with Sweden, I waited on the Ambassador here, who told me he daily
expected a courier on that subject. Yesterday he wrote a note to
acquaint me, that he would call on me today, having something to
communicate to me. Being obliged to go to Paris, I waited on him, when
he showed me the full powers he had just received, and I showed him
mine. We agreed to meet on Wednesday next, exchange copies, and
proceed to business. His commission has some polite expressions in it,
to wit; "that his Majesty thought it for the good of his subjects to
enter into a treaty of amity and commerce with the United States of
America, who had established their independence so justly merited by
their courage and constancy;" or to that effect. I imagine this treaty
will be soon completed; if any difficulty should arise, I shall take
the advice of my colleagues.
I thank you for the copies of Mr Paine's letter to the Abbé Raynal,
which I have distributed to good hands. The errors we see in
histories of our times and affairs weaken our faith in ancient
history. M. Hilliard d'Auberteuil has here written another history of
our revolution, which however he modestly calls _an essay_, and
fearing that there may be errors, and wishing to have them corrected,
that his second edition may be more perfect, he has brought me six
sets, which he desires me to put into such hands in America, as may be
good enough to render him and the public that service. I send them to
you for that purpose, by Captain Barney, desiring that one set may be
given to Mr Paine, and the rest where you please. There is a quarto
set in the parcel, which please to accept from me.
I have never learnt whether the box of books I sent to you, and the
press to Mr Thompson, were put on board the Eagle or one of the
transports. If the former, perhaps you might easily purchase them at
New York; if the latter, you may still receive them among the goods
for Congress, now shipping by Mr Barclay. If they are quite lost let
me know it, that I may replace them.
I have received several letters from your office with bills to pay
Ministers' salaries. Nothing has yet been done with those bills, but I
have paid Mr Laurens 20,000 livres.
I have this day signed a common letter to you drawn up by my
colleagues, which you will receive herewith. We have kept this vessel
longer for two things, a passport promised us from England, and a sum
to send in her; but she is likely to depart without both, being all of
us impatient that Congress should receive early intelligence of our
proceedings, and for the money we may probably borrow a frigate.
I am now entering on my 78th year; public business has engrossed fifty
of them; I wish now to be, for the little time I have left, my own
master. If I live to see this peace concluded, I shall beg leave to
remind the Congress of their promise then to dismiss me. I shall be
happy to sing with old Simeon, _now lettest thou thy servant depart in
peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation_.
With great esteem, &c.
B. FRANKLIN.
* * * * *
TO COUNT DE VERGENNES.
Passy, December 15th, 1782.
Sir,
I have the honor to acquaint your Excellency, that our courier is to
set out tomorrow at ten o'clock, with the despatches we send to
Congress, by the Washington, Captain Barney, for which ship we have
got a passport from the King of England.[9] If you would make any use
of this conveyance, the courier shall wait upon you tomorrow at
Versailles, and receive your orders.
I hoped I might have been able to send part of the aids we have asked,
by this safe vessel. I beg that your Excellency would at least inform
me what expectations I may give in my letters. I fear the Congress
will be reduced to despair, when they find that nothing is yet
obtained.
With the greatest and most sincere respect, I am, Sir, your
Excellency's most obedient and most humble servant,
B. FRANKLIN.
FOOTNOTE:
[9] _Copy of a Passport given to the Ship Washington, to carry over
the Preliminary Articles._
GEORGE the Third, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France,
and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and so forth. To all Admirals,
Vice Admirals, Captains, Commanders of our ships of war, or
privateers, Governors of our forts and castles, customhouse
comptrollers, searchers, &c., to all and singular our officers, and
military and loving subjects whom it may concern, greeting. Our will
and pleasure is, and we do hereby strictly charge and require you, as
we do likewise pray and desire the officers and ministers of all
Princes and States, in amity with us, to permit and suffer the vessel
called the Washington, commanded by Mr Joshua Barney, belonging to the
United States of North America, to sail from either of the ports of
France, to any port or place in North America, without any let,
hinderance, or molestation whatsoever; but on the contrary, affording
the said vessel all such aid and assistance as may be necessary.
