have sent duplicates, some of which I hope got to hand. You mention receiving one of September the 30th, and one of December the 30th, but not that of October the 17th. The cypher you have communicated, either from some defect in your explanation, or in my comprehension, is not yet of use to me, for I cannot understand by it the little specimen you have written in it. If you have that of M. Dumas, which I left with Mr. Morris, we may correspond by it when a few sentences are required only to be written in cypher, but it is too tedious for a whole letter. I send herewith copies of the instruments annulling the 11th and 12th articles of the treaty.* The treaty printed here by the Court omitted them, and numbered the subsequent articles accordingly. I write fully to the President. The frequent hinderances the Committee of Correspondence meet with in writing as a committee, which appear from the excuses in your particular letters, and the many parts of my letters, that have long been unanswered, incline me to think that your foreign correspondence would be best managed by one secretary, who could write when he had an opportunity, without waiting for the concurrence or opinions of his brethren, who cannot always be got conveniently together. My chief letters will, therefore, for the future, be addressed to the President, till further orders. I send you enclosed some more of Mr. Hartley's letters. He continues passionately to desire peace with America, but wishes we could be separated from France. With great esteem, &c., B. FRANKLIN. JAMES LOVELL TO B. FRANKLIN. Philadelphia, August 15th, 1780. Sir, Though I cannot procure the signatures of the Committee of Foreign Affairs at this moment, nor the resolve of Congress respecting bills to be drawn on you for one hundred thousand dollars, passed two or three days ago, the bills payable at ninety days' sight, yet I * For these instruments, see the Correspondence of the Commissioners in Paris, Vol. I, pp. 315, 316. should be blameable if I did not thus far notify you. The breach upon our taxes at the southward, by the possession which the enemy have there, made this disagreeable step necessary for the express purpose of supporting General Gates in that department. Notwithstanding the mention made in our journals long ago of giving you a secretary, no vote has lately been taken for the purpose. Mr. Laurens will be able, on any questions from you in corresponding, to give you whatever the gazettes do not convey. I am, sir, your most humble servant, JAMES LOVELL, For the Committee of Foreign Affairs. P. S. August 27th, 1780. I now add the resolves. JAMES LOVELL TO B. FRANKLIN. September 7th, 1780. Sir, With triplicate and duplicate of former dates I have to enclose to you some further proceedings of Congress, respecting bills of exchange drawn upon you, and to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of May the 31st. I think I can venture now to assure you that not a single draft more will be made upon you, let the occasion be ever so pressing; but you must be entreated to work with all energy as to the past. You cannot conceive of the whole train of necessities which led to such decisions, after what you had written. Congress have lately called for three millions more than formerly, estimating in silver, to be paid by the last of December. Nothing but the weight of taxes will put an end to the levity with which our currency is treated. New York has empowered its delegates to cede part of her western claims, and it is recommended to others to relinquish also a portion, and Maryland is anew invited to close the ratification of the confederating articles. We must as a whole show more vigor than of late: I am, sir, your most humble servant, JAMES LOVELL, TO C. W. F. DUMAS. Passy, October 2d, 1780. Dear Sir, I received duly your several letters of the 12th, 15th, 17th, 19th, and 21st of September. I am much pleased with the intelligence you sent me, and with the papers you have had printed. Mr. Searle is a military officer in the Pennsylvania troops, and a member of Congress. He has some commission to execute for that province, but none that I know of from Congress. He has an open letter for you from Mr. Lovell, which he has shown me. It is full of expressions of his esteem; and I understand from Mr. Searle that you stand exceedingly well with the Committee, and with the Congress in general. I am sorry to see any marks of uneasiness and apprehension in your letters. M. Chaumont tells me that you want some assurance of being continued. The Congress itself is changeable at the pleasure of their electors, and none of their servants have, or can have, any such assurance. If, therefore, any thing better for you, and more substantial, should offer, nobody can blame