 50 12 pounders 13 18 pounders 13 24 pounders
62The American Commissioners to the Comte de Vergennes, 7 May 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft) and copy: Harvard University Library The Commissioners from the United States of America desire to represent to his Excellency the Count de Vergennes, that they have received Intelligence of a Vessel belonging to the States having been taken by the Culloden, an English Ship of War, close on the Coast of France; and that the same...
63The American Commissioners to Vergennes, [26 June 1777] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères To his Excellency the Count de Vergennes, Minister for Foreign Affairs We the underwritten, Commissioners from the Congress of the United States of N. America, beg leave to represent to your Excellency, that Captain Burnel, Commander of an armed Vessel commissioned by the said States, did lately take Refuge in the Port of Cherburgh with his...
64The 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,...
65The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 21 July 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Capt. Wicks when he left France on his last Cruise was ordered not to return if he could possibly avoid it, but to intercept some of the Irish Linnen Ships, and proceed with them for America where the Article was much wanted. Unfortunately he miss’d those Shipps, and having giv’n The Alarm, he had no way to avoid being taken but by sheltering...
66The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 12 August 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Harvard University Library After Wickes’s squadron was sequestered on July 15 and Conyngham sailed from Dunkirk two days later, the commissioners’ relations with Versailles might have been expected to improve. Instead they grew worse, largely because Conyngham disobeyed his orders and took prizes. When one was recaptured, and most of...
67The American Commissioners: Memorandum for Vergennes and Aranda, 25 September 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; LS : Archivo Historico National This memorandum, under its calm surface, conveys a sense of depression; and the commissioners had reason to be depressed. They seem to have become suddenly aware that they were in deep financial trouble, because they had made commitments that they did not have the money to honor and that Congress could not....
68The American Commissioners to [the Comte de Vergennes], 4 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères We have the Honour to acquaint your Excellency that we have just receiv’d an Express from Boston, in 30 Days, with Advice of the total Reduction of the Force under General Burgoyne, himself and his whole Army having surrendered themselves Prisoners. General Gates was about to send Reinforcements to Gen. Washington, who was near Philadelphia...
69The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 8 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; two copies: Archivo Historico Nacional The Commissioners from the Congress of the United States of America, beg leave to represent to your Excellency, that it is near a year since they had the Honour of putting into your Hands the Propositions of the Congress for a Treaty of Amity and Commerce with this Kingdom, to which, with sundry other...
70The 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...
71The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 3 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: National Archives We have just receivd information that Mr. Thomas Morris, at Nantes, one of the commercial Agents of Congress, is at the point of death; and that his Papers, on that event, will be taken possession of by the Officers of the Crown. As some of these Papers may very materially concern the public business, we beg an Order...
72The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 10 April 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères <Passy, April 10, 1778: Mr. Adams, appointed by Congress to replace Mr. Deane, has arrived and will wait on you as soon as he recovers from his voyage. He came on a continental frigate, which took a prize with a cargo valued at £70,000. Congress is detaining Gen. Burgoyne and his army for a breach of the convention, and has more than 10,000...
73The American Commissioners to [Vergennes], 19 April 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères <Passy, April 19, 1778: We hear from Bordeaux and Nantes that high insurance rates and British captures create almost an embargo on shipping to America, which defeats the aim of the treaty. We earnestly request you to provide convoys.> Published in Taylor, Adams Papers , VI , 42. In WTF ’s hand.
74From 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...
75The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 6 May 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society Messieurs Franklin, Lee and Adams present their respectful Compliments to his Excellency le Comte de Vergennes, are extreamly sensible of his good Offices in obtaining the King’s Orders relating to the Presentation of Mr. Adams to his Majesty on Friday next, and will do themselves the Honour of waiting on his Excellency on that Day agreable to his...
76The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 16 May 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, May 16, 1778: We received this morning your letter of the 13th about the Boston , and assure you that she is an American warship maintained at the expense of Congress. The King’s reply to the farmers general will, we assume, accord with international usage.>...
