The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution Volume I Part 37

Sir,

Your favors of May 11th and 18th are now before us. We shall this day acquaint Captain Jones how far it is in our power to comply with his desires, and in what manner. Your letter of the 18th informs us of a dispute between Mr Schweighauser and you, concerning the disposal of the Ranger's prizes; and you are still of opinion, that you have authority to interfere in the disposal of prizes, and that you should be chargeable with neglect of duty if you did not. The necessities of our country demand the utmost frugality, which can never be obtained, without the utmost simplicity in the management of her affairs; and as Congress have authorised Mr W. Lee to superintend the commercial affairs in general, and he has appointed Mr Schweighauser, and as your authority is under the Commissioners at Paris only, we think it prudent and necessary for the public service to revoke, and we do hereby revoke, all the powers and authorities heretofore granted to you by the Commissioners plenipotentiary of the United States of America, or any of them at Paris; to the end, that hereafter the management of the affairs, commercial and maritime, of America, may be under one sole direction, that of Mr Schweighauser within his district.

As to the merchandise and stores of every kind, which you have on hand at present, we leave it to your choice, either to ship them to America yourself, or to deliver them over to Mr Schweighauser to be shipped by him. It is not from any prejudice to you, for whom we have a great respect and esteem, but merely from a desire to save the public money, and prevent the clashing of claims and interests, and to avoid confusion and delays, that we have taken this step.

We have further to repeat our earnest request, that you would lay your accounts before us as soon as possible, because, until we have them we can never know either the state of our finances, or how far the orders of Congress for stores and merchandise to be shipped to America have been fulfilled.

We are, Sir, &c.

B. FRANKLIN, ARTHUR LEE, JOHN ADAMS.

TO M. DE SARTINE.

Pa.s.sy, June 3d, 1778.

Sir,

We have the honor of enclosing to your Excellency, an account of duties paid by the agent for necessary supplies to the ship of war the Boston, in the port of Bordeaux. As these duties are very heavy, and the payment of any duties on mere supplies to ships of war, as on merchandise exported, appears to us uncommon, we beg the favor of your Excellency to give such orders relative to it in all his Majesty's ports, as may regulate this for the future.

The Captain of the ship of war the Ranger, belonging to the United States, has, we understand, put his prizes into the hands of the intendant or Commandant at Brest; and no account has been rendered of them to the public agent, or to us. We are also given to understand, that, in consequence of this proceeding, very heavy fees are to be paid upon the sale of them. As the transaction is altogether improper, we must trouble your Excellency for an order to the commandant, to deliver them, without delay or extraordinary charges, to the public agent, Mr Schweighauser at Nantes, or to his order.

It would give us satisfaction to annoy our enemies, by granting a letter of marque, as is desired, for a vessel fitting out at Dunkirk, and, as it is supposed by us, containing a mixed crew of French, Americans, and English. But, if this should seem improper to your Excellency, we will not do it.

We have the honor, &c.

B. FRANKLIN, ARTHUR LEE, JOHN ADAMS.

JOHN PAUL JONES TO THE COMMISSIONERS.

Pa.s.sy, June 16th, 1778.

Gentlemen,

At the time when I took Lieutenant Simpson's parole, I did not expect to have been so long absent from America; but as circ.u.mstances have now rendered the time of my return less certain, I am willing to let the dispute between us drop forever, by giving up that parole, which will ent.i.tle him to command the Ranger. I bear no malice, and, if I have done him an injury, this will be making him all the present satisfaction in my power. If, on the contrary, he has injured me, I will trust to himself for an acknowledgment.

I have the honor to be, with sentiments of esteem and respect,

Your obliged, &c.

JOHN PAUL JONES.

TO DAVID HARTLEY.

Pa.s.sy, June 16th, 1778.

