![Light Novel -?=$public_r['add_site_name']?>](/static/content/img/logo.png){kind=logo}
The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution novel. A total of 580 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution.Vol. I.by Various.VOL. I.THE CO
The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution.Vol. I.by Various.VOL. I.THE CORRESPONDENCE OF SILAS DEANE, COMMISSIONER FROM THE UNITED STATES TO THE COURT OF FRANCE.Silas Deane was born in the town of Groton, Connecticut, and graduated at Yale
- 301 It is observable, that he did not offer to return me the draft of this letter, though I had agreed to suppress it.The letter which, agreeable to the Amba.s.sador's advice, I subst.i.tuted in the place of the other, is in these words, viz.St Ildefonso
- 302 VI."The United States shall relinquish to his Catholic Majesty, and in future forbear to use, or attempt to use, the navigation of the river Mississippi from the thirtyfirst degree of north lat.i.tude, that is, from the point where it leaves the Unit
- 303 Our merchants would, in my opinion, do well to write their endors.e.m.e.nts on bills at length, and in their own hand writing. There is reason to believe that the enemy often turn blank endors.e.m.e.nts to good account.M. Gardoqui is here. Those s.h.i.+ps
- 304 The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution.Vol. VIII.by Various.THE CORRESPONDENCE OF JOHN JAY.CORRESPONDENCE CONTINUED.ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON TO JOHN JAY.Philadelphia, December 13th, 1781.Dear Sir, My last letter of the 28th of November, sent
- 305 Will it consist with the dignity of his Catholic Majesty to ask, for the short s.p.a.ce in which he has been engaged in the war, not only Gibraltar, but the two Floridas, the Mississippi, the exclusion of Great Britain from the trade to the Bay of Hondura
- 306 "_St Ildefonso, October 5th, 1781._"To this I received the following answer.Translation."The Count de Florida Blanca presents his compliments to Mr Jay, and wishes him a pleasant journey. He will write to him as soon as he can say anything
- 307 You will be pleased to observe, that my last letter to the Minister was dated the 9th of October, and that there is a paragraph in it soliciting his speedy attention to the affairs on which he had promised to write to me. I received no answer. Some weeks
- 308 Much reason has been given me to believe, that the hard proceedings against Captain Hill were not justifiable, and the Minister's declining to furnish me with a state of the facts supposed to be alleged against him speaks the same language. What inte
- 309 It is somewhat singular, that M. Del Campo should have been appointed near three months past to treat and confer with me, and yet I should be left all that time without any information of it. It shows, that the King is ready to do what may depend upon him
- 310 "My dear Sir, "I had yesterday the satisfaction of receiving your favor of the 15th instant. You will find by a letter, which I wrote you on the 11th instant, that I imputed your silence to its true cause, being well persuaded, that the same att
- 311 I received in the evening the following letter from the Chevalier de Bourgoing, viz.Translation."Sir, "The dreadful weather today prevents me from coming to inform you orally, what M. de Montmorin has to communicate to you in pursuance of his in
- 312 "The Minister has ordered the balance due (about twentysix thousand dollars,) on the one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, to be paid to M. Cabarrus on my account, and has through him informed me that no more is to be expected."M. Cabarrus is
- 313 "Bills to a considerable amount have been presented to me this afternoon for payment. The holders of them consent to wait until tomorrow noon for my positive and final answer."Your Excellency is too well apprised of everything that can be said o
- 314 "With sincerest regard, I am, &c. &c.B. FRANKLIN."_P. S._ The Marquis de Lafayette has your letter."I answered this letter as follows, by a French courier."Madrid, March 19th, 1782."Dear Sir, "On the 18th instant I informed y
- 315 On the 30th of March I was surprised by the following note, being the first of the kind which I have received from the Minister since my arrival.Translation."The Count de Florida Blanca has been to take the orders of V. S.[2]for Aranjues, where he ho