Given at our Court of St James, the tenth day of December; 1782, in
the 23d year of our reign. By his Majesty's command.
T. TOWNSHEND.
* * * * *
COUNT DE VERGENNES TO B. FRANKLIN.
Translation.
Versailles, December 15th, 1782.
Sir,
I cannot but be surprised, Sir, that after the explanation I have had
with you, and the promise you gave, that you would not press the
application for an English passport for the sailing of the packet
Washington, that you now inform me, you have received the passport,
and that at ten o'clock tomorrow morning your courier will set out to
carry your despatches. I am at a loss, Sir, to explain your conduct
and that of your colleagues on this occasion. You have concluded your
preliminary articles without any communication between us, although
the instructions from Congress prescribes, that nothing shall be done
without the participation of the King. You are about to hold out a
certain hope of peace to America, without even informing yourself on
the state of the negotiation on our part.
You are wise and discreet, Sir; you perfectly understand what is due
to propriety; you have all your life performed your duties. I pray you
to consider how you propose to fulfil those, which are due to the
King? I am not desirous of enlarging these reflections; I commit them
to your own integrity. When you shall be pleased to relieve my
uncertainty, I will entreat the King to enable me to answer your
demands.
I have the honor to be, Sir, with sincere regard, your very humble and
obedient servant,
DE VERGENNES.
* * * * *
TO COUNT DE VERGENNES.
Passy, December 17th, 1782.
Sir,
I received the letter your Excellency did me the honor of writing to
me on the 15th instant. The proposal of having a passport from England
was agreed to by me the more willingly, as I at that time had hopes of
obtaining some money to send in the Washington, and the passport would
have made its transportation safer, with that of our despatches, and
of yours also, if you had thought fit to make use of the occasion.
Your Excellency objected, as I understood it, that the English
Ministers by their letters sent in the same ship, might convey
inconvenient expectations into America. It was therefore I proposed
not to press for the passport, till your preliminaries were also
agreed to. They have sent the passport without being pressed to do it,
and they have sent no letters to go under it, and ours will prevent
the inconvenience apprehended. In a subsequent conversation your
Excellency mentioned your intention of sending some of the King's
cutters, whence I imagined, that detaining the Washington was no
longer necessary; and it was certainly incumbent on us to give
Congress as early an account as possible of our proceedings, who will
think it extremely strange to hear of them by other means, without a
line from us. I acquainted your Excellency, however, with our
intention of despatching that ship, supposing you might possibly have
something to send by her.
Nothing has been agreed in the preliminaries contrary to the interests
of France; and no peace is to take place between us and England, till
you have concluded yours. Your observation is, however, apparently
just, that in not consulting you before they were signed, we have been
guilty of neglecting a point of _bienséance_. But as this was not from
want of respect for the King, whom we all love and honor, we hope it
will be excused, and that the great work, which has hitherto been so
happily conducted, is so nearly brought to perfection, and is so
glorious to his reign, will not be ruined by a single indiscretion of
ours. And certainly the whole edifice sinks to the ground immediately,
if you refuse on that account to give us any further assistance.
We have not yet despatched the ship, and I beg leave to wait upon you
on Friday for your answer.
It is not possible for any one to be more sensible than I am, of what
I and every American owe to the King, for the many and great benefits
and favors he has bestowed upon us. All my letters to America are
proofs of this; all tending to make the same impressions on the minds
of my countrymen, that I felt in my own. And I believe, that no Prince
was ever more beloved and respected by his own subjects, than the King
is by the people of the United States. _The English, I just now
learn, flatter themselves they have already divided us._ I hope this
little misunderstanding will therefore be kept a secret, and that they
will find themselves totally mistaken.
