The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution Volume I Part 28

I have the honor to be, &c.

DE VERGENNES.

TO COUNT DE VERGENNES.

Paris, 17th July, 1777.

Sir,

We are very sensible of the protection afforded to us, and to our commerce, since our residence in this kingdom, agreeable to the goodness of the king's gracious intentions, and to the law of nations; and it gives us real and great concern, when any vessels of war appertaining to America, either through ignorance or inattention, do any thing that may offend His Majesty, in the smallest degree. The Captains Wickes, Nicholson, and Johnson, have excused to us their returning to France, being chased into the channel, and close to your ports, by English men of war, of the truth of which we have no doubt, the Reprisal, particularly, having been obliged to throw her guns overboard, to facilitate her escape.

We had, some days before we were honored by your Excellency's letter, despatched by an express the most positive orders to them, to depart directly to America, which they are accordingly preparing to do, as your Excellency will see by the letter enclosed, which we have just received by the return of that express. We shall communicate His Majesty's orders to our friends residing in your ports, and acquaint the Congress with the same, to the end, that our armed vessels may be warned of the consequence that must attend an infringement of them. We doubt not but they will be henceforth strictly attended to; and we are willing and ready to give any security your Excellency may judge sufficient and reasonable, that, after being fitted and provisioned for so long a voyage, these vessels shall proceed directly to America, without making any other cruise on the coasts of England. We are thankful for the repeated a.s.surances of His Majesty's protection continued to us, and such of our nation as may reside in France, and for the facilities indulged to our commerce, at this critical conjuncture, which will always be remembered in our country, with grat.i.tude and affection.

We have the honor to be, &c.

B. FRANKLIN, SILAS DEANE.

FROM THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO THE COMMISSIONERS.

Philadelphia, August 7th, 1777.

Gentlemen,

Enclosed are duplicates of commissions and instructions for William Lee and Ralph Izard, and triplicates of our former despatches.

Since our last, of July 3d, various circ.u.mstances have happened in the military department, many of which are so intricate and unfinished, as not to enable us to draw any just conclusions from them.

Immediately after the unsuccessful attempt made by General Howe, June 26th, to cut off a detachment of our army, under General Sterling, as mentioned in our last, the whole body of the enemy retreated to Staten Island, embarked on board their fleet, and on the 23d of July put to sea; on the 27th, they appeared off the Capes of Delaware. General Was.h.i.+ngton, with the army, arrived at Germantown on the 29th. On the 31st, the enemy's fleet stood out to sea. They made a second appearance at the Capes, since which we have had no account of them.

As this packet goes from the eastward, you will probably be furnished with something further from that quarter.

Our worst news is, that we have lost Ticonderoga, whether by neglect or necessity, cowardice or good conduct, will appear hereafter.

Congress have ordered General Gates to that department, and have directed Generals Schuyler and St Clair to appear at head quarters, that an inquiry may be made into their conduct, and the circ.u.mstances of this mysterious affair. In the papers of July 16th, 23d, August 5th and 6th, you have Generals Schuyler's and St Clair's letters, and the resolves of Congress. We have been fortunate enough to take, and so unfortunate as to lose again, the Fox frigate. She was taken by the Captains Manly and McNeil, but two heavy English s.h.i.+ps being in sight when she struck, she was afterwards retaken by them.

Major General Prescott, who commanded the enemy's forces at Rhode Island, was seized and made prisoner by a small party under Lieutenant Colonel Barton, as you may see by General Was.h.i.+ngton's letter to Congress, printed July 23d. The Congress have presented Colonel Barton with a sword, and likewise Lieutenant Colonel Meigs with another; this officer having performed a gallant exploit on Long Island, bringing off nearly a hundred prisoners, and destroying a large quant.i.ty of forage.

Were it not for the Ticonderoga affair, we should have nothing but good news to communicate; and even that may turn out in the end a lucky circ.u.mstance to the general cause, as did the attempt of the enemy to march through the Jerseys last winter. We have a fine healthy army, anxious for nothing so much as to meet their foes. Surely it must appear very ridiculous in Europe that General Howe should be thus shunning the army he came out to conquer, and wasting his time in cruising upon the coast with his whole fleet, at this hot season of the year, when the ministry in England, and perhaps Lord Stormont at Paris, have given out that he has penetrated a hundred miles or more into the country.

We are, with great regard, gentlemen,

Your most humble servants,

BENJAMIN HARRISON, ROBERT MORRIS, JAMES LOVELL.

TO COUNT DE VERGENNES.

Versailles, August 12th, 1777.

Sir,

We understand, with great surprise, that one of our countrymen, Mr Hodge, a merchant of Philadelphia, is apprehended at Paris, with all his papers, and carried away by the officers of police.

