many occasions, watchful attention to the welfare of the United
States, and discovered such disinterestedness in every transaction
which related to them, that I cannot but hope that Congress will think
him worthy of some public notice. Should they be of opinion, that it
would be improper to appoint him consul at a time when he could not be
received in his public character, and when an attempt to display it
might draw upon the United States new indignities, yet it would give
me pleasure to be enabled to assure him from Congress, that they
entertain a just sense of his services, that they wish him to continue
to act under the authority he has received from Mr Jay, till the
politics of Spain shall render it proper to vest him with more ample
powers. This earnest of the favor of Congress would stimulate him to
merit further marks of their confidence.
I have the honor to be, &c.
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
* * * * *
TO THOMAS JEFFERSON.
Philadelphia, November 13th, 1782.
Sir,
I have the honor to transmit a resolution of Congress, appointing you
one of their Ministers Plenipotentiary for negotiating peace. I
rejoice in this fresh proof of their confidence in your virtue and
abilities. The sacrifices you have heretofore made to the interests of
your country, induce me to hope that you will suffer no personal
consideration to prevent their being employed in its service upon this
important occasion.
I have the honor to be, &c.
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
* * * * *
TO GOVERNOR MATTHEWS, OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
Philadelphia, November 20th, 1782.
Sir,
I have the honor to transmit the copy of a letter from Count de
Vergennes to Dr Franklin, accompanied with a memorial from Messrs Le
Marque and Fabre, on the subject of debts contracted by Mr Gillon, as
is said, in behalf of the State of South Carolina. I wish, Sir, you
would enable me to afford such an answer to it as will exculpate the
State from any censure which Mr Gillon may have deservedly incurred.
If he was vested with such powers as enabled him to bind the State,
they will doubtless have the justice to direct that his engagements be
made good, notwithstanding any loss they may incur thereby. If he had
no such powers, they will embrace the earliest opportunity of
disavowing them.
I shall trouble your Excellency to apprize me of the steps, that may
be taken in consequence of this information, that I may embrace the
earliest opportunity, by placing this matter in its true light, to do
that justice to the integrity and good faith of the State, which they
will undoubtedly merit.
I have the honor to be, Sir, &c.
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
* * * * *
TO THOMAS BARCLAY.
Philadelphia, November 26th, 1782.
Sir,
I have the pleasure of transmitting a resolution of Congress, by which
you are appointed a Commissioner for adjusting their accounts in
Europe. I flatter myself, that this fresh mark of their confidence in
you will be highly acceptable, and that you will take the earliest
opportunity to enter upon the task assigned you, since not only the
interest, but the honor of the United States, has greatly suffered by
the delay, which this necessary business has heretofore experienced.
I am, Dear Sir, &c.
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
* * * * *
THOMAS JEFFERSON TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
Chesterfield, November 26th, 1782.
Sir,
I received yesterday the letter, with which you have been pleased to
honor me, enclosing the resolution of Congress of the 12th instant,
renewing my appointment as one of their Ministers Plenipotentiary for
negotiating a peace, and beg leave through you to return my sincere
thanks to that august body, for the confidence they are pleased to
repose in me, and to tender the same to yourself for the obliging
manner in which you have notified it.
I will employ in this arduous charge, with diligence and integrity,
the best of my poor talents, which I am conscious are far short of
what it requires. This I hope will ensure to me from Congress a kind
construction of all my transactions; and it gives me no small
pleasure, that my communications will pass through the hands of a
gentleman, with whom I have acted in the earlier stages of this
contest, and whose discernment and candor I had the good fortune then
to approve and esteem.
Your letter finds me at a distance from home, attending on my family
under inoculation. This will add to the delay which the arrangement of
my particular affairs would necessarily occasion. I shall lose no
moment, however, in preparing for my departure, and shall hope to pay
my respects to Congress and to yourself some time between the 20th and
the last of December.
I have the honor to be, &c.
THOMAS JEFFERSON.
* * * * *
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Philadelphia, December 2d, 1782.
Sir,
Having lately been informed, that the business of the Court of
Chancery in the State of New York has increased so much as to demand
more of my attention than is consistent with the duties of the place,
which I have the honor to hold under the United States, I must pray
your Excellency to lay before Congress my request to be permitted to
resign the latter, and to assure them at the same time, of the
grateful sense which I shall always retain, not only of the honor done
me by the appointment, but of those distinguished marks of confidence,
which they have repeatedly shown me in the execution of my trust.
That the business of this office may sustain no injury by my
resignation, I shall, if Congress approve, continue to perform its
duties till they shall be pleased to appoint a gentleman to succeed
me, or direct some other mode for carrying it on, in confidence that
they will make their arrangements as early as is consistent with the
deliberation they may conceive them to require.