With great and sincere respect, I am, Sir, your Excellency's most
obedient and most humble servant,
B. FRANKLIN.
* * * * *
TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
Passy, December 24th, 1782.
Sir,
Sundry circumstances occurring since mine of the 5th and 14th, have
hitherto retarded the departure of our despatches. They will now go
under the security of a British passport, be accompanied by a sum of
money, and by some further intelligence from England, which shows the
still unsettled state of minds there, and, together with the
difficulties and small progress in the Dutch and Spanish negotiations,
makes the speedy conclusion of peace still uncertain.
The Swedish Ambassador has exchanged full powers with me. I send a
copy of his herewith. We have had some conferences on the proposed
plan of our treaty, and he has despatched a courier for further
instructions respecting some of the articles.
The Commissioners have joined in a letter to you, recommending the
consideration of a proposal from Mr Bridgen, relating to copper coin.
With this you have a copy of that proposal, and a sample of the
copper. If it should be accepted, I conceive the weight and value of
the pieces (charge of coinage deducted) should be such that they may
be aliquot parts of a Spanish dollar. By the copy enclosed, of an old
letter of mine to Mr Bridgen, you will see the ideas I had of the
additional utility such a coinage might be of, in communicating
instruction.[10]
_December 25th_. Enclosed is a copy of a letter just received from the
Count de Vergennes, upon the present state of negotiation with
England.[11]
With great regard, I have the honor to be, &c.
B. FRANKLIN.
FOOTNOTES:
[10] See this letter in Volume III. p. 106.
[11] This refers to a letter, which has been already printed under a
wrong date. See above, p. 21.
* * * * *
_Powers of the Swedish Ambassador to treat._
Translation.
Gustavus, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, of the Goths and
Vandals, &c. &c. &c. Heir of Norway, Duke of Sleswick-Holstein, of
Stormaria, and of Ditmarsen, Count of Oldenburgh and of Delmenhorst,
&c. &c. makes known, that the United States of North America, viz. New
Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, the Counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on
the Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, and
Georgia, having obtained the fruit of their courage and constancy, and
their Independence being duly and solidly acknowledged and
established; We, in consequence of our desire to concur with them in
the establishment of certain fixed rules, by which a reciprocal and
advantageous commerce may be carried on between Sweden and North
America, which may be permanent between the two nations, have
nominated, constituted, and appointed, and by these presents do
nominate, constitute, and appoint our very dear and well beloved Count
Gustavus Philip de Creutz, our Ambassador Extraordinary at the Court
of France, Knight and Commander of our Orders, and we give him full
powers to confer with whomsoever the United States shall have
furnished with their powers in due form, to agree on, conclude, and
sign such Treaty of Amity and Commerce between us and the said United
States, as shall be reciprocally advantageous to our subjects,
promising, on our word of a King, to agree to everything that our said
Ambassador shall stipulate, promise, and sign in virtue of the present
power, as likewise to make out the ratifications in proper form, and
to deliver them to be exchanged at such time as shall be agreed on by
the treaty so to do. In faith of which, we have signed these presents
with our own hand, and have caused our royal seal to be thereunto
affixed.
GUSTAVUS.
COUNT ULR. SCHEFFER.
* * * * *
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON TO B. FRANKLIN.
Philadelphia, January 2d, 1783.
Sir,
I was honored with your letters by the Danae. I congratulate you upon
the promising state of our negotiations, since peace begins to be no
less desirable here than elsewhere.
But I will not enter into that subject at present, as I mean to write
very fully both to Mr Jay and you by Mr Jefferson, who will sail in
company with this frigate in the Romulus, a ship of fortyfour guns.
Lest, however, any accident should happen to prevent his arriving so
soon as the Emerald, I enclose a resolution of Congress, which was
suggested by the proposition you mention to have been made to Mr
Oswald, on the subject of commerce. For my own part, I presume that it
is already included in your propositions, but as we have yet been
favored only with that short note of them, which has been transmitted
by you, we can form no accurate judgment on the subject. You can
hardly conceive the embarrassments that the want of more minute
details subjects us to.
