Displaying 1 - 20 of 36
We beg Leave to acquaint your Excellency, that we are appointed and fully impowered by the Congress of the United States of America, to propose and negotiate a Treaty of Amity and Commerce between France and the said States.—The just and generous Treatment their Trading Ships have received, by a free Admission into the Ports of this Kingdom, with other Considerations of Respect, has induced the...
Date: 23 December 1776
Volume: Volume 7
The Congress, the better to defend their Coasts, protect their Trade and drive off the Enemy, have instructed us to apply to France for 8 Ships of the Line, compleatly mann[e ]d, the Expence of which they will undertake to pay. As other Princes of Europe are lending or hiring their Troops to Britain against America, it is apprehended that France may, if she thinks fit, afford our Independant...
Date: 5 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
The situation of the United-states, require an immediate supply of Stores of various sorts, of which a proportion of Military for the opening and supporting the coming Campaign
Vessels or Ships belonging to the United States cannot be procured, and if they could, the Danger and Risque would be very great.
Difficulties have arose at the different Ports, where Military Stores have been collected...
Date: 10 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
We joined each other at this place on the 22d of December and on the 28th had an Audience of his Excellency the Count de Vergennes, one of his most Christian Majesty's principal Secretaries of State and Minister for Foreign Affairs. We laid before him our Commission with the Articles of the proposed Treaty of Commerce. He assured us of the protection of his Court, and that due Consideration...
Date: 17 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
You are directed to proceed to Boulogne, and there purchase, on as good Terms as possible, a Cutter suitable for the purpose of being sent to America; on the purchase being made dispatch the Vessel to Havre du Grace to the Care of Monsr Limozin,2 and agree in the Bargain to have her delivered, at sd Port, at the risque, & expence of the Original Owner, at which stipulate to make the payment;...
Date: 26 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Messrs :Franklin, Dean, and Lee, Ministers from the Congress of the United States, beg leave to represent to his Excellency the Count de Vergennes, that besides the general alarming Accounts of the Success of the English against their Country, they have just received authentic Intelligence from England, that Eight thousand Men, chiefly Germam under the command of General [John] Burgoyne, are to...
Date: 1 February 1777
Volume: Volume 8
It is considered that in the present situation of things at the Courts of France and Spain, we find no probability of obtaining any effectual aid, alliance, or declaration of War against Great Britain, without the following stipulation; therefore
We the Commissioners plenipotentiary from the Congress of the United States of America, are unanimously of Opinion, that if France or Spain should...
Date: 2 February 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Since our last, a Copy of which is inclosed, Mr Hodge is arrived here from Martinique, & has brought safely the Papers he was charged with. He had a long Passage & was near being starved. We are about to employ him in a Service pointed out by you at Dunkirk or Flushing. He has delivered us three Sets of the Papers We wanted. But We shall want more, & beg. you will not fail to send...
Date: 6 February 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Whereas the Snow Dickenson with her Cargoe, which was the property of the Congress of the United States of America; was by an Act of Piracy, in some of her Crew, carried into the port of Bristol in England, & there, as we are informd, was converted to the use of the Government of great Britain, & the perpetrators of so base & dishonest an Action, the Mates &c were rewarded instead...
Date: 7 February 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Captain Wickes of the Reprisal Frigate, belonging to the United States of America, has now in his Hands near 100 British Seamen, Prisoners. He . desires to know whether an Exchange may be made with him for an equal' Number of American Seamen now Prisoners in England? We take the Liberty of proposing this Matter to your Lordship & of requesting your opinion, if there be no Impropriety in your...
Date: 23 February 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Your first we did not receive till eight days after it was dated—Your last _of the 19th last Evening. We wish to know if the Captns Who have so little regard to their Parole sighnd a written parole or not ー If they did we advise you to show it to the Intendant & desire they may be obligd to live up to it ー We have applied to the British Embassader for an exchange of Prisoners, but have receiv...
Date: 23 February 1777
Volume: Volume 8
It is now more than 4 Months since Mr Franklin's Departure from Philadelphia, and not a Line from thence written since that time has hitherto reached either of your Commissioners in Europe. vVe have had no Information of what passes in America but thro' England, & the Advises are for the most part such only as the Ministry chuse to publish. Our total Ignorance of the Truth or Falsehood of...
Date: 12 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
We have lately received an Express from The Congress of the United States of North America containing some new instructions to Us, the purport of which it is proper your Excellency should be acquainted with. The Congress tho' firmly determined to maintain as long as possible their independance, whither assisted or not by any0 other power, yet for the sake of humanity wishing universal Peace would...
Date: 18 March 1777
Volume: Volume 8
We did ourselves the Honour of writing some time since to your Lordship on the Subject of Exchanging Prisoners. You did not condescend to give us any Answer, and therefore we expect none to this. We take the liberty of sending you Copies of certain Depositions which we shall transmit to Congress; whereby it will be known to your Court that the United States are not unacquainted with the barbarous...
Date: 2 April 1777
Volume: Volume 8
. . . these Courts [France and Spain] have particular strong Reasons for keeping out of the War as long as they can, besides this general One, that on both sides the Nation attacking loses the Claim which when attack'd it has for Aid from its Allies. And we have these Advantages in their keeping out of War that they are better able to afford us private Assistance, that by holding themselves in...
Date: 9 April 1777
Volume: Volume 8
With this, you will receive Dispatches; with which you are to sail with all possible expedition. You will enclose the Dispatches in a Box with Lead, & have it always ready to sink, should you be in unavoidable danger of falling into the Enemies hands. To prevent this misfortune you will contantly keep a good look-out, & be very cautious how you approach any vessel to speak her; which...
Date: 11 April 1777
Volume: Volume 8
You are directed to call on Capt Wicks on Your return, & inform him, that We have pursuant to his proposal, ordered the Lexington under Your Command to proceed with him, on the Cruise on which he is bound; You will agree with Capt Wicks, on the place of Your Rendevouz, Your Signals &c which You are to take in writing, & carefully attend to ー You will also follow Such directions, as he...
Date: 21 April 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Agreeable to what we mentioned in ours of March 14 & April the 9th (a third Copy of which we send herewith) Mr Lee tarry'd here some weeks after his Return from Spain. No News arriving (tho' we received Letters frorp you) of any Commissioner being actually appointed for Prussia, and the Necessity of a good Understanding with that Court in order to obtain speedily a Port in the Northern Seas...
Date: 25 May 1777
Volume: Volume 8
The Navy of the United States increasing in the Number of its ships, & Force, it is of the utmost importance to direct the Cruises of the Shipps of War which belong either to the States or individuals so, as to annoy, & alarm the Enemy the most effectually, and at the same time to encourage Our brave Officers, & Seamen by the Value of the prizes. The West India Trade was so much...
Date: 26 May 1777
Volume: Volume 8
We the underwritten Commissioners from the Congress of the United States of N. America, beg leave to represent to your Excellency, that Captain Burnel[l], Commander of an armed Vessel commissioned by the said States, did lately take Refuge in the Port of Cherburgh with his Vessel and one of his Prizes, putting himself under the Protection of the King.
That an armed Vessel belonging to the King of...
Date: 26 June 1777
Volume: Volume 9