obtaining any effectual aid, alliance or declaration of war against Great Britain, without the following stipulation; therefore We the Commissioners plenepotentiary from the Congress of the United States of America, are unanimously of Opinion, that if France or Spain should conclude a Treaty of Amity and Commerce with our States, and enter into a war with Great Britain in consequence of that, or of open aid given to our States; it will be right and proper for us, or in absence of the others, for any one of us, to stipulate and agree that the United States, shall not separately conclude a Peace, nor aid Great Britain against France or Spain, nor intermit their best exertions against Great Britain during the continuance of such War. Provided always that France & Spain, do on their part enter into a similar stipulation, with our States. B. FRANKLIN SILAS DEANE Paris, Feb 5 1777. It is farther consider'd, that in the present peril of the liberties of our Country, it is our duty to hazard every thing in their support & defence. Therefore Resolvd unanimously – That if it should be necessary, for the attainment of any thing, in our best judgment, material to the defence & support of the public cause; that we shou'd pledge our persons, or hazard the censure of the Congress by exceeding our Instructions - we will, for such purpose most chearfully risque our personal liberty or life. B. FRANKLIN SILAS DEANE 826. TO JONATHAN WILLIAMS1 DEAR COUSIN (P. C.) Paris, Feb. 5, 1777. I receiv'd several Letters from you last Night which I put into Mr. Dean's Hands who answers them. I forwarded yours to London for Mr. Blount some time since. Since you are likely to stay at Nantes for some time longer I enclose some Letters receiv'd here for you. I think Connection with Mr. S. might be advantageous to you both in the way of Business. Besides he is rich and has handsome Daughters. I know not whether you can get one of them. I only know you may deserve her.3 Mr. Lee in his way to the South of France will call at Nantes. He sets out to-morrow or next Day and will take our Dispatches for America. I am ever, your affectionate Uncle B. FRANKLIN - ED. 1 From the original in the possession of Mr. Louis A. Biddle. * John D. Schweighauser, a Nantes merchant, was United States agent for the sale of prizes in Brittany, and United States commercial agent at Nantes. - ED. Jonathan Williams married, September 12, 1779, Mariamne Alexander, daughter of William Alexander, of Edinburgh, a connection of Lord Stirling. Williams was a son of Grace Williams (née Harris) and a grandnephew of Franklin. He was born in Boston, May 26, 1750. President Adams appointed him (February 16, 1801) a major in the Second Regiment of Artillerists and Engineers. He assumed command (December 15, 1801) of the embryo military school, which preceded the Military Academy of West Point, of which he was the first superintendent. - ED. 827. TO LORD GEORGE GERMAIN1 (L. C.) Paris, Feb 7th, 1777. WHEREAS the snow Dickenson with her cargoe, which was the property of the Congress of the United States of America, was by an act of Piracy in some of her crew carried into the port of Bristol in England, and there as we are informed, was converted to the use of the government of Great Britain, and the perpetrators of so base and dishonest an action, the mate, etc., were rewarded instead of being punished for their wickedness, and whereas another vessel with her Cargoe of Tobacco, being also the property of the United States, or of some inhabitants of the same, was lately carried into the port of Liverpool, in England, by a similar act of treachery in her crew; and a third has in the same manner been carried into Halifax; We therefore being commissioners plenipotentiary from the Congress of the United States of America do, in their name and by their authority, demand from the court of Great Britain, a restitution of those vessels and their cargoes, or the full value of them; together with the delivery of the pirates into our hands, to be sent where they may be tried and punish'd as their crimes deserve. We feel it our duty to humanity to warn the court of Great 1 Viscount Sackville (1716–1785), known from 1720 to 1770 as Lord George Sackville, and from 1770 to 1782 as Lord George Germain, was appointed by Lord North in 1775 a lord commissioner of trade and plantations, and likewise Secretary of State for the colonies. Franklin addressed him as "one of the principal Secretaries of State to the King of Great Britain." This letter is endorsed (L. C.), "not sent." - ED. Britain of the consequences of protecting such offenders and of encouraging such actions as are in violation of all moral obligations and therefore subversive of the firmest foundation of the laws of nations. It is hop'd that the Government of Great Britain will not add to the unjust principles of this war, such practices as would disgrace the meanest state in Europe; and which must forever stain the character of the British nation. We are sensible that nothing can be more abhorrent from the sentiments and feelings of the Congress of the United States, than the authorizing so base a kind of war as a retaliation of these practices will produce. We are, therefore more earnest in pressing the court of Great Britain to prevent by the act of justice which is demanded, the retaliation, to which necessity, in repugnance to principles, will otherwise compel. B. FRANKLIN SILAS DEANE ARTHUR LEE. 828. TO MRS. THOMPSON [AT LILLE] (L. C.) Paris, February 8, 1777 You are too early, Hussy, (as well as too saucy,) in calling me Rebel; you should wait for the Event, which will determine whether it is a Rebellion or only a Revolution. Here the Ladies are more civil; they call us les Insurgens, a Character that usually pleases them: And methinks all other Women who smart, or have smarted, under the Tyranny of a bad Husband, ought to be fixed in Revolution Principles, and act accordingly. In my way to Canada last Spring, I saw dear Mrs. Barrow at New York. Mr. Barrow had been from her two or three Months to keep Gov. Tryon and other Tories Company on board the Asia, one of the King's Ships which lay in the Harbour; and in all that time [that] naughty Man had not ventur'd once on shore to see her. Our Troops were then pouring into the Town, and she was packing up to leave it, fearing, as she had a large House, they would incommode her by quartering Officers in it. As she appeared in great Perplexity, scarce knowing where to go, I persuaded her to stay; and I went to the general Officers then commanding there, and recommended her to their Protection; which they promis'd and perform'd. On my Return from Canada, (where I was a Piece of a Governor and I think a very good one for a Fortnight, and might have been so till this time if your wicked Army, Enemies to all good Government, had not come and driven me out,) I found her still in quiet Possession of her House. I inquired how our People had behav'd to her. She spoke in high terms of the respectful Attention they had paid her, and the Quiet and Security they had procur'd her. I said I was glad of it; and that, if they had us'd her ill, I would have turn'd Tory. Then says she, with that pleasing Gayety so natural to her, I wish they had. For you must know she is a Toryess as well as you, and can as flippantly call Rebel. I drank Tea with her; we talk'd affectionately of you and our other friends the Wilkeses, of whom she had received no late Intelligence. What became of her since, I have not heard. The Street she then lived in was some months after chiefly burnt down; but, as the Town was then, and ever since has been, in Possession of the King's Troops, I have had no Opportunity of knowing whether she |