you for accepting it, however satisfied they may be with your services. But as to the continuance of what you may enjoy, or of something as valuable in the service of the Congress, I think you may make yourself easy; for your appointment seems more likely to be increased than diminished, though it does not belong to me to promise any thing. Mr. Laurens was to sail three days after Mr. Searle, who begins to fear he must be lost, as it was a small vessel he intended to embark in. He was bound directly to Holland. I enclose some extracts of letters from two French officers of distinction in the army of M. de Rochambeau, which are pleasing, as they mark the good intelligence that subsists between the troops, contrary to the reports circulated by the English. They will do, perhaps, for your Leyden Gazette. With great esteem and affection, I am ever, &c., B. FRANKLIN. Dear Sir, TO C. W. F. DUMAS. Passy, October 9th, 1780. I received yours of the 29th of September and 3d of October. It is a very good addition you have made to your memoir for the Ministers of Russia and Sweden. I am glad to find you are again on such good terms with the Ambassador as to be invited to his comedy. I doubt not of your continuing to cultivate that good understanding. I like much your insertions in the gazettes. Such things have good effects. Your information relative to the transactions at Petersburgh and in Denmark are very interesting, and afforded me a good deal of satisfaction, particularly the former. Mr. Searle will have the pleasure of seeing you. I recommend him warmly to your civilities. He is much your friend, and will advise Mr. Laurens to make you his secretary, which I hope you will accept. I have given it as my opinion that Mr. L. can nowhere find one better qualified, or more deserving. The choice is left to that Minister, and he is empowered to give a salary of £500 sterling a year. I am in pain on account of his not being yet arrived, but I hope you will see him I request you would find means to introduce Mr. Searle to the Portuguese Ambassador. Pray consider the enclosed papers, and after advising with your friend, give me your opinion as to the manner of the application to the States-General, whether I should make it through their Ambassador, or directly with a letter to the Grand Pensionary, or in what other manner. You know we wrote soon. to him formerly, and received no answer. With great esteem, I am, &c., B. FRANKLIN. P. S. You say nothing of Mr. Adams? How do you stand with him? What is he doing? JAMES LOVELL TO B. FRANKLIN. Philadelphia, October 28th, 1780. Sir, A committee was appointed on the 6th to draft "a letter to our Ministers at the Courts of Versailles and Madrid, to enforce the instructions given by Congress to Mr. Jay, by their resolutions of the 4th instant, and so to explain the reasons and principles on which the same are founded, that they may respectively be enabled to satisfy those Courts of the justice and equity of the intentions of Congress." That committee reported a draft of a letter to Mr. Jay, "and that a copy of it be communicated to Doctor Franklin, together with the resolution directing the draft." There is no member of the Committee for Foreign Affairs attending Congress but myself, nor have the Committee had a secretary or a clerk since T. Paine's resignation. I must entreat you, therefore, sir, to excuse the economy of my request, that you would transmit to Mr. Jay all the papers which happen to reach you directed for him, taking copies of such as are left open, for your information. I persuade myself you will readily communicate to Mr. Adams what appears so much connected with his commission, though it has not been specially ordered by the report of the Committee on the draft. I am, sir, your most humble servant, JAMES LOVELL, For the Committee of Foreign Affairs. TO SIR GREY COOPER, BARONET, SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY OF GREAT BRITAIN. Sir, Passy, November 7th, 1780. I understand that Mr. Laurens, an American gentleman, for whom I have a great esteem, is a prisoner in the Tower, and that his health suffers by the closeness and rigor of his confinement. As I do not think that your affairs receive any advantage from the harshness of this proceeding, I take the freedom of requesting your kind interposition, to obtain for him such a degree of air and liberty, on his parole or otherwise, as may be necessary for his health and comfort. The fortune of war, which is daily changing, may possibly put it in my power to do the like good office for some friend of yours, which I shall perform with much pleasure, not only for the sake of humanity, but in respect to the ashes of our former friendship. With great regard, I have the honor to be, &c., B. FRANKLIN. |