The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution
Chapter 35 : FROM THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO THE COMMISSIONERS.York, 16th April, 1778.Gentl

FROM THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO THE COMMISSIONERS.

York, 16th April, 1778.

Gentlemen,

This, with my affectionate wishes for your prosperity, may serve to acquaint you, that Congress has this day resolved, "That William Bingham, agent for the United States of America, now resident in Martinique, be authorised to draw Bills of Exchange, at double usance, on the Commissioners of the United States at Paris, for any sums not exceeding in the whole one hundred thousand livres tournois, to enable him to discharge debts by him contracted on account of the said States, for which draft he is to be accountable." Mr Bingham will forward the American Gazettes, with this billet of advice, and tell you why we have enabled him to draw upon you, when we have stores of produce in magazines for exportation. He will also inform you of our anxiety to know something of your proceedings and prospects, an uncommon fatality having attended your despatches ever since the month of May last.

I am, with much esteem, &c.

JAMES LOVELL, _For the Committee_.

M. DE SARTINE TO COUNT DE VERGENNES.

Translation.

Versailles, April 26th, 1778.

Sir,

I have received your letter of the 20th instant, accompanied by the translation of the representations addressed to you by the American Commissioners, relative to the fears of the merchants of Bordeaux and Nantes, who have hitherto transacted business with America, and by the request of the Commissioners, with regard to the protection of that commerce. For nearly a month, the French coast along the Bay of Biscay, and a part of that on the channel, have been guarded by twenty frigates and corvettes distributed in the open sea, as well as along the entrances of harbors and rivers. Those stationed at the latter places, take under their protection the French and American s.h.i.+ps which sail from those points, and convoy them beyond the Capes. If they meet any vessels inward bound, they convoy them to the entrance of the harbors.

The frigates stationed further out at sea, are employed in chasing away the Guernsey and Jersey privateers, which are a great interruption to commerce. The same orders have been issued in the Colonies, where the frigates there stationed convoy the French and American vessels from the coasts. The reports made to me a.s.sure me, that these orders are promptly executed, and that the protection is extended as fully to American as to French vessels. You will agree with me, that this kind of protection is for the present the only one, which it is possible to give to commerce; and that convoys to America would be impracticable under present circ.u.mstances, and are always insecure, and subject to great inconveniences. To protect the coasts, to a.s.sure a free access to the harbors, to remove the privateers, and afford a convoy beyond the Capes; these aids commerce requires, and has a right to expect, and they have long since been provided by the orders of his Majesty. The Commissioners cannot reasonably complain when in this respect the American vessels are on an equal footing with those of his Majesty's subjects.

I have the honor to be, &c.

DE SARTINE.

FROM THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO WILLIAM BINGHAM.

York, 26th April, 1778.

Sir,

Herewith you have in triplicate and copy of my former letters. I now send you the proceedings of Congress upon an appearance of the draughts of two bills, said to have been read to the British Parliament. Since Congress took notice of them, Governor Tryon has sent out from New York copies of them, with greater marks of authenticity than those bore which first came to hand. He certifies, that he "has his Majesty's command to cause them to be printed and dispersed, that the people at large may be acquainted with the contents, and of the favorable disposition of Great Britain towards the American Colonies." I will not attempt to lead your judgment upon these proceedings of our enemies. I will only add one anecdote of their late conduct, nearly allied to that of counterfeiting our Continental currency. They have published, in all our forms, a forged Resolve of Congress, purporting a consignment of power to General Was.h.i.+ngton, to detain in his army, _during the war_, all militia men who have enlisted or been draughted for nine months or a year; and to treat as deserters such as attempt to leave him at the expiration of their present agreement. Perhaps you will see this properly stigmatized in some of our eastern papers conveyed in the vessel, which may carry this a.s.surance of my being, with much regard, sir, your friend and humble servant,

JAMES LOVELL, _For the Committee_.

FROM THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO THE COMMISSIONERS.

York, 30th April, 1778.

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, unless we receive despatches from you, to enlighten us as to your situation and transactions, of which we have had no information since the latter end of May. As we have heard of the loss of Captain Johnston and Captain Wickes, and know that John Folger 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 all your despatches. The Commercial Committee will transmit to you the contract, which they have entered into with the agent of the house of _Roderique Hortalez & Co._ the heads of which contract happening to be at hand are enclosed.

We have read a letter written by a friend, dated House of Commons, February 13th, in which we are told, that you had concluded a treaty with France and Spain, which was on the water towards us. Imagine how solicitous we are to know the truth of this, before we receive any proposals from Britain, in consequence of the scheme in Lord North's speech, and the two draughts of bills now sent to you. The state of our foreign connexions 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 strength 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 a.s.sistance from you for the support of such credit.

I am, with great regard, &c.

JAMES LOVELL, _For the Committee of Foreign Affairs_.

TO M. DUMAS.

Yorktown, 14th May, 1778.

Sir,

Your several favors, down to the letter Y, had come to our hand before the 2d instant, on which day we received despatches from our Commissioners in France, after an interruption of eleven months.

Judge, therefore, sir, how very agreeable your letters must have been to us, though you wrote but briefly, always supposing that we received more full accounts of European politics from our friends at Paris.

We observe, with great pleasure, that the States of Holland are discovering a proper spirit in the conduct of their commerce, by granting convoys, in consequence of the insolent behavior of their British neighbors. The magnanimous conduct of His Most Christian Majesty must have great influence upon all around him. We doubt not of your hearty congratulations upon the success of our cause, which you so early and warmly espoused, and which you have aided with such judgment and resolution by your pen. We shall write particularly to the gentlemen at Paris, respecting the injuries you have received from our enemies, and shall instruct them to pay the strictest attention to our engagements made to you at the commencement of our correspondence.

We must refer you to the prints now sent and to our Commissioners, for the general state of our affairs, only remarking here, that we were actuated in our proceedings on the 22d of April entirely by the uniform spirit, which we have maintained ever since the 4th of July, 1776, being not then acquainted with the favorable state of our cause in France, as an uncommon fatality had attended the letters of our friends for nearly a whole year, before the arrival of their present important packet.

We are, with much esteem, &c.

RICHARD MORRIS, RICHARD H. LEE, JAMES LOVELL.

FROM THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO WILLIAM BINGHAM.

York, 14th May, 1778.

Sir,

At length, on the 2d instant, we received despatches from our Commissioners at Paris, with treaties of alliance and commerce, concluded on the 6th of February between France and these United States. They were ratified here on the 4th of this month, and the prints herewith sent to you will show the principles upon which they are founded. We are persuaded you will greatly partake of the satisfaction, which we feel on this occasion.

We do not find by the letters, which we have received, that Congress may venture to enlarge the power that was given to you by the resolve of April 16th.[50] But it becomes less necessary that you should be furnished in that way, as commerce will, in all human probability, be more easily carried on between this continent and your islands now, than for some time past.

Great hurry of business must be an excuse for our brevity at this time, though it would not warrant an omission of sending you our congratulations and the Gazettes.

We are, with much regard, &c.

ROBERT MORRIS, RICHARD HENRY LEE, JAMES LOVELL.

FOOTNOTES:

[50] "_Resolved_, that Mr William Bingham, agent of the United States of America, now resident in Martinique, be authorised to draw bills of exchange at double usance, on the commissioners of the United States in Paris, for any sums not exceeding in the whole 100,000 livres turnois, to enable him to discharge debts by him contracted on account of the said States; for which drafts he is to be accountable."--_Journals of Congress._