you would obtain a knowledge of the proceedings consequent upon efforts which M. Gerard has undoubtedly made to obtain compensation for the sloop which Count d'Arband restored to the Governor of Antigua, after it had been taken by Doctor Putnam and others.

I have received the letter you did me the honor to write me on the 4th instant. I do not know whether Mr. Laurens has purchased the clothing in Holland on account of Congress; I only know (and you were likewise informed of it at the same time) that this officer was to employ for his purchases in France part of the six millions which the King has granted to Congress, and that the residue of this sum was intended to be sent to America, with a view of reëstablishing the credit of the United States.

If Mr. Laurens, instead of paying ready money in Holland, has contented himself with giving bills on you, I have no concern in it, and the King can furnish no means for your reimbursement.

As to the moneys arising from the loan opened in Holland, we have no pretensions to regulate the employment of them, as they belong to the United States. You must, therefore, sir, apply to Congress for the power of disposing of them, in discharge of the drafts drawn on you from all quarters.

I have the honor of being, &c.,

DE VERGENNES.

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Passy, June 11th, 1781.

Sir,

I have lately done myself the honor of writing largely to your Excellency by divers conveyances, to which I beg leave to refer. This is chiefly to cover the copy of a letter I have just received from

the Minister, relative to the disposition of the late loans; by which will be seen the situation I am in with respect to my acceptances of the quantities of bills drawn by Congress on Mr. Jay, Mr. Laurens, Mr. Adams, and myself, which I entered into, in the expectation, which both Colonel Laurens and myself entertained, that a part of these loans might be applied to the payment of these bills, but which I am now told cannot be done without an express order from Congress.

I shall endeavor to change the sentiments of the Court in this respect, but I am not sure of succeeding. I must therefore request that a resolution of Congress may immediately be sent, empowering me to apply as much of those loans as shall be necessary for the discharge of all such drafts of Congress, or for the repayment of such sums as I may in the mean time be obliged to borrow for the discharge of those drafts.

I have the honor to be, &c.,

B. FRANKLIN.

TO JOHN ADAMS.

Passy, June 11th, 1781.

Sir,

He

Mr. Grand has communicated to me a letter from your Excellency to him, relating to certain charges in your account, on which you seem to desire to have my opinion. As we are all new in these matters, I consulted, when I was making up my account, one of the oldest foreign Ministers here, as to the custom in such cases. informed me that it was not perfectly uniform with the Ministers of all Courts, but that in general, where a salary was given for service and expenses, the expenses understood were merely those necessary to the man, such as house-keeping, clothing, and coach; but that the rent of the hotel in which he dwelt, the payment of couriers, the postage of letters, the salary of cleiks, the stationery for his bureau, with the feasts and illuminations made on public occasions, were esteemed the expenses of the Prince, or State that appointed him, being for the service or honor of his Prince or nation; and either entirely, or in great part, expenses that, as a private man, he would have been under no necessity of incurring. These, therefore, were to be charged in his accounts. He remarked, it was true that the

Minister's house-keeping as well as his house was usually, and in some sort necessarily more expensive, than those of a private person, but this he said was considered in his salary to avoid trouble in accounts; but that where the Prince or State had not purchased or built a house for their Minister, which was sometimes the case, they always paid his house rent.

I have stated my own accounts according to this information; and I mention them that if they seem to you reasonable we may be uniform in our charges, by your charging in the same manner; or if objections to any of them occur to you, that you would communicate them to me for the same reason.

Thus you see my opinion that the articles you mention of courtage, commission, and port de lettres, are expenses that ought to be borne, not by you, but by the United States. Yet it seems to me more proper that you should pay them, and charge them with the other articles abovementioned, than that they should be paid by me, who, not knowing the circumstances, cannot judge (as you can) of the truth or justice of such an account when presented, and who, besides, have no orders to pay more on your account than your net salary.

