To Benjamin Franklin from Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, 5 September 1778
From Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais
AL: American Philosophical Society
ce Samedi 5 7bre 1778.
Mr. De Beaumarchais a l’honneur de présenter son très humble hommage a Monsieur franklin. Il le prie de vouloir bien lui mander, par le postilion porteur de cette lettre, quel Jour il poura conférer avec Lui et Mr. Lée, Sur l’objet de la Théréze. Les lettres de Nantes exigent que Mr. De Beaumarchais donne promptement des ordres pour la vente, que le moment favorise.2
veille Rue du temple
Notations in different hands: M. De Beaumarchais 5 7bre. 1778 / M. Beaumarchaises Card 5. Septr. 1778 / John Gilbank John Gale3
2. The Thérèse appears frequently in vol. XXIII; she was one of the ships chartered by Beaumarchais’ trading company, Roderigue Hortalez & Cie. For the last year the commissioners had debated whether the firm (which had been established with funds loaned by the French and Spanish governments) was entitled to reimbursement for the goods it had supplied the United States; see especially XXV, 341–2. In May they had been ordered to liquidate accounts with Beaumarchais (XXVI, 475, acknowledged in the commissioners’ letter of July 29 to the committee, above). Now at issue was the cargo the Thérèse had brought back from America. For further details about the dispute see Taylor, Adams Papers, VII, under Sept. 10, and Morton, Beaumarchais Correspondance, IV, 229–30 n, 286.
3. The latter notation has nothing to do with Beaumarchais; Gilbank and Gale were assisted by the commissioners on Sept. 12: Taylor, Adams Papers, VI, 360. The first of these gentlemen, detained at Jersey, has appeared before: Ford to commissioners, July 21.