Papers of John Adams, volume 6
1778-05-16
As there is an appearance that the Sales of the Rangers prizes will be greatly protracted thro' the claims of the Admiralty here—I have been under the necessity of drawing on you this day a 129Bill at five days sight in favor of Monsieur Bersolle for Twenty four thousand Livers—which I mean to distribute among the brave Officers and Men to whom I owe my late Success. It is but reasonable that they should be furnished with the means of procuring little comforts and necessaries of Life for themselves—— and the intrests of the Service as well as the claims of Humanity and Justice plead in behalf of their Wives and helpless Families who are now unprovided in America, and will naturally expect a Supply of Cloathing &ca. by the Drake.1
You may expect a circumstantial Account of every transaction respecting the Ranger in a day or two—Meantime my unsettled situation must be my Apology.2
It may not be amiss to add that upon recollection I do not conceive that France has any power to give up American prisoners while they remain on board of American Ships and are not suffered to come ashore.3 I have the honor to be with much Esteem and Respect, Gentlemen Your very Obliged very Obedient very humble Servant
The Commissioners' consideration of Jones' financial dealings with Bersolle in regard to the Ranger and its prizes had begun with their letter to Bersolle of 3 May (calendared above) and would later result in sharp exchanges with Jones (see the Commissioners to Jones, 25 May, calendared; and Jones' letters of 27 May and 3 June, all below). The issue was not resolved until 4 Nov., when the Commissioners, in a letter to J. D. Schweighauser and after having finally seen Bersolle's accounts, indicated what portions they would honor (LbC, Adams Papers).
See Jones to the Commissioners, 27 May (below).
A reference to Jones' letter of 9 May (above).
1778-05-17
It is our desire that you accept no Bills nor pay any money out of the funds which are or may be in your hands to the credit of us three jointly without our joint order. As it has been the practice to address Letters upon the business of the Commission to Mr. Deane we desire that you will send to us all the Letters you receive so directed, and not give them to any private person. We have the honor to be &c.
This letter was never sent. In a memorandum in his fragmentary journal for the period 25 May to 4 July (MH-H: Lee Papers), Arthur Lee explained that:
“Soon after Mr. Adams arrived, Mr. L. proposed that they should join in a letter to Mr. Grand the Banker forbidding him to pay any of the public money but to their joint order; to which Dr. F. would not agree saying he did not know but Mr. L. might starve him, that Mr. L. kept all the Spanish funds to himself. Upon his disagreeing the measure was dropt.”
Franklin's reference to the “spanish money” is a reflection of his sensitivity about his position vis-à-vis Arthur Lee in regard to Spain, to which both men held commissions. For a more detailed description of this conflict, see the Commissioners to J. D. Schweighauser, 10 June (calendared below).
Franklin also explained his reasons for not signing the order to Grand in a draft letter to Arthur Lee of the same date (
Cal. Franklin Papers, A.P.S.
, 3:510; Franklin, Writings, ed. Smyth, 7:154–155). There he stated that he knew of no problems caused by orders by the separate Commissioners, declined to depend on Lee for his “Subsistence,” and would not agree to have all letters to Silas Deane delivered to the Commissioners for what would be essentially a “Gratification of private Curiosity.”