you

1456. TO SIR JOSEPH BANKS

DEAR SIR,

(U. of P.)

Passy, Dec. 15. 1783

You have probably had enough of my Correspondence on the Subject of the Balloons, yet I cannot forbear sending Mr Charles's Account of his Voyage, which contains some Circumstances that are curious & Interesting. And perhaps you may for a Conclusion have one more Letter from me by him, if he makes the Flight said to be intended the first fair Wind from Paris to London.

With great Esteem, I am ever Dear Sir,

Your most obedient

Servant B. FRANKLIN.

1457. TO COMTE DE VERGENNES (P. A. E. E. U.)

Passy, December 15, 1783

SIRI understand that the bishop or spiritual person who superintends or governs the Roman Catholic clergy in the United States of America resides in London, and is supposed to be under obligations to that court, and subject to be influenced by its ministers. This gives me some uneasiness, and I cannot but wish that one should be appointed to that office who is of this nation and who may reside there among our friends. I beg your Excellency to think a little of this matter, and to afford me your counsels upon it.1 With the greatest respect, I am, sir, etc.,

B. FRANKLIN.

1 The vicar-apostolic of London at this time had ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the Roman Catholics of the United States. The fear of the influence

1458. TO WILLIAM CARMICHAEL'

MY DEAR FRIEND,

Passy, December 15, 1783.

I am much concerned to find by your letter to my grandson, that you are hurt by my long silence, and that you ascribe it to a supposed diminution of my friendship. Believe me, that is by no means the case; but I am too much harassed by a variety of correspondence, together with gout and gravel, which induce me to postpone doing what I often fully intend to do, and particularly writing, where the urgent necessity of business does not seem to require its being done immediately, my sitting too much at the desk having already almost killed me; besides, since Mr. Jay's residence here, I imagined he might keep you fully informed of what was material for you to know; and I beg you to be assured of my constant and sincere esteem and affection.

I do not know whether you have been informed, that a Mr. Montgomery, who lives at Alicant, took upon himself (for I think he had no authority) to make overtures last winter, in behalf of our States, towards a treaty with the Emperor of Morocco. In consequence of his proceedings I received a letter in August from a person, who acquainted me, that he was arrived in Spain by the Emperor's order, and was to come to Paris, there to receive and conduct to Morocco the minister

which the English spiritual head might exert over the Irish Catholics caused Franklin to write this letter to Count de Vergennes, and also to consult upon the same subject with M. de Cicé, archbishop of Bordeaux. Rev. John Carroll was appointed superior of the clergy of the United States in 1784. ED.

1 From "Diplomatic Correspondence" (Sparks), Vol. II, p. 492.- Ed.

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of Congress appointed to make that treaty, intimating at the same time an expectation of money to defray his expenses. I communicated the letter to Mr. Jay. The conduct of Mr. Montgomery appeared to us very extraordinary and irregular; and the idea of a messenger from Morocco coming to Paris to meet and conduct a minister of Congress, appearing absurd and extravagant, as well as the demand of money by a person unknown, I made no answer to the letter; and I know not whether Mr. Jay made any to Mr. Montgomery, who wrote about the same time. But I have lately received another letter from the same person, a copy of which I enclose, together with my answer open for your perusal, and it is submitted to your discretion whether to forward it or not. The Mr. Crocco, who writes to me, having been, as he says, at Madrid, you possibly may know more of him than I can, and judge whether he is really a person in credit with the Emperor, and sent as he pretends to be, or not rather an Escroc, as the French call cheats and impostors.

but am loth to commit

I would not be wanting in any thing proper for me to do towards keeping that Prince in good humour with us, till the pleasure of Congress is known, and therefore would answer Mr. Crocco, if he be in his employ; myself in correspondence with a fripon. It will be strange, if, being at Madrid, he did not address himself to you. With great and unalterable regard, I am ever, my dear friend, yours most affectionately, B. FRANKLIN.

1459. TO GIACOMO FRANCESCO CROCCO1 Paris, December 15, 1783.

SIR,

I have just received the letter you did me the honour of writing to me the 25th past. I did indeed receive your former letter of July, but, being totally a stranger to the mentioned proceedings of Mr. Montgomery, and having no orders from Congress on the subject, I knew not how to give you any satisfactory answer, till I should receive further information; and I communicated your letter to Mr. Jay, minister of the United States for Spain, in whose district Mr. Montgomery is, and who is more at hand than I am for commencing that negotiation.

Mr. Jay, who is at present in England, has possibly written to you, though his letter may have miscarried, to acquaint you, that Mr. Montgomery had probably no authority from Congress to take the step he has done, and that it was not likely, that they, desiring to make a treaty with the Emperor, would think of putting his Majesty to the trouble of sending a person to Paris to receive and conduct their minister, since they have ships, and could easily land him at Cadiz, or present him at one of the Emperor's ports. We have, however, written to Congress, acquainting them with what we had been informed of the good and favourable disposition of his Imperial Majesty to enter into a treaty of amity and commerce with the United States; and we have no doubt but that, as 1 From "Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States" (Sparks), Vol. I, p. 373. - ED.

soon as their affairs are a little settled, which, by so severe a war carried on in the bowels of their country by one of the most powerful nations of Europe, have necessarily been much deranged, they will readily manifest equally good dispositions, and take all the proper steps to cultivate and secure the friendship of a monarch, whose character I know they have long esteemed and respected. I am, Sir, &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

1

1460. TO THOMAS MIFFLIN 1 (L. C.) Passy, Dec. 25, 1783.

SIR, Not having heard of the Appointment of a new Secretary for foreign Affairs, I take the Liberty of addressing this Despatch directly to your Excellency. I received by Capt. Barney a Letter from the late President, directed to the Commissioners, dated November the 1, with a Set of Instructions, dated the 29th of October, a Resolution of the same Date respecting Hamburgh, and another of the 1st of November, relating to Capt. Paul Jones, all which will be duly regarded.

Capt. Jones, in passing thro' England, communicated these Papers to Mr. Adams, then at London. Mr. Adams, disappointed in not finding among them the Commission we had been made to expect, empowering us to make a Treaty of Commerce with England, wrote to me, that he imagin'd it might be contain'd in a Packet that was directed to me, and requested to be immediately informed; adding, that, in case no such Commission was come, he should depart directly for Holland; so I suppose he is now there. Mr. Laurens 1 Elected President of Congress, November 3, 1783.- ED.

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