- 316 2; these letters being laid before Congress, they came to the resolution No. 3. You will judge from these circ.u.mstances, whether it is probable, that Britain will easily seduce us into a violation of the faith we have pledged to our allies.I am particul
- 317 Dear Sir, I had the pleasure of writing to you on the 25th instant. As the express, which is to carry that letter, will not depart till tomorrow morning, I have a good opportunity of making this addition to my despatches.Agreeably to the desire of Congres
- 318 Since closing the despatches you will receive with this, I was honored with yours of June. Nothing material having since occurred, I only write to enclose the annexed resolutions of Congress, on the subject of your powers for negotiating. I see by yours,
- 319 Translation."I have received, Sir, the letter of today, with which you have honored me, and the copy of the powers, which Mr Oswald communicated to you. The form in which it is conceived, not being that which is usual, I cannot form my opinion on the
- 320 "As to referring an acknowledgment of our independence to the first article of a treaty, permit us to remark, that this implies, that we are not to be considered in that light until after the conclusion of the treaty, and our acquiescing would be to
- 321 "Versailles, September 4th, 1782."Sir, "I should be glad to have a conversation with you on the subject of the boundaries in regard to Spain, but it is impossible for me to go to Paris for this purpose. You would oblige me, if you would hav
- 322 TO THE COUNT D'ARANDA."Paris, September 10th, 1782."Sir, "Agreeably to your Excellency's request, I have now the honor of repeating in writing, that I am not authorised by Congress to make any cession of any counties belonging to
- 323 "The respect due to your Excellency's judgment, our confidence in the friends.h.i.+p of our good and great ally, and the tenor of our instructions from Congress, all conspire to urge us to lay before your Excellency a full state of the facts and
- 324 "On the last of June, 1584, the King of France sent an Amba.s.sador (le Sieur Pruneaul) to Holland, and he in writing represented to the States a.s.sembled at Delft, that his Majesty had understood that they desired to treat with him, and that he had
- 325 "On the 24th of December, 1607, they wrote to the Archduke, that under the _protest and declaration_ contained in the answer of the 2d of November, they were content to enter into conferences with his Deputies at the Hague, and proposed to prolong th
- 326 The conversation next turned to our negotiation with Spain, and to her claims east of the Mississippi. Nothing new pa.s.sed on the first topic; as to the latter, the Count made only some very general remarks, such as that he hoped we should, on conferring
- 327 Dear Sir, I have before me your letters of the 25th and 28th of June. I congratulate you on your safe arrival at Paris, where I venture to hope your residence will on many accounts be more agreeable than it was at Madrid. Nothing can be more pleasing to u
- 328 TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.Paris, April 7th, 1783.Dear Sir, After the preliminaries had been settled and ratified, the Spanish Amba.s.sador informed me that his Court was ready to receive me, not only in form, but "_tres honnetement_." He _then_ ex
- 329 Before I left Spain, and often since by letters, I desired Mr Carmichael to make out and transmit to Philadelphia a clear and full state of the public accounts; and also agreeably to Dr Franklin's request, to send him an account of the bills remainin
- 330 I am, Sir, with the greatest respect, &c.FRANCIS DANA.TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.Paris, August 24th, 1780.Sir, I did myself the honor on the 10th instant to write to your Excellency, by Captain John Paul Jones, who then expected to sail soon, in the Ari
- 331 And you will give it an attention suitable to its importance. Your success will, however, depend on a variety of sources and contingencies; on a more perfect knowledge of the state of Europe than can be obtained at this distance; on the ultimate views of
- 332 TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.Paris, March 28th, 1781.Sir, I did myself the honor to write to your Excellency, on the 24th instant, and to acknowledge the receipt of your despatches by Colonel Laurens, and by the Duke of Leinster, both for Mr Adams and mys
- 333 I am, with the greatest respect, &c.FRANCIS DANA.TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.Paris, April 4th, 1781.Sir, If the packet, which I sent off for L'Orient early this morning comes safe to hand, your Excellency will receive a copy of my letter of the 31st