As Mr Hodge is a person of character, connected with the best houses in our country, and employed here by a committee of Congress to purchase goods, we cannot conceive him capable of any wilful offence against the laws of this nation. Our personal regard for him, as well as the duty of our station, obliges us to interest ourselves in his behalf, and to request, as we do most earnestly, that he may be immediately restored to us.

We have the honor to be, &c.

B. FRANKLIN, SILAS DEANE, ARTHUR LEE.

_Messrs Franklin and Deane's Contract with M. Holker._

We the undersigned acknowledge that we have authorised M. Holker to treat with Messrs Sabatier & Despres, for five thousand coats, waistcoats, and breeches, of which, two thousand five hundred coats are to be blue, and two thousand five hundred brown, with facings, linings, and collars of red, the waistcoats and breeches to be white, agreeably to the present treaty, and to the same clauses and conditions therein stipulated. Done at Paris, the 15th of August, 1777.

B. FRANKLIN, SILAS DEANE.

The present contract done and signed in duplicates to be faithfully executed on both sides, agreeably to its tenor and form. Paris, 6th of August, 1777.

MONTIEU.

SILAS DEANE, _for B. Franklin and self_.

_Amount of sundry Articles of Merchandise mentioned in the above Contracts_;

6000 coats, complete, at 37 livres ea. 222,000 12000 pair woollen stockings, 30 pr. doz. 30,000 100,000 lbs. of copper, 27 pr. lb. 135,000 22,000 " sheet copper and nails, 33 pr. lb. 36,300 20,000 " English tin, 17 the c't w't 17,000 4 million flints, 4 pr. 100 16,000 ------- 456,300

Sum total, four hundred fifty six thousand three hundred livres, errors and omissions excepted.

TO THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

Pa.s.sy, 8th September, 1777.

Gentlemen,

It is long since we had a line from you, the last received being of the date of ----, we suppose from the same causes which have occasioned your hearing so seldom from us, the difficulty of finding safe conveyances, and sometimes the loss of the despatches by the way.

Mr Lee informs you, we suppose, of his negotiations in Prussia, and his safe return hither. There appears in that, as well as in every other country in Europe, a disposition to share in our commerce, and to oblige us as far as may be done without offending England. We have numbers of letters from eminent houses there, proposing to furnish us with a variety of commodities, at reasonable rates, to be received by us in Europe, and paid for here. We advise them to send their goods in their own s.h.i.+ps, and protect their own trade to and from our coasts.

We enclose you a copy of the memorial[40] we sent to Portugal, to which we have yet received no answer. That Court has been lately much employed in adjusting its differences with Spain, which it is said are now nearly all accommodated, and that they will accede to the family compact.

This Court continues the same conduct that it has held ever since our arrival. It professes to England a resolution to observe all treaties, and proves it by restoring prizes too openly brought into their ports, imprisoning such persons as are found to be concerned in fitting out armed vessels against England from France, warning frequently those from America to depart, and repeating orders against the exportation of warlike stores. To us it privately professes a real friends.h.i.+p, wishes success to our cause, winks at the supplies we obtain here, as much as it can without giving open grounds of complaint to England, privately affords us very essential aids, and goes on preparing for war. How long these two parts will continue to be acted at the same time, and which will finally predominate, may be a question. As it is the true interest of France to prevent our being annexed to Britain, that so the British power may be diminished, and the French commerce augmented, we are inclined to believe the sincerity is towards us, more especially as the united bent of the nation is manifestly in our favor; their not having yet commenced a war is accounted for by various reasons. The treaties subsisting among the powers of Europe, by which they are obliged to aid those attacked more than those attacking, which it is supposed will make some difference, the not being fully prepared, the absence of their seamen in their fishery and West Indies, and the treasure expected from New Spain, with the sugars from the Islands, have all, it is said, contributed to restrain the national desire of a breach with England, in which her troublesome power may be reduced, the wealth and strength of France increased, and some satisfaction obtained for the injuries received, in the unfair commencement of the last war.

England too is extremely exasperated at the sight of her lost commerce enjoyed by France, the favor our armed vessels have met with here, and the distress of their remaining trade, by our cruisers, even on their own coasts; and yet she seems afraid of beginning a war with this country and Spain together, while she has our war upon her hands. In such a situation, some accident may probably bring on a war, sooner than is desired by either party. In the mean time, perhaps the delay may have this good effect for us, that enjoying the whole harvest of plunder upon the British commerce, which otherwise France and Spain would divide with us, our infant naval power finds such plentiful nourishment, as has increased, and must increase its growth and strength most marvellously.