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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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,
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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,
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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,
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 300 The Amba.s.sador of France having a.s.sured me that the Minister had really been a good deal indisposed, I thought it would be best to write him a letter in a style somewhat adapted to his situation. He certainly appears to be fatigued, and worn down by b
- 299 "Your Excellency will oblige me exceedingly, by putting it in my power to give Congress early, explicit, and, let me add, agreeable information of his Majesty's pleasure and intentions on the subject of this letter."I have the honor to be,
- 298 I must, nevertheless, take the liberty of observing, that however our situation may in the opinion of Congress render it necessary to relax their demands on every side, and even to direct their Commissioners ultimately to concur (if nothing better could b
- 297 7. That there be a meeting of the directors quarterly, for the purpose of regulating the affairs of the bank; any seven of the directors to make a board, and that the board have power to adjourn from time to time.8. That the board of directors determine t
- 296 In every point of view, therefore, that we can consider the subject, the advance I have mentioned must appear alike beneficial. If the Governor of Cuba, or any other person, were duly authorised, stipulations might even now be entered into for furnis.h.i.
- 295 On the 18th instant I received from Mr Lovell three letters written on one sheet, viz. 20th of February, 9th and 31st of March last. No other copies of these letters ever reached me. They arrived at Cadiz in the Virginia; but the papers and journals said
- 294 "Gentlemen, "I have had the pleasure of receiving your favor of the 4th ult. together with the one referred to in it."England has, it seems, declared war against the United Provinces, and that in a style of such eminent superiority, as I am
- 293 I must request your attention to the necessity of putting your correspondence with the public servants in Europe on a better footing. I am now at the expense of sending Colonel Livingston to the sea side with my despatches, with orders to wait for America
- 292 Copy of a French translation of a writing in Arabic, the most authentic of those that are written at the Court of his Majesty the Emperor of Morocco."Let the name of the only G.o.d be praised; there is neither wisdom nor power but what proceeds from
- 291 TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.Madrid, November 30th, 1780.Sir, Your Excellency will receive herewith enclosed certain papers from Morocco, viz._No. 1._ Containing a letter of the 21st of April last, to me from Audibert Caille, who styles himself the "
- 290 Mr Jay desired to be informed, whether any steps were necessary for him to take for forwarding the clothing at Cadiz to America. The Count answered, that he waited the French Amba.s.sador's answer on the subject, and that he had as yet no inventory o
- 289 "The following answer has been dictated to me in his Excellency's name by Don Bernardo del Campo, to be delivered to the honorable John Jay."That it is not his Majesty's intention to stop a.s.sisting the States, whenever means can be f
- 288 "I fear your Excellency thinks I am too solicitous, too importunate. But when it is considered, that the holders of these bills are not under my control, and that they require an answer from me, I flatter myself that the trouble I give your Excellenc
- 287 Translation."In answer to the note the Count de Florida Blanca has just received from Mr Jay, dated yesterday, he has the honor to acquaint him, that he intends writing to Bilboa on the subject of the bills in the hands of Messrs Joyce, and which are
- 286 "I have the honor to be, Sir, &c.JOHN JAY."As this letter was, among other things, designed to establish the expectations and encouragement given me by the Minister, as to money, in the last conference, by obliging him either to deny them agains
- 285 Aranjues, June 7th, 1780."His Catholic Majesty would be very glad to be able to furnish, at the present crisis, funds for the payment of the one hundred thousand pounds sterling, proposed to be addressed to Mr Jay, in order to evince the concern whic
- 284 On the report of a committee to whom were referred certain instructions to the delegates of Virginia by their const.i.tuents, and a letter of the 26th of May, from the Honorable John Jay, Congress unanimously agreed to the following instructions to the Ho
- 283 Never letter could have been more welcome than the favor your Excellency honored us with of the 25th of the past month, since it expressed a true concern about the bills drawn on Mr Laurens, and your approbation of our conduct. As we from the beginning ac
- 282 DE NEUFVILLE & SON TO JOHN JAY.Amsterdam, June 1st, 1780.Sir, Craving reference to our last, we have now the honor to propose to your Excellency on what terms we think all difficulty on account of the absence of Henry Laurens, as Commissioner from Congres
- 281 JOHN JAY.TO JAMES LOVELL.Madrid, May 27th, 1780.Sir, Eight days ago I had the pleasure of receiving a packet containing journals and newspapers.From an endors.e.m.e.nt I conjecture that I am indebted to you for it.There was no letter enclosed in it. I am