The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution Volume IV Part 29

Translation.

Versailles, May 22d, 1785.

Sir,

I have learnt with much concern of your retiring, and of your approaching departure for America. You cannot doubt but that the regrets, which you will leave, will be proportionate to the consideration you so justly enjoy.

I can a.s.sure you, Sir, that the esteem the King entertains for you, does not leave you anything to wish, and that his Majesty will learn with real satisfaction, that your fellow citizens have rewarded, in a manner worthy of you, the important services that you have rendered them.

I beg, Sir, that you will preserve for me a share in your remembrance, and never doubt the sincerity of the interest I take in your happiness. It is founded on the sentiments of attachment of which I have a.s.sured you, and with which I have the honor to be, &c.

DE VERGENNES.

TO THOMAS BARCLAY.

Pa.s.sy, June 19th, 1785.

Sir,

With respect to my continuing to charge 2500 sterling per annum as my salary, of which you desire some explanation, I send you, in support of that charge, the resolution of Congress, which is in these words.

"In Congress, October 5th, 1779. Resolved, that each of the Ministers Plenipotentiary be allowed at the rate of two thousand five hundred pounds sterling per annum, and each of their Secretaries at the rate of one thousand pounds sterling per annum, in full for their services and expenses respectively. That the salary of each of the said officers be computed from the time of his leaving his place of abode, to enter on the duties of his office, and be continued three months after the notice of his recall."

The several bills I afterwards received, drawn on the Congress banker, Mr Grand, for my salary, were all calculated on that sum, as my salary; and neither the banker nor myself has received notice of any change respecting me. He has accordingly, since the drawing ceased, continued to pay me at the same rate. I have, indeed, heard that a resolution was pa.s.sed last year, that the salaries of Plenipotentiaries should be no more than 2000 sterling per annum. But the resolution, I suppose, can relate only to such Plenipotentiaries as should be afterwards appointed; for I cannot conceive that the Congress, after promising a Minister 2500 a year, and when he has thereby been encouraged to engage in a way of living for their honor, which only that salary can support, would think it just to diminish it a fifth, and leave him under the difficulty of reducing his expenses proportionably; a thing scarce practicable; the necessity of which he might have avoided, if he had not confided in their original promise.

But the article of salary, with all the rest of my accounts, will be submitted to the judgment of Congress, together with some other considerable articles I have not charged, but on which I shall expect, from their equity, some consideration. If, for want of knowing precisely the intention of Congress, what expenses should be deemed public, and what private, I have charged any article to the public, which should be defrayed by me, their banker has my order, as soon as the pleasure of Congress shall be made known to him, to rectify the error, by transferring the amount to my private account, and discharging by so much that of the public.

I have the honor to be, &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

M. DE CASTRIES TO B. FRANKLIN.

Translation.

Versailles, July 10th, 1785.

Sir,

I was not apprized, until within a few hours, of the arrangements which you have made for your departure. Had I been informed of it sooner, I should have proposed to the King to order a frigate to convey you to your own country, in a manner suitable to the known importance of the services you have been engaged in, to the esteem you have acquired in France, and the particular esteem which his Majesty entertains for you.

I pray you, Sir, to accept my regrets, and a renewed a.s.surance of the most entire consideration, with which I have the honor to be, Sir, your very humble and very obedient servant,

DE CASTRIES.

TO JOHN JAY, SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

Philadelphia, September 19th, 1785.

Sir,

I have the honor to acquaint you, that I left Paris the 12th of July, and, agreeable to the permission of Congress, am returned to my own country. Mr Jefferson had recovered his health, and was much esteemed and respected there. Our joint letters have already informed you of our late proceedings, to which I have nothing to add, except that the last act I did, as Minister Plenipotentiary for making treaties, was to sign with him, two days before I came away, the treaty of friendship and commerce that had been agreed on with Prussia,[31] and which was to be carried to the Hague, by Mr Short, there to be signed by Baron Thulemeyer on the part of the King, who, without the least hesitation, had approved and conceded to the new humane articles proposed by Congress. Mr Short was also to call at London for the signature of Mr Adams, who I learnt, when at Southampton, was well received at the British Court.

The Captain Lamb, who, in a letter of yours to Mr Adams, was said to be coming to us with instructions respecting Morocco, had not appeared, nor had we heard anything of him; so nothing had been done by us in that treaty.

I left the Court of France in the same friendly disposition towards the United States, that we have all along experienced, though concerned to find that our credit is not better supported in the payment of the interest money due on our loans, which, in case of another war, must be, they think, extremely prejudicial to us, and indeed may contribute to draw on a war the sooner, by affording our enemies the encouraging confidence, that those who take so little care to pay, will not again find it easy to borrow. I received from the King, at my departure, the present of his picture set round with diamonds, usually given to Ministers Plenipotentiary, who have signed any treaties with that Court; and it is at the disposition of Congress, to whom be pleased to present my dutiful respects.

I am, with great esteem and regard, &c.

B FRANKLIN.

_P. S._ Not caring to trust them to a common conveyance, I send by my late Secretary, who will have the honor of delivering them to you, all the original treaties I have been concerned in negotiating, that were completed. Those with Portugal and Denmark continue in suspense.

B. F.

FOOTNOTE:

[31] See this Treaty at large in the public _Journals of Congress_, Vol. IV. p. 639.

TO MR GRAND, BANKER AT PARIS.

Philadelphia, July 11th, 1786.

Sir,

I send you enclosed some letters, that have pa.s.sed between the Secretary of Congress and me, respecting three millions of livres, acknowledged to have been received, before the treaty of February, 1778, as _don gratuit_ from the King, of which only two millions are found in your accounts; unless the million from the Farmers-General be one of the three. I have been a.s.sured, that all the money received from the King, whether as loan or gift, went through your hands; and as I always looked on the million we had of the Farmers-General to be distinct from what we had of the Crown, I wonder how I came to sign the contract, acknowledging three millions of gift, when, in reality, there was only two, exclusive of that from the Farmers; and, as both you and I examined the project of the contract before I signed it, I am surprised, that neither of us took notice of the error.

It is possible, that the million furnished ostensibly by the Farmers, was in fact a gift of the Crown, in which case, as Mr Thompson observes, they owe us for the two ship loads of tobacco, which they received on account of it. I must earnestly request of you to get this matter explained, that it may stand clear before I die, lest some enemy should afterwards accuse me of having received a million not accounted for.

I am, &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

M. DURIVAL TO MR GRAND.

Translation.

Versailles, August 30th, 1786.