You will learn from the Count de Rochambeau, that the French army
sailed the 24th ult. Perhaps it were to be wished that they had
remained here, at least till New York and Charleston were evacuated,
or rather till the peace. Congress have, however, given them a good
word at parting, as you will see by the enclosed resolves. Not being
consulted, they could interpose no objections to their departure,
though they were not without many reasons for wishing to detain them.
Our finances are still in great distress. If the war continues, a
foreign loan in addition to those already received will be essential.
A plan for ascertaining what shall be called contingent expenses, is
under the consideration of Congress, as well as the objections you
have stated with respect to the mode of paying your salaries, which
will, I believe, be altered. The allowance to Mr Franklin has been
confirmed, and your moderation and his upon this point have done you
both honor in the opinion of Congress.
I have the honor to be, Sir, &c.
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
* * * * *
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON TO B. FRANKLIN.
Philadelphia, January 6th, 1783.
Sir,
I have before me your letters of the 25th and 29th of June, 12th of
August, 3d and 26th of September, and 14th of October last. Several
matters contained in them have already been answered, and some others
I am unable to reply to, till Congress have decided on such
propositions as I have submitted to their consideration.
The convention relative to consuls has been objected to by Mr Barclay,
on account of its prohibiting the consuls from trading. As the funds
of Congress leave them no means of affording an adequate support to
persons who are qualified, they fear, that the only inducement to
accept the appointment will be taken away by this prohibition. Mr
Barclay's letter on that subject is under consideration.
I see the force of your objections to soliciting the additional twelve
millions, and I feel very sensibly the weight of our obligations to
France, but every sentiment of this kind must give way to our
necessities. It is not for the interest of our allies to lose the
benefit of all they have done, by refusing to make a small addition to
it, or at least to see the return that our commerce will make them
suspended by new convulsions in this country. The army have chosen
committees; a very respectable one is now with Congress. They demand
with importunity their arrears of pay. The treasury is empty, and no
adequate means of filling it presents itself. The people pant for
peace; should contributions be exacted, as they have heretofore been,
at the point of the sword, the consequences may be more dreadful than
is at present apprehended. I do not pretend to justify the negligence
of the States in not providing greater supplies. Some of them might do
more than they have done; none of them all that is required. It is my
duty to confide to you, that if the war is continued in this country,
it must be in a great measure at the expense of France. If peace is
made, a loan will be absolutely necessary to enable us to discharge
the army, that will not easily separate without pay. I am sorry that
neither Mr Jay nor you sent the propositions at large, as you have
made them, since we differ in opinion about the construction to be put
on your commercial article, as you will find by a resolution enclosed
in my letter.
I wish the concession made of our trade may be on conditions of
similar privileges on the part of Great Britain. You will see that
without this precaution, every ally that we have, that is to be
treated as the most favored nation, may be entitled to the same
privileges, even though they do not purchase them by a reciprocal
grant.
As to confiscated property, it is at present in such a state, that the
restoration of it is impossible. English debts have not, that I know
of, been forfeited, unless it be in one State, and I should be
extremely sorry to see so little integrity in my countrymen, as to
render the idea of withholding them a general one; however, it would
be well to say nothing about them, if it can conveniently be done.
I am more and more convinced, that every means in your power must be
used to secure the fisheries. They are essential to some States, and
we cannot but hate the nation, that keeps us from using this common
favor of Providence. It was one of the direct objects for carrying on
the war. While I am upon this subject, I cannot but express my hope,
that every means will be used to guard against any mistrusts or
jealousies between you and France. The United States have shown their
confidence in her by their instructions. She has repeatedly promised
to procure for us _all we ask_, as far as it lies in her power. Let
our conduct leave her without apology, if she acts otherwise, which I
am far from suspecting.
