Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 7

Gabriel de Sartine to Benjamin Franklin: A Translation

From Thomas Cushing
Abraham Livingston to the Commissioners, 20 October 1778 Livingston, Abraham Franklin, Benjamin Lee, Arthur JA First Joint Commission at Paris

1778-10-20

 Abraham Livingston to the Commissioners, 20 October 1778 Livingston, Abraham Franklin, Benjamin Lee, Arthur Adams, John First Joint Commission at Paris
Abraham Livingston to the Commissioners
Sirs Chs. Town So. Carolina 20th Octobr. 1778

I did myself the Pleasure to write you 10th and 22d June, to which please be referred;1 I therein acquainted you that the Honorable Commercial Committe of Congress had ordered several Vessels to this Port for Cargoes for France. The Officers and Mariners of the Ship Flammand absolutely refused to proceed to this Place from the Massachusetts State. The Mellish was destroyed by the Enemy at Bedford,2 the Ship Hayfield and Brigantine Minerva have been ordered to the West Indias, so that my hopes of sending Remittances to France on the Public Account are for the present frustrated. I think it necessary you shoud be advised thereof, and whenever any thing farther in the Mercantile line shall take Place you shall be advised thereof.

I remain with due Esteem Your most Obedient Humble Servant

Abrm Livingston3

RC (PPAmP: Franklin Papers); docketed, probably by William Temple Franklin: “A. Livingston 20. Oct. 1778.”

1.

Neither letter has been found.

 2.

A former British naval transport, the Mellish was destroyed during Grey's Raid on the Massachusetts south coast in early Sept. (Morison, John Paul Jones , p. 79–80, 85; Zephaniah W. Pease, History of New Bedford, 3 vols., N.Y., 1918, 1:27; James Warren to JA, 7 Oct., note 3, above).

 147 3.

Livingston, a New York merchant, was the congress' commercial agent at Charleston (Papers of Robert Morris, ed. E. James Ferguson and John Catanzariti, Pittsburgh, 1973–,3:190–191).