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Vergennes to the Commissioners
Docno: PJA06d062
Recipient: First Joint Commission at Paris
Recipient: JA
Date: 1778-04-29
[dateline] A Versailles le 29. Avril 1778
J'ai communiqué à M. de Sartine, Messieurs, l'office que vous m'avez fait l'honneur de m'adresser1 dans la vüe d'obtenir des
{p. 74}
convois pour la sûreté du commerce que les négocians de Nantes et de Bordeaux font avec 1'Amérique Septentrionale; Je joins ici une copie de la réponse de ce Ministre;2 vous y verrez que le Roi a pris les mesures les plus efficaces pour protéger le commerce des Américains comme aussi celui de ses propres sujets, et je suis persuadé, Messieurs, que vous trouverez dans ces mesures une preuve satisfaisante des dispositions de Sa Majesté en faveur des Etats-unis.
[salute] J'ai l'honneur d'être très parfaitement Messieurs, votre très humble et très obéissant Serviteur.
[signed] De Vergennes
The Comte de Vergennes to the Commissioners: A Translation
Docno: PJA02d063
Recipient: First Joint Commission at Paris
Recipient: JA
Date: 1778-04-29
[dateline] Versailles, 29 April 1778
I have submitted to M. de Sartine the communication you did me the honor to address to me1 regarding the obtaining of convoys to ensure the safety of commerce between the merchants of Nantes and Bordeaux and those of North America. I have enclosed a copy of his reply.2 You will see that the King has taken the most efficacious measures to protect the trade of the Americans as well as that of his own subjects, and I am sure, gentlemen, that you will find these measures a satisfactory proof of His Majesty's favorable disposition toward the United States. I have the honor to be very perfectly, gentlemen, your very humble and very obedient servant.
[signed] De Vergennes
2. In his letter to Vergennes of 26 April (Dupl, MH-H: Lee Papers; LbC, Adams Papers; transl. in Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev.
, 2:564–565) Sartine stated that while measures were being taken to protect American and French ships from the depredations of Jersey and Guernsey privateers as they entered or left ports or rivers on the Bay of Biscay and a portion of the French coast facing the English Channel, the convoy of ships to America was impracticable. All that was possible was a limited convoy to and from the “Capes,” that is, to or from a line running approximately due north from the north-westernmost point in Spain. In any case, American ships were to receive the same treatment as those of France.
The Foreign Affairs Committee to the Commissioners
Docno: PJA06d064
Recipient: First Joint Commission at Paris
Recipient: JA
Date: 1778-04-30
No. 6 Copy
[dateline] York Town Apr. 30. 1778
[salute] Gentlemen
By the Gazettes which accompany this letter you will see that the Enemy are entering upon a plan which must shortly perplex us much,1 unless we receive dispatches from you to enlighten us as to your Situation and Transactions of which we have had no information since the latter end of May.2 As we have heard of the loss of Capt. Johnston and Capt. Wickes and know that John
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Folgier was robbed, we cannot charge our present want of letters to negligence in you; but we think you should not rest satisfied without sending triplicates of your dispatches.
The commercial Committee will transmit to you the contract which they have entered into with the agent of the House of Ro—derigue Hortales &Co. The heads of which contract happening to be at hand are inclosed.3
We have read a letter written by a friend (Govr. Johnston) dated House of Commons Feb. 13 th. in which we are told that “you had concluded a Treaty with France and Spain which was on the Water towards us.”4 Imagine how solicitous we are to know the truth of this before we receive any proposals from Britain in consequence of the scheme in Ld. Norths speech and the two Draughts of Bills now sent to you.
The state of our foreign connection is a subject now before Congress; and, dubious as we are about your transactions some resolutions will probably be formed to be transmitted to you by a special conveyance shortly, when a general account of our Affairs will also be sent. We have little uneasiness about the Strengths of our enemy. Our currency must be supported in due credit; after which we may bid defiance to Britain and all her German hirelings. We wish every advice and Assistance from You for the support of such Credit. I am with great Regard Gentlemen your humble Servant
[signed] James Lovell
RC
PPAmP: Franklin Papers; docketed: “Mr Lovel Ap. 30. 1778”; in another hand: “Copy of Apr. 30th to the Commissioners in France.” The word “Copy” is used to indicate that this was one of several copies sent by the Committee for Foreign Affairs to ensure that at least one reached France. The letter is in Lovell's hand. No enclosures found.
3. See Commerce Committee to the Commissioners, 16 May (below).
4. George Johnstone (1730–1787), a former governor of West Florida, was a member of the opposition in Parliament, thus Lovell's reference to him as a “friend” Johnstone's later actions as a member of the Carlisle Commission and support for the Ministry's policies as a self-styled expert on America, however, greatly diminished his reputation among Americans (
DNB
).
The letter referred to by Lovell has not been found, but Johnstone's knowledge of the French treaties only a week after they were signed indicates the effectiveness of the British intelligence service. Johnstone probably also knew of Simeon Deane's abortive mission of early January (Simeon Deane to the Commissioners, 16 April, note 1, above). In a letter of 5 Feb. to Robert Morris, read in the congress on 27 April (PCC, No. 78, XIII), Johnstone reported that the preliminaries of a treaty with France had been sent to America, but warned against doing anything rash in view of an imminent new reconciliation initiative. Presumably he meant that the treaties should not be ratified.
Cite web page as: Founding Families: Digital Editions of the Papers of the Winthrops and the Adamses, ed.C. James Taylor. Boston: Massachusetts Historical Society, 2007.
http://www.masshist.org/ff/
http://www.masshist.org/ff/