With respect to the seamen you mention, I wish if any further order is
necessary, than that which Mr Barclay already has, that you would give
it so far as to enable him to state their accounts, and transmit them
to Mr Morris. As the treaty with Holland is concluded, I hope you have
made some progress in that with Sweden, a plan of which has been
transmitted; another copy will go by Mr Jefferson.
I am glad to find you have some prospect of obtaining what is due on
the Bon Homme Richard's prize money. That matter has been much spoken
of, and occasioned some reflection, as it is alleged that M. Chaumont
was imposed on the officers as their agent by the Court, and of course
that they should be answerable for his conduct, which certainly has
been very exceptionable.
Congress have come to no determination, as to the size or expense of
the pillar they propose to erect at Yorktown. What I wished of you was
to send me one or two plans, with estimates of the expense, in order
to take their sense thereon.
As to the designs of Spain, they are pretty well known, and Mr Jay and
Congress concur so exactly in sentiment with respect to them, that I
hope we have now nothing to fear from that quarter.
Congress have it now under consideration to determine what should be
allowed as contingent expenses. I believe house-rent will not be
allowed as such. I mentioned in my last what respected your grandson,
to which I have nothing to add. I agree with you in sentiment, that
your salaries should not depend on the fluctuations of the exchange,
and have submitted that part of your letter to Congress. I believe
they will direct a stated sum to be paid. Waiting for this
determination, I am prevented from drawing bills at this time. As to
the money received from me, you will be pleased to replace with it the
two quarters' salary you had drawn before it came to hand. You will
have bills for a third quarter, which have been sent on some time
since.
Several important political events have taken place here lately. The
evacuation of Charleston, the sailing of the French fleet and the
army, the decision of the great cause between Connecticut and
Pennsylvania, in favor of the latter, the state of the army, &c., all
of which I should enlarge upon, if this was not to be delivered by Mr
Jefferson, who will be able to inform you fully on these points and
many others, that you will deem important to a right knowledge of the
present state of this country.[12]
I enclose a state of the trade between these States and the West
Indies, as brought in by a Committee of Congress, and referred to me.
It may possibly afford you some hints, and will serve to show how
earnestly we wish to have this market opened to us.
I have the honor to be, &c.
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
FOOTNOTE:
[12] Mr Jefferson did not go, as was here expected. See his reasons
in his _Memoir, Correspondence, &c._ Vol. I. p. 41.
* * * * *
TO RICHARD OSWALD.
Passy, January 14th, 1783.
Sir,
I am much obliged by your information of your intended trip to
England; I heartily wish you a good journey, and a speedy return, and
request your kind care of a packet for Mr Hodgson.
I enclose two papers, that were read at different times by me to the
Commissioners; they may serve to show, if you should have occasion,
what was urged on the part of America on certain points; or may help
to refresh your memory. I send you also another paper, which I once
read to you separately. It contains a proposition for improving the
law of nations, by prohibiting the plundering of unarmed and usefully
employed people. I rather wish than expect, that it will be adopted.
But I think it may be offered with a better grace by a country, that
is likely to suffer least and gain most by continuing the ancient
practice; which is our case, as the American ships, laden only with
the gross productions of the earth, cannot be so valuable as yours,
filled with sugars or with manufactures. It has not yet been
considered by my colleagues, but if you should think or find that it
might be acceptable on your side, I would try to get it inserted in
the general treaty. I think it will do honor to the nations that
establish it.
With great and sincere esteem, I am, Sir, your most obedient and most
humble servant,
B. FRANKLIN.
* * * * *
_Propositions relative to Privateering, communicated to Mr
Oswald._
It is for the interest of humanity in general, that the occasions of
war, and the inducements to it should be diminished.
If rapine is abolished, one of the encouragements to war is taken
away, and peace therefore more likely to continue and be lasting.