I take the liberty to recommend to the protection of Congress, and the
gentleman who is to succeed me, Mr Morris and M. Duponceau, my
secretaries, having the greatest reason to confide in their fidelity
and attention to the business intrusted to their care. The Reverend Mr
Tetard, who is likewise employed in the office, has some claim to
their attention; he rendered essential services to our army in Canada,
suffered many personal inconveniences there, and finds himself
reduced, at an advanced age, to absolute ruin by the enemy and our own
army, both having contributed to lay waste his farm, destroy his
buildings, and pillage his property. For these facts, I take the
liberty to refer Congress to his Memorial.
As Congress in making a new appointment will probably wish to adapt
the salary to the necessary expense of the department, of which they
have heretofore had no opportunity to be fully informed, it is a duty
I owe to them, as well as to my successor, to assure them that my
expenses, exclusive of purchase and wear, carriages, horses, and
household furniture, have exceeded my allowance from Congress, upwards
of three thousand dollars. As I have now no personal interest in
mentioning this circumstance, Congress will, I am persuaded, attribute
the liberty I have taken, to my desire of seeing a department, in
which I have had the honor to preside, supported with dignity.
Be pleased, Sir, to receive my thanks for your personal attention, and
believe me to be, with the most respectful attachment and esteem, &c.
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
* * * * *
TO RICHARD HARRISON.
Philadelphia, December 5th, 1782.
Dear Sir,
I have this moment learned that a vessel will sail for Cadiz in an
hour's time. I beg to recommend to your particular care the letter for
Mr Carmichael, which the captain will deliver to you. It contains a
cypher, and must not therefore pass through the post office.
Congress, as yet, have done nothing in your affair, though it has been
particularly recommended to them, and now lies before them. One
obstruction is the difficulty of appointing Consuls, till some treaty
or convention between us and Spain shall authorise it.
The season of the year admits of no military operations here; and the
packet of newspapers sent herewith, will give you the current news.
You will find by them, that we are still in suspense with respect to
the fate of Charleston, though it is generally believed, that it
cannot be long ere the evacuation will be completed. The French fleet
are still at Boston, though prepared to sail. Nothing astonishes us
more, than the effrontery of the British publications, which affirm
boldly, that great tumults have been excited in the Eastern States, on
account of their reluctance to the war, when there is not the
slightest foundation in fact for such an assertion. This I suppose, is
calculated to give a momentary popularity to Lord Shelburne.
I am, Sir, &c.
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
* * * * *
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Office of Foreign Affairs, December 9th, 1782.
Sir,
I have the honor to inform Congress, that the Minister Plenipotentiary
of France communicated to me the contents of a letter, received on
Saturday from Count de Rochambeau, by which he was apprized, that the
Count, in pursuance of his instructions, had ordered the troops under
his command to embark, and that they were to proceed with the fleet to
the Islands.
The legion, and a detachment of about six hundred men, together with
the convalescents are to remain on the continent. The whole may amount
to about sixteen hundred men. The Minister further informed me, that
in consequence of his representations on the subject, he had received
assurances, that such a force should be detached from the West Indies,
as would be adequate to the protection of the trade upon this coast
during the winter.
The enclosed extract of a letter from Boston, contains an account of
the success of the British in relieving Gibraltar. Though it is not
official it is to be feared it is too well founded.
I have the honor to be, &c.
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
* * * * *
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Philadelphia, December 16th, 1782.
Sir,
I have the honor to enclose for the inspection of Congress a short
letter from Mr Jay, which contains important information, and explains
some passages in Dr Franklin's letters. Unless the commission given to
Mr Fitzherbert on the 24th of July is revoked, it will be difficult to
account for Mr Oswald's being appointed to treat with the Thirteen
United States, unless we suppose, either that his powers are more
limited, or that the British Administration design to treat under the
mediation of some neutral Prince, upon the plan proposed by the
Imperial Courts, so as that the negotiations with America may be
distinct from those with the other belligerent powers.
Just as I was closing this, a private letter from Mr Jay was delivered
of the 4th of September, which contains the following remarkable
passage. "I am preparing a map to show you the line, which Count
d'Aranda proposes for our western boundary. It will not be finished in
time for this conveyance. I am persuaded it is best for us to take
time. My further reasons shall be explained at large in a future
letter, which I shall begin as soon as my health will permit." He
adds, "that Spain has issued more bills, and that the depreciation has
increased." I delay reporting on the passage in Dr Franklin's letter,
relative to the demands of Spain, as there is no immediate opportunity
of writing to Europe, and as I am in hourly expectation of receiving
something more particular on this subject.
I have the honor to be, &c.
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
* * * * *
GENERAL GREENE TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
Head Quarters, South Carolina, }
December 19th, 1782. }
Dear Sir,
The Southern States, so long oppressed by the weight of a destructive
war, are now happily relieved by the evacuation of Charleston, and the
total departure of the British troops from this country. This event,
so very important to all America, took place on the 14th instant.