Sir,

I received yours of the 5th instant, acquainting us that the ministry have at length agreed to an exchange of prisoners. We shall write to Captain Jones for the list required, which will be sent you as soon as received. We understand there are at least two hundred. We desire and expect, that the number of ours shall be taken from Tortune and Plymouth, in proportion to the number in each place, and to consist of those who have been longest in confinement, it being not only equitable that they should be first, but this method will prevent all suspicions, that you pick out the worst and weakest of our people to give in exchange for your good ones. If you think proper to clear your prisoners at once, and give us all our people, we give you our solemn engagement, which we are sure will be punctually executed, to deliver to Lord Howe, in America, or to his order, a number of your sailors, equal to the surplus, as soon as the agreement arrives there.

There is one thing more which we desire may be observed. We shall note in our lists the names and numbers of those taken in the service of the King, distinguishing them from those taken in the merchants'

service; that, in the exchange to be made, you may give adequate numbers of those taken in the service of the States, and of our merchants. This will prevent any uneasiness among your navymen and ours, if the seamen of merchantmen are exchanged before them. As it will be very troublesome and expensive, as well as fatiguing to them, to march our people from Brest to Calais, we may endeavor to get leave for your ship to come to the road of Brest, to receive them there; or, if that cannot be, we must desire from your Admiralty a pa.s.sport for the ship, that is to convey them from Brest to Calais. If you have any of our people still prisoners on board your ships of war, we request they may be put into the prisons, to take their chance of exchange with the rest.

B. FRANKLIN.

TO JOHN PAUL JONES.

Pa.s.sy, June 16th, 1778.

Sir,

Upon the receipt of this letter, you will forthwith make preparations, with all possible despatch, for a voyage to America. Your own prudence will naturally induce you to keep this your destination secret, lest measures should be taken by the enemy to intercept you. If, in the course of your pa.s.sage home, opportunities should present of making prizes, or of doing any material annoyance to the enemy, you are to embrace them; and you are at liberty to go out of your way for so desirable a purpose.

The fishery, at the banks of Newfoundland, is an important object, and possibly the enemy's men of war may have other business than the protection of it. Transports are constantly pa.s.sing and repa.s.sing from Rhode Island, New York and Philadelphia to Halifax, and from all these places to England. You will naturally search for some of these as prizes.

If the French government should send any despatches to you, or if you should receive any from us, to carry to America, you will take the best care of them, and especially that they may not fall into improper hands. You are not, however, to wait for any despatches, but to proceed upon your voyage as soon as you can get ready. If there is any room on board your ship, where you could stow away a number of chests of arms, or of clothing, for the use of the United States, you will inform M. Schweighauser of it, that he may send them to you before your departure. We do not mean to enc.u.mber you with a cargo, which will obstruct the sailing of your ship, or will impede her fighting; but if, consistent with her sailing and fighting, she can take any quant.i.ty of arms or clothing, it will be a desirable object for the public.

We have the honor to be, &c.

B. FRANKLIN, ARTHUR LEE, JOHN ADAMS.

FROM THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO THE COMMISSIONERS.

York, 21st June, 1778.

Gentlemen,

The British Commissioners have arrived and transmitted their powers and propositions to Congress, which have received the answer you will find in the Pennsylvania Gazette of the 20th instant.

On the 18th of this month, General Clinton, with the British army, (now under his command) abandoned Philadelphia, and the city is in possession of our troops. The enemy crossed into Jersey, but whether with design to push for South Amboy, or to embark below Billingsport, on the Delaware, is yet uncertain. General Washington has put his army in motion, and is following the enemy into Jersey.

There has arrived here a M. Holker, from France, who has presented a paper to Congress, declaring that he comes with a verbal message to Congress from the minister of France, touching our treating with Great Britain, and some other particulars which, for want of his paper, we cannot at present enumerate. The style of his paper is as if from the representative of the Court, but he has no authentic voucher of his mission for the delivery of this verbal message. We desire of you, gentlemen, to give us the most exact information in your power concerning the authenticity of M. Holker's mission for this purpose.

We are, gentlemen, with esteem and regard, &c.

RICHARD H. LEE, THOMAS HAYWARD, JR.

JAMES LOVELL.