- 334 JOHN ADAMS TO FRANCIS DANA.Leyden, April 18th, 1781.Dear Sir, I am at no loss what advice to give you in answer to the questions in your letter of this day, because they relate to a subject on which I have long reflected, and have formed an opinion as ful
- 335 TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.Berlin, July 28th, 1781.Sir, I beg leave to acquaint your Excellency, that after having been detained at Amsterdam more than a month from the time I myself was ready to enter upon my journey, in hopes of being accompanied by M
- 336 THE MARQUIS DE VERAC._P. S._ I ought to inform you, that the Count Panin and the Count d'Ostermann do not understand English; this will render your communications with these Ministers difficult.TO THE MARQUIS DE VERAC.St Petersburg, September 4th, 17
- 337 It is to be observed, that the Dantzickers, the Prussians and the Russians are improving the present opportunity, which the Dutch war affords them of increasing their own navigation, with the utmost industry; and the great rise of freights enables them to
- 338 I forgot, under the head of intelligence, to inform you that the British had, in September last, made one effort to relieve Cornwallis with their fleet, consisting of nineteen sail of the line, before the Count de Barras, from Rhode Island, had made his j
- 339 The acts of accession and acceptation on the part of the Emperor and Empress, relative to the neutral confederation, were exchanged here a few days after the date of my last letter to the President. A want of connexion is observable among the powers who h
- 340 Philadelphia, May 22d, 1782.Sir, Your letters, from the 28th of July to October 15th, have been read in Congress. I have reported an answer,[24] but they have not yet agreed on it, and I do not care to let this vessel go without a line, however hastily wr
- 341 TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.St Petersburg, September 5th, 1782.Sir, Though there is now no danger of our suffering from the misrepresentations of the British, and our independence may be considered as established beyond all question, yet her Imperial Majesty,
- 342 By arguments of this kind, pursued into their details, and such as are contained in those reflections, I have endeavored, I hope with some good effect, to dissipate any apprehensions of the abovementioned rivalry. This had become an object of consequence
- 343 I have the honor to be, Sir, with great esteem, &c.FRANCIS DANA.ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON TO FRANCIS DANA.Philadelphia, December 17th, 1782.Sir, Your distance, and the difficulty of conveying letters to you, make it proper at times to take a retrospective view
- 344 St Petersburg, December 30th, 1782.Sir, Yesterday's post has not brought us any further news respecting the peace. The French Minister has received no account of it yet, nor have I from the Commissioners. No one, however, doubts that the preliminarie
- 345 We still remain in the same uncertainty about the negotiations of the other belligerent powers, yet they are believed to be in a favorable state, and it is expected we shall soon receive the news of the preliminaries being signed by them all. If so, I sho
- 346 Sir, As I have not received an answer to my letter to the Vice Chancellor, I can say nothing upon it at present. The verbal message, mentioned in my last, was an apology for the omission of the first week; perhaps I shall have an answer in a few days; if
- 347 2dly. That she could not do it even then, consistent with the laws of neutrality, while his letter of credence bore date prior to the acknowledgment of their independence by the King of Great Britain; 3dly. That she could not do it regularly, while his le
- 348 1st. Because it would be to propose to the United States, in effect, to strike off near seven years of their existence, as free, sovereign, and independent States.2dly. Because their compliance with it would amount to a confession on their part, that they
- 349 ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON TO FRANCIS DANA.Philadelphia, May 27th, 1783.Sir, Since my last, a copy of which will be transmitted with this, Congress were pleased to pa.s.s the enclosed resolution limiting the term to which they conceive the duration of the treat