With regard to that salary, though your receipts to Fitzeaux and Grand, shown to me, might be quite sufficient to prove they had paid you the sum therein mentioned, yet, as there are vouchers for them, and which they have a right to retain, I imagine it will be clearest if you draw upon me, agreeably to the order of Congress; and if this is quarterly, it will be the most convenient to me.

With great respect, I have the honor, &c.,

B. FRANKLIN.

THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO B. FRANKLIN.

In Congress, June 19th, 1781.

Sir, Congress have received your letter of the 12th of March last, with the papers enclosed. The prospect of conferences being soon opened in Europe, under the mediation of the imperial Courts of Petersburgh and Vienna, for accommodating the disputes between the belligerent Powers, which must necessarily involve the essential interests of these United States, has determined us to increase the number of our Ministers for negociating a peace with Great Britain.

We have, therefore, added yourself, Messrs. Jay, H. Laurens, and Thomas Jefferson, to Mr. Adams, to repair to such place as shall be fixed on for transacting this important business.

A compliance with your request to retire from public employment would be inconvenient at this particular juncture, as it is the desire of Congress to avail themselves of your abilities and experience at the approaching negociation. Should you find repose necessary after rendering the United States this further service, Congress, in consideration of your age and bodily infirmities, will be disposed to gratify your inclination.

You will present the letter to his Most Christian Majesty, and communicate to him the instructions to our Ministers for negociating a peace, attended with such a memorial as your prudence shall suggest and the importance of the subject requires.

With great esteem, I am, &c., SAMUEL HUNTINGTON, President of Congress.

Sir,

TO MAJOR WILLIAM JACKSON.

Passy, June 28th, 1781. Since my acceptance of your bills, I have applied to the Ministry for more money to discharge the other engagements I entered into for payment of the Congress bills drawn on Holland and Spain. I find so much difficulty, and even impossibility of obtaining it at this time, that I am under the absolute necessity of stopping the cash that is in Holland, or of ruining all the credit of the States in Europe, and even in America, by stopping payment.

This is, therefore, to order, that, in case the said cash has been delivered to you by Messrs. Fizeaux and Grand, you would immediately return it into their hands, to remain there at my disposal. I am sorry that this operation is necessary, but it must be done, or the consequences will be terrible.

I have the honor to be, &c.,

B. FRANKLIN.

Sir,

MAJOR WILLIAM JACKSON TO B. FRANKLIN.

Amsterdam, June 29th, 1781.

I have the honor to inform your Excellency that I got to Amster

dam on Tuesday morning. It has been thought advisable to wait a few days, that we may sail with a Dutch squadron of fourteen sail, destined as a convoy to the Baltic. The loss of the ship Marquis de la Fayette, which is confirmed by Lloyd's list, renders every precaution necessary and essential to prevent a further disappointment in supplies.

I hope your Excellency will approve of the reasons for delaying our departure, which must be amply compensated by the benefit of a convoy through the North Sea. I beg leave to request that Colonel Laurens's servant may be informed, should he apply to your Excellency, that, if he leaves Paris immediately and travels with despatch, he will reach this place in time to embark with us for America. Any commands, which your Excellency may please to honor me with, and which may be transmitted by him, will be faithfully attended to.. I beg you will present my best respects to your grandson. I have the honor to be, with profound respect, &c.,

W. JACKSON.

TO DAVID HARTLEY.

Passy, June 30th, 1781.

I received my dear friend's kind letter of the 15th inst., and immediately communicated your request of a passport to the Count de Vergennes. His answer, which I have but just received, expresses an opinion, that the circumstance of his granting a passport to you, as you mention the purpose of your coming to be the discoursing with me on the subject of peace, might, considering your character, occasion many inconvenient reports and speculations, but that he would make no difficulty of giving it, if you assured me that you were authorised for such purpose by your Ministry, which he does not think at all likely; otherwise he judges it best that I should not encourage your coming. Thus it seems I cannot have at present. the pleasure you were so kind as to propose for me. I can only join with you in earnest wishes for peace, a blessing which I shall hardly live to see.

With the greatest esteem and respect, I am ever, dear sir,

VOL. II-11

B. FRANKLIN.