Congress-Conduct of Commissioners abroad.* JANUARY 20, 1779. Resolved, That a committee of one member from each State be appointed, to take into consideration the foreign affairs of these United States, and also the conduct of the late and present commissioners of these States in Europe, and report thereon. The members chosen: Mr. Whipple, Mr. Gerry, Mr. Ellery, Mr. Ellsworth, Mr. Duane, Mr. Fell, Mr. Searle, Mr. McKean, Mr. Paca, Mr. M. Smith, Mr. Burke, Mr. Laurens, and Mr. Langworthy.f Deane to the President of Congress. PHILADELPHIA, January 21, 1779. SIR: When I had the honor of waiting on Congress, you were pleased to inform me that if Congress had any further commands for me I should be notified thereof. Not having received any notice from you on the subject, I take the liberty to inform you that my affairs are become so pressing and so peculiarly circumstanced, that it is impossible for me to attend longer without doing greater prejudice to myself and interest than I am able to sustain. I must therefore request of you to remind Congress of my situation, and that you will inform me of their determination respecting me. I have the honor to be, with sincere respect, etc., SILAS DEANE. Congress. JANUARY 21, 1779. A memorial from M. Gerard, minister plenipotentiary of France and consul-general, was read, enclosing a commission of consul in the port of Boston and other ports in Massachusetts Bay to the Sicur Valnais. The commission was referred to the marine committee, and they were instructed to register it, and to return the original to M. Valnais, and to take measures for making him known to all whom it may concern as consul of France in the State of Massachusetts. *MSS. Dep. of State; secret journals of Congress. See action of Congress, supra, Sept. 22, 1778; infra; Mar. 24, 27, Apr. 3, 15, 20, 30, June 10, 1779. MSS. Dep. of State; 1 Sparks' Dip. Rev. Corr., 132. § MSS. secret journals, Dep. of State; printed journals of Congress. Franklin Lee and Adams to Vergennes.* PASSY, January 24, 1779. We had the honor of receiving your excellency's letter of the 20th, enclosing M. de Sartine's answer relative to the convoy which we requested of your excellency for the ships now assembled at Nantes. We are totally at a loss to understand what M. de Sartine writes of four vessels mentioned by us as ready to sail and a convoy having sailed with two of them. We never mentioned anything concerning those four vessels, nor has the appointment of a convoy been announced to us, nor to those who have applied through us, and consequently they remain in expectation of an answer, and of a favorable one, through his majesty's goodness and our application. We therefore apprehend that M. de Sartine is under some misinformation on that subject. On the 29th of December we had the honor of writing to your excellency that we had received a letter signed by many gentlemen at Nantes and dated the 15th of that month, informing us that most of their vessels were ready to sail to America and that others were expected to be ready immediately, so that the convoy might be ordered as soon a convenience would permit; that they were desirous of a convoy quite to America, if consistent with his majesty's service, or at least to the westward of the Western Islands; that it was of so much importance to our countrymen to be supplied with goods of various kinds, and especially with warlike stores, and there are so many belonging to the United States of the commonwealth of Virginia, as well as to individuals now ready to go, that we can not avoid interesting ourselves with your excellency that a sufficient convoy may be appointed, and that as soon as possible, to rendezvous at Nantes. On the 9th day of this month your excellency wrote us desiring to know at what port the vessels for which we solicited a convoy were collected. To this we replied on the 15th, those vessels are at Nantes, where they wait for the convoy, which we hope may be ordered immediately, as a letter we received yesterday from a large number of gentlemen at Nantes informs us that many vessels with valuable cargoes have been waiting a considerable time for the convoy. We are since well informed that the number of vessels is about fifteen. Your excellency will perceive by these proceedings that from the middle of last month to this time the gentlemen who have applied through us for a convoy, and among whom are some as respectable as any in our country, have been waiting at a considerable expense in expectation of their request being granted. They had so full a confidence that such an application would be successful that they for some time imputed their disappointment to our neglect. We therefore beseech of your excellency that as strong a convoy as *MSS. Dep. of State, can be spared either quite through or to the westward of the Western Islands may be granted immediately; as we conceive the supplies that are to go are of very great importance to the UnitedStates, and that they will certainly fall into the enemy's hands if unprotected. Franklin to Hartley.* PASSY, January 25, 1779. DEAR SIR: I a long time believed that your Government were in earnest in agreeing to an exchange of prisoners. I begin now to think I was mistaken. It seems they can not give up the pleasing idea of having at the end of the war one thousand Americans to hang for high treason. You were also long of opinion that the animosity against America was not national or general; but having seen the exterminating proclamation of the commissioners approved by king, lords, and commons, and that not attended by any marks of popular disapprobation, perhaps you too begin to think you are mistaken. I thank you for writing those excellent letters to your constituents. I like all but your reflections against the King of France for assisting us. In my mind the coming to the relief of an innocent people under the bloody oppression your ministers were exercising over them, and exposing himself and nation to a war on their account, was not only what any prince had a right to do for the sake of common humanity, but was a magnanimous and heroic