- 350 "I have the honor to be, &c.FRANCIS DANA."_St Petersburg, June 16th, 1783._"You will not suppose, from anything contained in the answer to my Memorial, that I had misstated any part of the first answer. Whether my reasoning upon the several
- 351 The Russians shall be amenable to justice touching all their contracts and engagements between them and the citizens of the United States residing in Russia, in the place where they shall have made them, unless it shall be otherwise stipulated therein, an
- 352 ARTICLE x.x.xII.If, by exhibiting the sea-letters and other doc.u.ments, the other party shall discover there any of those sorts of goods, which are declared prohibited and contraband, and that they are consigned for a port under the obedience of his enem
- 353 A courier has been sent from hence with a similar communication as above, to the Courts of Berlin and Versailles, which Courts having been apprehensive of such an event, are, doubtless, prepared to meet it, and oppose themselves to the execution of the pr
- 354 I have the honor to be, &c. FRANCIS DANA. TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. Cambridge, December 17th, 1783. Sir, I do myself the honor to inform your Excellency of my arrival at Boston in the s.h.i.+p Kingston, on Friday last, after a pa.s.sage of ninetyfive
- 355 The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution.Vol. IX.by Various.THE CORRESPONDENCE OF WILLIAM CARMICHAEL; CHARGe D'AFFAIRES FROM THE UNITED STATES TO THE COURT OF SPAIN.William Carmichael was a native of Maryland. At the beginning of the
- 356 On Monday next I go to the Pardo, by their appointment. Here I see every day a person, who I believe to be sent by them to converse with me, although I appear to know nothing of his connexion with the Court.I think you may make the necessary preparations
- 357 TO THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.St Ildefonso, August 22d, 1780.Gentlemen, In the course of this month I did myself the honor of writing to you by the General Pickering from Bilboa, and the Captain Kyan from Cadiz, as also via France. In these letters
- 358 Gentlemen, My last to the Committee was of the 25th ultimo, since which time Mr Jay has received a letter from Dr Franklin, to whom, as well as to the Count de Vergennes, he wrote on the subject of his disappointment in money matters here; this letter has
- 359 I wrote you the 24th ultimo,[9] since which I am advised, that the Abbe Hussey is on his way from Lisbon to this capital, as is supposed with further propositions on the part of England. I think they will be as fruitless as the former. I have the pleasure
- 360 The Count de Gra.s.se left Paris the end of February, to take the command of the fleet for the American seas. I am afraid this fleet, or even a part of it, will not appear on our coasts until the month of July. I form my conjectures however from very minu
- 361 Although much is said of the forwardness of the negotiations ---- peace, it is not probable that the preliminaries to be fixed on previous to the opening of the conferences can be adjusted, until the fate of the campaign is known, particularly if this Cou
- 362 If this information can be credited, the East and West India, and American reinforcements will sail at the same time, to insure by their united force their safety on the coast of Europe.In Holland the divisions are still great, and likely to be so. The Pr
- 363 TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.Madrid, February 18th, 1782.Sir, I have just had the pleasure of receiving your letter of the 20th of December, and seize the earliest opportunity of acknowledging the satisfaction I feel in the hope of a more regular correspondenc
- 364 ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON TO WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.Philadelphia, May 1st, 1782.Dear Sir, I was favored with your letters of the 20th of December; that of the 17th, which you mention to have written to the late Committee of Foreign Affairs, never came to hand. If
- 365 All the neutral powers seem desirous of procuring stipulations favorable to their commerce and navigation, particularly in the Mediterranean, and for this purpose all appear to wish a general Congress. Perhaps upon the whole it would be more for the honor
- 366 The state of uncertainly in which every one here has been for some time, respecting the motions of the combined and British fleets, to relieve, or prevent the relief of Gibraltar, joined to a general embargo at Cadiz, and the want of other occasions, has