The fleet, with the troops on board, fell down into Rebellion Road,
and on the 17th crossed the bar and went out to sea. The British
regiments are said to be destined for the West Indies, and the German
troops for New York. They took with them a great deal of property, and
between five and six thousand negroes, the greater part of which they
had once promised to deliver up.
Governor Matthews, with all the officers of government are now in
town; and civil police fully established and supported.
I am, &c.
NATHANIEL GREENE.
* * * * *
TO THE COMMITTEE OF CONGRESS APPOINTED TO REPAIR TO RHODE ISLAND.
Philadelphia, December 20th, 1782.
Gentlemen,
I can only reply to your inquiries with respect to the probability of
extending our loans in France, by informing you, that the general
tenor of our public despatches discourages the idea, as will appear by
the extracts of letters herewith sent you. To them I have added such
official communications as I have received from time to time from the
Minister of France.
I might add to these the result of several private conversations with
him upon that subject, having frequently introduced it, to know how
far we might in case of extreme necessity lean on France. He has
always expressed on these occasions a strong sense of our wants, and a
wish to relieve them, accompanied with an apprehension, that the heavy
expense incurred by France, in creating and supporting a large marine,
would render it highly imprudent to expect, that she should add
anything to the liberal supplies already afforded us, and the
maintenance of an army in America on our account. Of late, too, the
unproductiveness of our taxes, and the uneasiness of the public
creditors in the United States, has not escaped his observation. His
reflections on this subject are so obvious, that I need not repeat
them. I am seriously alarmed for their effect on the loans we have
already opened. A private letter from Mr Jay informs me, that the
paper struck by Spain has greatly depreciated, so that had we needed
any further assurances on that head, we must now be fully convinced,
that we have nothing to expect from that quarter.
I have the honor to be, &c.
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
* * * * *
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Philadelphia, December 22d, 1782.
Sir,
I have just received my despatches, which consist of duplicates from
Dr Franklin and the enclosed, which have not yet been submitted to
Congress, together with a copy of Mr Oswald's commission.
Mr Jay has also written, but his letter is not yet decyphered. A
private letter from the Marquis de Lafayette to me, (the whole of
which is not yet decyphered) contains much the same account of our
negotiations, with that given by Dr Franklin, and the following
passage from a letter of Mr Adams to him of the 29th of September;
"We have at length the consent of the Cities, States, and Provinces,
and have adjusted and agreed upon every article, word, syllable,
letter, and point, in the treaty of commerce, and clerks are employed
in making out fair copies for signature, which will be done this
week."
By a paper of the 22d of October, I find the treaty was signed by
seven deputies, one for each Province, and by Mr Adams on the 4th of
October.
The Marquis also mentions, that several accounts, but none official,
say, that Madras has been taken by the French troops, that landed at
Port Novo, in conjunction with those of Hyder Ally. He adds, that
though this account is believed, yet it is not confirmed.
I have the honor to be, with great respect, &c.
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
* * * * *
GOVERNOR MARTIN TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
North Carolina, December 23d, 1782.
Sir,
I am favored with your two letters of the 12th and 15th of September
last, and your circular, in which you announce the acknowledgment of
the independence of the United States by the States of Holland; an
event that will greatly add to the national importance of America,
not only in the councils of Europe, but through the world.
The resolution of Congress respecting damages, which the inhabitants
of this State have received from the British enemy, I cannot carry
into effect until I have an Act of Assembly for this purpose, to point
out the particular mode in obtaining the same; the account of which,
as soon as it can be procured from the different parts of the State,
shall be transmitted to you, without loss of time.
I have the honor to be, &c.
ALEXANDER MARTIN.
* * * * *
CIRCULAR TO THE GOVERNORS OF THE STATES.
Philadelphia, December 23d, 1782.
Sir,
The steps that may lead to so important an event as peace upon safe
and honorable terms, are too interesting to be withheld from you; I
have the honor, therefore, to enclose a copy of Mr Oswald's commission
to treat with the Thirteen United States of America, which will
certainly smooth the way to it, though the variety of interests to be
adjusted at a general Congress (and, perhaps, too, the success of the
British arms at Gibraltar) may place it further off than our wishes
would otherwise lead us to imagine.
Your Excellency will see the propriety of not suffering copies of this
commission to be taken for the press, and of accompanying the
communication you may think proper to make of it, with such
recommendations to exertion and vigilance, as prudence and the
critical state of our affairs may require, since on a review of the
conduct of the enemy, it will not appear extravagant to suppose, that
this may be another of those artifices so often practised to deceive
and put us off our guard. Though we have no official accounts, yet we
have every reason to believe, that the treaty of commerce with the
United Provinces was signed on the 7th of October.
I have the honor to be, &c.