77The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 19 May 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; three copies and transcript: National Archives <Passy, May 19, 1778: We have received your letter of May 15 with its enclosure, and have forwarded copies of both to Congress. Justice, we have no doubt, will be promptly done.> Published in Butterfield, John Adams Diary , IV , 103 and discussed...
78The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 4 June 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copy: National Archives <Passy, June 4, 1778: We enclose the copy of a letter from Capt. Whipple, which contains all the intelligence he brought.> Published in Butterfield, John Adams Diary , IV , 127. In Arthur Lee’s hand, signed by him and Adams. To BF above, May 31.
79The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 17 July 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: National Archives <Passy, July 17, 1778: We enclose a resolution of Congress about the treaties, and request that it be laid before the King. It will show him how he has won the hearts of that body and of the American people by a beneficence that time will never efface.> Published in Taylor, Adams Papers , VI , 298. See also the...
80From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 25 July 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères We have just received another Copy of the Ratification. We understand the Congress have sent five by so many different Conveyances. The Vessel now arriv’d left Boston the 16th June. There was then no News there of Count D’Estaign. I send enclos’d a Letter from Dr. Cooper to me, the latest Newspaper, and an Account of the Cargo of the Duchesse...
81The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 28 August 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, August 28, 1778: We have several subjects that we must lay before you. One, unfortunately, is money. The nature of the war has necessitated far more emissions of paper currency than would ordinarily have been wise; to limit them Congress has borrowed...
82The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 10 September 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, September 10, 1778: On April 13 Congress resolved that the commissioners should settle with Roderigue Hortalez & Cie. on a compensation for the supplies they provided. The commerce committee sent us the contract made with Beaumarchais’ agent Théveneau de...
83The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 22 September 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives We have the honor of enclosing to your Excellency a Letter to us from the Honble. Ralph Izard Esqr. Commissioner of Congress to the Grand Duke. We beg the favor of yr. Excellency to give directions for the delivery of the Packages mentiond therein to Monsieur Etienne Cathalan Mercht. at Marseilles, subject to the disposal of Mr. Izard. We have the honor of being with...
84The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 26 September 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, September 26, 1778: Last evening we received your letter of the 24th and shall observe the rules prescribed by M. Necker. We also received your letter of the 25th; article 16 of the treaty of commerce applies to Mr. Izard’s goods as they were shipped before...
85The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 1 October 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; three copies and transcript: National Archives <Passy, October 1, 1778: We have received your letter of September 27 and its enclosure. Our instructions from Congress do not empower us to conclude treaties with the Barbary states but we request your help in obtaining passes from them for American...
86From 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...
87From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 22 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères I am perfectly of the same Sentiments with your Excellency respecting Count d’Estaign. I know his Zeal for the Cause, and have a high Opinion of his Abilities. I have therefore not the least doubt but that his going to Boston was a Measure absolutely necessary, and will appear to be for the common Good. We just now learn that our Troops on...
88The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 29 October 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, October 29, 1778: We are ready to execute and exchange the declarations concerning the omission of the 11th and 12th articles of the treaty of commerce, and ask you to appoint a day for us to wait on you.> Published in Taylor, Adams Papers , VII . In the hand...
89Franklin and John Adams to Vergennes, 12 November 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives <Passy, November 12, 1778: In view of the magnitude of the alliance between France and the United States, we conceive it would be highly pleasing to our constituents to have a portrait of His Majesty to be kept where Congress sits; if you are of opinion this would give no offense, we request your kind offices to...
90The American Commissioners to Vergennes, 17 November 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; two copies: National Archives We communicated to Dr Smith, the Letter which your Excellency did Us the Honour to write to Us concerning his Goods. Since which he has inclosed to Us, the Certificate, of Mr Anthy Paine, which We have the Honour to inclose to your Excellency.— If there are two offices, one in which are deposited, Goods Seized, the...