action, that is admired at present by the wise and good through all Europe, and will hand his name down with glory to posterity. Our different ways of thinking in this particular will not, however, diminish our private friendship, nor impair the sentiment of sincere esteem and respect with which, I am ever, dear sir, yours, Congress-Ford's Treachery.t B. FRANKLin. JANUARY 26, 1779. The honorable Meriwether Smith laid before Congress sundry papers, which he informed the House contained matters of public information, and which the delegates of Virginia were instructed to lay before Congress. The papers, being read, are— 1. An account, headed "Sums advanced for the State of Virginia by the honorable Arthur Lee, esquire, dated the 3d of September, 1778," and undersigned "A true copy, H. Ford, secretary," on which is endorsed as follows: "The delegates from the State of Virginia are instructed to lay this paper before Congress, with a view to inform them *MSS. Dep. of State; secret journals. * 6 Bigelow's Franklin, 297. that Hezekiah Ford, who signs it as secretary to the honorable Arthur Lee, hath been and is considered by the governor and council of this State as an enemy to the American cause of independence, and by no means a fit subject to be near the person of an American commissioner in Europe, or intrusted with any of the secrets of the United [sic.] or of their allies. January the 25th, 1779.” Ordered, That the committee of foreign affairs communicate to the honorable Mr. A. Lee by the first opportunity the purport of the above endorsement, that he may be acquainted with the character of Mr. Ford.* Franklin, Lee, and Adams to John Lloyd and others.t PASSY, January 26, 1779. GENTLEMEN: We had yesterday the honor of your letter of the 21st of this month. You desire to know what port or ports is or are made free pursuant to the treaty. We believe that none has as yet been determined on; at present all the ports of France are open to American vessels of all denominations, and we are at present rather doubtful whether it would be politic in us to apply to have any distinction made. If the appoint ment of free ports would relieve us from the payment of duties, import ⚫or export, we should apply immediately; but, as we apprehend this advantage would not be the consequence, the limits of tue free ports would be prescribed, and the same duties must be paid, upon removing goods within or without those limits, as are now paid upon the imports and exports. Goods, however, might be brought into such free ports from abroad and then landed, and stand for a time and then exported without paying duties; but whether this would be any great advantage to our trade you are better judges than we. We shall be glad of your advice upon this head; and, if you think of any advantages of considerable moment that would arise, we shall be always ready to apply for such an appointment. We are sorry it is not in our power to give you any acceptable information respecting the eighth article of the treaty relating to the Barbary corsairs. All we can say is, that we have applied to the ministry upon this head some months ago, and received satisfactory expressions of the disposition of this government to do everything which is stipu lated in that article of the treaty. But some things remain to be determined by Congress, to whom we have written upon the subject, and we must necessarily wait their instructions. There are two inquiries to be made, viz: which, of all the nations who * See Introduction, $150. +1 Sparks' Dip. Rev. Corr., 372; 7 John Adams' Works, 77; 6 Bigelow's Franklin, now trade with France, is the most favored, and what duties are paid by that nation? These duties, and these only, we suppose we are to pay; and as soon as circumstances will permit (two of us having been for a fortnight very ill and one of us continuing so) we shall apply to the ministry for an eclaircissement upon this head, which we will en deavor to communicate to you as soon as we shall obtain it. We have received an answer to our last application for a convoy from their excellencies Count de Vergennes and M. de Sartine; but the answers convinced us that M. de Sartine was under some misinformation or misunderstanding relative to the business, which obliged us to write. again. As soon as we shall be honored with an answer, we will communicate the result of it to you. Meantime we have the honor to be, with great respect, gentlemen, your most obedient humble servants, B. FRANKLIN. Izard to the Committee of Foreign Affairs." PARIS, January 28, 1779. GENTLEMEN: I have had the honor of informing Congress that the political state of Europe has prevented the Grand Duke of Tuscany from receiving we in the character of their representative, and as I thought it would be injurious to them if I had resided at his court in any other character I have remained in France, ready to embrace the first opportunity of obeying the orders of Congress if any change of circumstances should put it in my power to do so. In consequence of a resolution of Congress "that the commissioners at the other courts in Europe be empowered to draw bills of exchange from time to time for the amount of their expenses upon the commissioners at the court of France," I drew a bill of exchange on the 12th instant for five hundred louis d'ors on the commissioners at this court, and I waited on them at Passy with it myself for acceptance. I presented it to Dr. Franklin, as eldest, who refused to accept it. He said the two thousand louis d'ors, which I had already had were so extravagant a sum that he was sure I could not have spent it; and, if I had, he saw no reason why Congress should maintain my family. Congress will be pleased to recollect that my commission is dated July 1, 1777, and that I received it the September following. Dr. Franklin added that the resolution of the 7th of May, 1778, to which I referred him, directed that the commissioners at the other courts of Europe should draw bills for the amount of their expenses; but as I was not at Flor * MSS. Dep. of Stato; 1 Sparks' Dip. Rev. Corr., 700, with verbal changes. |