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
* * * * *
TO WILLIAM GREENE, GOVERNOR OF RHODE ISLAND.
Philadelphia, January 4th, 1783.
Sir,
Agreeably to the order of Congress, I have the honor to lay before
your Excellency the enclosed copy of a motion made by Mr Howel, and
the resolutions of Congress thereon, together with the state of the
applications for foreign loans, and the results thereof.
Without troubling your Excellency with those inconsiderable and secret
aids, which we received at the beginning of the controversy, I shall
take the applications and the grants, that were made in the year one
thousand seven hundred and seventynine, and since. To begin with
_Spain._
The 9th of September, 1779, Congress proposed to obtain a subsidy from
Spain during the continuance of the war, which they offered to
purchase by a very important cession. Spain having hitherto declined
an alliance with the United States, no such subsidiary treaty took
place.
In the same month Mr Jay was instructed to borrow five millions of
dollars. After long and continued solicitations, he obtained one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and was compelled to protest bills
of exchange drawn upon him by Congress, on the presumption, that Spain
would certainly enable him to redeem them. This protest, which was
made on the 16th of March last, was as follows;
"Mr Jay says, that when he accepted the bills hereunto annexed, he had
good reason to expect to be supplied with funds necessary to pay them;
that he has been disappointed in the expectation he was encouraged to
entertain on this subject, and that his endeavors to obtain money,
both here and elsewhere, have been unsuccessful, although the bills
which remain to be paid by him, together with his other engagements,
do not exceed twentyfive thousand pounds sterling, but these
disappointments being unexpected, he cannot for want of time have
recourse to Congress, and therefore finds himself reduced to the
mortifying necessity of permitting them to be protested." These bills
were redeemed after the protest, by money borrowed in France. I have
reason to believe, that no money has since been obtained on account of
the United States in Spain; so that the application for five millions
of dollars has only been answered by the grant of one hundred and
fifty thousand dollars.
_Portugal._
On the 11th of January, 1782, Mr Jay was directed, in conjunction with
the Superintendent of Finance, to undertake a loan in Spain or
Portugal, without limiting the amount of such loan. And Mr Jay was
directed to send Mr Carmichael to aid their endeavors. This power was
restricted by a subsequent resolution, directing Mr Jay not to send Mr
Carmichael, unless he had some prospect of succeeding. Not having
sent him, it is to be presumed he had no prospect of succeeding.
_Holland._
On the 26th of October, 1779, Mr Laurens, having been appointed a
commissioner for that purpose, was directed to borrow a sum not
exceeding ten millions of dollars. Mr Laurens having been captured,
his place was supplied by Mr Adams, who had similar powers and
instructions. He made several attempts to open a loan, but with so
little success, that he never has transmitted an account of the
amount, but has since informed me, that he had applied it in part of
payment for a house purchased at the Hague. His salary has hitherto
been paid by money drawn from France. A loan, however, has been opened
with success in Holland on our account by his Most Christian Majesty,
and under his special guarantee for ten millions of livres. Mr Adams
informs Congress by a letter dated the 5th of July last, that he also
has opened a loan in Holland on account of the United States for five
millions of florins, but adds, that he does not expect to obtain that
sum for a long time, that if he gets a million and a half by
Christmas, it will be more than he expects.
In a letter of the 18th of August, the last I have received from Mr
Adams, he says, that "when he receives the ratification of his treaty
for a loan, there will be thirteen or fourteen hundred thousand
guilders to be paid to the orders of Congress." This is confirmed by a
letter to the Marquis de Lafayette, of which he sends me an extract.
As that ratification must have been received long since, we may set
the loans actually made in Holland on our credit, at
Three millions of livres, 3,000,000
Those made under the guarantee and on
the credit of France, at 10,000,000
----------
Ten millions of livres, 13,000,000
Our further prospects of borrowing are too uncertain to be stated. As
this is a private loan it is reasonable to suppose, that the clamors
of the public creditors here, when heard in Holland, will have some
effect upon our credit there.
_France._
In France various applications were made, and several grants obtained
previous to the year 1779, though they are not clearly stated, from
the irregular manner in which the books of the Secret Committee, and
the Committee of Foreign Affairs were formerly kept. It appears, that
the whole sum obtained from France previous to the year 1780,
exclusive of one million obtained on a contract for tobacco with the
Farmers-General amounted to nine millions of livres. In November,
1780, Congress applied to the Court of France for an aid of twenty
five millions of livres in money, exclusive of a considerable supply
of arms, ammunition, and military stores, which they declared would
fall short of their wants for the ensuing year without the greatest
internal exertion.
They sent Mr Laurens as a Minister on this special occasion, and in
this year and the year 1781, Congress received fourteen millions of
livres, including the goods and military stores, without counting the
loan opened for the United States in Holland, of which mention is made
before.