- 367 TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.Madrid, January 18th, 1783.Sir, I had the satisfaction to receive some days ago your letters of the 6th of July and the 12th of September, and am sorry that of the many which I have had the honor to write you in the course of the s
- 368 WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON TO WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.Philadelphia, May 7th, 1783.Sir, I congratulate you upon the turn our affairs are likely to take with you, and the prospect your letters open of a speedy connexion between us and the Court of M
- 369 As the time is too short for him to pa.s.s by the way of Madrid, and receive the benefits of the personal counsels, with which I flatter myself you would be disposed to favor him, I shall be under great obligations to you, if you will fulfil the promises,
- 370 Having compa.s.sed the aims of his mission with uncommon despatch, Colonel Laurens left Paris, and reached Philadelphia towards the end of August, having been absent from the country but little more than six months. As soon as he had made a report of his
- 371 JOHN LAURENS.TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.Boston, February 7th, 1781.Sir, Since my letter to your Excellency on the 4th instant, the measures taken by Governor Hanc.o.c.k relative to the Castle guard proving insufficient, I addressed a Memorial to the Gen
- 372 Supposing that fortunate casualties, at this time very improbable, should enable us to continue the war upon its present footing, I beg leave to repeat to your Excellency, that the greatest promptness in this business is essential. The British, by being i
- 373 _Paris, April 18th, 1781._ TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.Paris, April 24th, 1781.Sir, I had the honor of addressing to your Excellency a letter on the 9th instant, conformably to which I presented the Memorial now sent, after preparing the way for it by as
- 374 FOOTNOTES: [19] These six millions were not obtained "in consequence" of Colonel Laurens's solicitation, but were granted to Dr Franklin, before Colonel Laurens's arrival. See _Franklin's Correspondence_, Vol. III.p. 230, and also
- 375 I have the honor to be, with the greatest veneration, &c.JOHN LAURENS.THE CORRESPONDENCE OF CHARLES W. F. DUMAS; AGENT OF THE UNITED STATES IN HOLLAND.Charles William Frederick Dumas was a native of Switzerland, but he pa.s.sed a large portion of his life
- 376 I know an engineer over thirty years of age, able, experienced, and very well qualified not only in his branch, but in the whole art of war; in a word, a fine officer, but very inadequately rewarded. I shall not be able to speak with him for several weeks
- 377 "Have you any news of the Doctor and his friends? I shall be obliged to you to follow my instructions in this respect. I will bear willingly the charge of an express, whom you may send to me when you shall judge proper; otherwise write uniformly by t
- 378 Your favor of the 8th, and one earlier, but without a date, are before me, and I return you my thanks for the attention paid to mine, and more especially for the good opinion you entertain of my countrymen, and your tenders of service. The business before
- 379 DUMAS.FOOTNOTES: [24] M. Dumas usually signed his despatches with a fict.i.tious name.B. FRANKLIN TO C. W. F. DUMAS.Philadelphia, October 1st, 1776.Sir, I have just time to acknowledge the receipt of your two packets, with the pamphlets enclosed, the cont
- 380 Your very humble servant, WILLIAM CARMICHAEL.COMMITTEE OF SECRET CORRESPONDENCE TO C. W. F. DUMAS.Philadelphia, October 24th, 1776.Sir, Our worthy friend, Dr Franklin, being indefatigable in the labor of his country, and few men so qualified to be useful
- 381 WILLIAM CARMICHAEL TO C. W. F. DUMAS.Havre, January 21st, 1777.Dear Sir, Were I to acknowledge the receipt of all the letters you mention having written, it would be necessary to apologise for my silence; this I fear would require a detail long enough to
- 382 As to what you add, Gentlemen, that my expenses and labors shall be reimbursed and compensated, I have the honor to say to you, that I should esteem myself the most happy of men, in being able to make without return all the advances and services of which
- 383 SILAS DEANE TO C. W. F. DUMAS.Paris, June 7th, 1777.Sir, I understand that the British Minister's emissaries are very busy in Holland propagating reports of an accommodation between the Congress and Great Britain. They are playing the same game here. I h
