Grigby. I have accordingly written one, and, having an opportunity the other day, I sent it under cover to Mr. Benjamin Vaughan. The general proclamations you wished for, suspending or rather putting an end to hostilities, are now published; so that your "heart is at rest," and mine with it. You may depend on my joining my hearty endeavours with yours in "cultivating conciliatory principles between our two countries"; and I may venture to assure you, that if your bill for a provisional establishment of the commerce had passed as at first proposed, a stipulation on our part in the definitive treaty, to allow reciprocal and equal advantages and privileges to your subjects, would have been readily agreed to. With great and sincere esteem, I am ever, &c. B. FRANKLIN. 1403. TO COMTE DE VERGENNES (P. A. E. E. U.) (A. P. S.) Passy, March 24, 1783. SIR, I am desirous of printing a translation of the Constitutions of the United States of America, published at Philadelphia, in 1781, by order of Congress. Several of these Constitutions have already appeared in the English and American newspapers; others have appeared elsewhere; but there has never yet been a complete translation of them. That, of which I have the honour to speak to your Excellency, being an octavo volume, contains the different Constitutions of the United States, their treaty with France, and no foreign matter. I have made arrangements for this purpose with M. Pierres, who is ready to commence the impression, and I hope that your Excellency will give your approbation. M. Pierres will need a permit from the Keeper of the Seals for printing and selling this work, after having furnished me with the number of copies agreed upon. As I strongly desire, that this translation may appear at an early day, I shall feel under great obligations to your Excellency, if you will have the goodness to request the Keeper of the Seals to send the order without delay; and, should the formalities required for the purpose demand any considerable time, to request him to authorize by letter M. Pierres to proceed with the work. I have the honour to be, &c. B. FRANKLIN. 1404. TO EMMANUEL DE ROHAN1 MY LORD, Passy April 6, 1783. I have the honour to address to your Eminent Highness the medal, which I have lately had struck." It is a homage of gratitude, my Lord, which is due to the interest you have taken in our cause; and we no less owe it to your virtues, and to your Eminent Highness's wise administration of govern ment. Permit me, my Lord, to demand your protection for such of our citizens as circumstances may lead to your ports. I hope that your Eminent Highness will be pleased to grant it to them, and kindly receive the assurances of the profound respect with which I am, my Lord, &c. B. FRANKLIN. 1 Grand master of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and ruler of Malta (1775-1797). - Ed. 2 See letter to R. R. Livingston, March 4, 1782.- ED. SIR, 1405. TO M. ROSENCRONE1 (L. C.) Passy, April 15, 1783. 2 M. de Walterstorff has communicated to me a Letter from your Excellency to him which affords me great Pleasure, as it expresses in clear and strong Terms the good Disposition of your Court to form Connections of Friendship and Commerce with the United States of America. I am confident, that the same good Disposition will be found in the Congress; and, having acquainted that respectable Body with the Purport of your Letter, I expect a Commission will soon be sent, appointing some Person in Europe to enter into a Treaty with his Majesty the King of Denmark, for the Purposes desired. In the mean time, to prepare and forward the Business as much as may be, I send, for your Excellency's Consideration, such a Sketch as you mention, form'd on the Base of our Treaty with Holland, on which I shall be glad to receive your Excellency's Sentiments. And I hope that this Transaction, when compleated, may be the means of producing and securing a long and happy Friendship between our two Nations. To smooth the Way for obtaining this desirable End, as well as to comply with my Duty, it becomes necessary for me on this Occasion to mention to your Excellency the Affair of our three Prizes, which, having during the War entered Bergen as a neutral and friendly Port, where they 1 Minister of foreign affairs at Copenhagen. - ED. 2 See the following letter, to R. R. Livingston, April 15, 1783. ED. might repair the Damages they had suffer'd, and procure Provisions, were, by an order of your Predecessor in the Office you so honourably fill, violently seized and delivered to our Enemies. I am inclined to think it was a hasty Act, procured by the importunitys and Misrepresentations of the British Minister, and that your Court could not, on reflection, approve of it. But the Injury was done, and I flatter myself your Excellency will think with me, that it ought to be repaired. The Means and Manner I beg leave to recommend to your Consideration, and am, with great Respect, Sir, &c. B. FRANKLIN. 1406. TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON (L. C.) Passy, April 15, 1783. SIR, You complain sometimes of not hearing from us. It is now near three Months since any of us have heard from America. I think our last Letters came with General de Rochambeau. There is now a Project under Consideration for establishing Monthly Packet Boats between France and New York, which I hope will be carried into Execution; our Correspondences then may be more regular and frequent. I send herewith another Copy of the Treaty concluded with Sweden. I hope, however, that you will have received the former, and that the Ratification is forwarded. The King, as the Ambassador informs me, is now employ'd in examining the Duties payable in his Ports, with a View of lowering them in favour of America, and thereby encouraging and facilitating our mutual Commerce. M. de Walterstorff Chambellan du Roy de Dannemarck, formerly Chief Justice of the Danish West India Islands, was last year at Paris, where I had some Acquaintance with him, and he is now return'd hither. The Newspapers have mention'd him as intended to be sent Minister from his Court to Congress; but he tells me no such Appointment has yet been made. He assures me, however, that the King has a strong Desire to have a Treaty of Friendship and Commerce with the United States; and he has communicated to me a Letter, which he received from M. Rosencrone, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, expressing that Disposition. I enclose a Copy of the Letter; and, if the Congress shall approve of entring into such a Treaty with the King of Denmark, of which I told M. de Walterstorff I made no doubt, they will send to me, or whom else they shall think proper, the necessary Powers and Instructions for that purpose. In the mean time, to keep the Business in Train, I have sent to that Minister, for his Consideration, a Translation of the Plan, mutatis mutandis, which I receiv'd from Congress for a Treaty with Sweden, accompanied by a Letter, of which likewise I enclose a Copy. I think it would be well to make it one of the Instructions to whoever is commission'd for the Treaty, that he previously procure Satisfaction for the Prizes mention'd in my Letter. The Definitive Treaties have met with great Delays, partly by the Tardiness of the Dutch, but principally by the Distractions in the Court of England, where, for six or seven Weeks, there was properly no Ministry, nor any Business effected. They have at last settled a Ministry, but of such a Composition as does not promise to be lasting. The Papers will inform you who they are. It is now said, that Mr. |