- 384 Our States-General are a.s.sembled; and they have begun with labors, which by no means please your enemies. The first was to make a claim directly, in the name of their High Mightinesses, upon the English Minister for the Dutch vessel destined for St Eust
- 385 I have had the honor of informing you, that I intended answering your favor of the 31st of July last, wherein you did me the honor of charging me to send to the Plenipotentiaries of the United States of America, in Paris, the testimony of the satisfaction
- 386 FOOTNOTES: [33] This Declaration is missing.[34] Several letters from M. Dumas, on the affairs of Holland, in the year 1778, may be found in the Commissioners' Correspondence, in the first volume of the present work.TO THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.Th
- 387 TO THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.The Hague, March 1st, 1779.Gentlemen, I have nothing to add to the extracts here annexed, except to press anew the necessity there is that the most honorable Congress send me a commission in all its forms of _Charge d'
- 388 1 frigate 36 " 230 " = 36 " 230 "1 " 20 " 150 " = 20 " 150 "-- ---- ---- 5 vessels and frigates, 216 guns 1320 men.The expense of this enrollment of seven thousand nine hundred and twenty men amounts, at thirtysix florins a head, by the month, to
- 389 1st. Captain Jones freely consents, _in behalf of the United States_, to land on the Island of Texel the dangerously wounded prisoners now in his hands, to be there supported and provided with good surgeons and medicine, at the expense of the United State
- 390 The Hague, October 29th, 1779.High and Mighty Lords, In thanking your High Mightinesses for the orders your humanity has dictated in relation to the wounded, who were on board two vessels of the King, the Serapis and Countess of Scarborough, I only discha
- 391 The Hague, November 11th, 1779.Sir, I have received the letter that you addressed to me the 9th of this month, and that of M. Cottineau, which was annexed. I learn with pleasure what you tell me relative to the object, which induced me to urge your depart
- 392 That their High Mightinesses will also give orders, that he set sail as soon as his vessels can put to sea, and when wind and weather will permit, and even will compel him in case it should be required. That their High Mightinesses are a.s.sured, that it
- 393 P. H. REYNST.JOHN PAUL JONES TO VICE-ADMIRAL P. H. REYNST.Alliance, Texel, December 17th, 1779.Sir, In answer to the letter, which you have done me the honor to write me this day, I must observe, that I have no orders to hoist the flag of France on board
- 394 I am sorry you have any difference with the Amba.s.sador, and wish you to accommodate it as soon as possible. Depend upon it that no one ever knew from me, that you had spoken or written against any person. There is one, concerning whom I think you someti
- 395 Whenever he comes, he may dispose of my faithful services.I have the honor to be, &c.DUMAS.FOOTNOTES: [38] See this Declaration and the Memorial in _John Adams's Correspondence_, Vol. IV. pp. 488, 490.B. FRANKLIN TO C. W. F. DUMAS.Pa.s.sy, April 23d, 178
- 396 JAMES LOVELL TO C. W. F. DUMAS.Philadelphia, July 10th, 1780.Sir, I know not how I can profess all the regard which I feel for you, without appearing, on the one hand, to do it upon slight grounds, or, on the other, to have delayed it too long.I have been
- 397 DUMAS.JOHN PAUL JONES TO C. W. F. DUMAS.Ariel, Road of Croix, September 8th, 1780.I dare say, my dear friend, my silence for so long a time must have an extraordinary appearance to you, and have excited in your mind various conjectures not much to my adva
- 398 Since my last, they have advised in the States of Holland, not to answer at all to the Memorial of Sir Joseph Yorke. This I think is the best they can do in these circ.u.mstances. But Sir Joseph Yorke has presented a new Memorial, as offensive at least as
- 399 TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.The Hague, March 5th, 1781.Sir, Since the Memorial presented on the 1st instant to their High Mightinesses by the Russian Amba.s.sador, offering the mediation of the Empress between them and Great Britain, a letter of February
- 400 I have the honor to be, &c.DUMAS.FOOTNOTES: [42] See this Memorial in _Mr Adams's Correspondence_, Vol. V. p. 481.[43] See the above remonstrance against the Duke of Brunswick, and his reply, in _John Adams's Correspondence_, Vol. VI. pp. 70, 76.[44] Se