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Britain has but one wise plan of Policy, which is as obvious,
as it is prudent, and that is, instantly to make with
America, such a Treaty as
France has made. But she will not see it. She is yet too proud
and vain, and the Consequences of her blindness must be, that instead of the
dominant Power of Europe, which she has been but for a little
while, she will dwindle down into a Power of the second order: as
Spain, which under Charles the fifth was the
first Power in
Europe, by a similar quarrell with
her Colonies Provinces, weakened herself to such a degree as to fall
down into the middle Class of Powers, and has never yet been able to regain her
Ascendancy. This is the established order of Things, when a Nation has grown to
such an height of Power as to become dangerous to Mankind, she never fails to
loose her Wisdom, her Justice and her Moderation, and with these she never
fails to loose her Power; which however returns again, if those Virtues
return.
I shall be under great Obligations to you, Sir, if you will continue your
favours by every opportunity. Your Newspapers,tho' badly printed, are very valuable here. I am with great
respect &c.
John Adams.
[to] Hon. Major General Heath
Boston.
July 11. 1778
To His Excellency Monsieur De Sartine.
Passi
July 11. 1778
Sir
We have had the honour of your Excellencys Letter
of the Fifth Instant relative to Captain Jones, and We redily
consent that he should be at your Excellencys disposition and shall be happy if
his Services may be in any respect Usefull to the
designs your Excellency may have in Contemplation. We have the
honour to be with the greatest respect, your
Excellency's &c.
B. Franklin, Arthur Lee, John
Adams.
The Letter to which this is an Answer, marks the first conception of the
Plan which was afterwards carried into Execution under Jones
in the Bonhomme Richard.
This day July 11. 1778
We received from Mr. Williams the following order,
Mr. Cassoul
Passi
July 10. 1778
Sir
Deliver to Mr. J. D. Schweighauser the following Goods
taking his Receipt for the same, on Account of the
Honourable Ministers Plenipotentiary of the United
States, viz. one hundred and Ninety Six Swivels, Forty nine Cases of
Arms, one Case of Duck, two Bales of
Linnen,
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Eight Cases of Medicines, Two Barrells of Do. According to Bills of
Lading from
Holland.... Fifty Five Cases of Sabres according to Bills of
Lading from
Dunkirk, Two Thousand Eight hundred and forty Six Suits of
Soldiers
Cloaths, according to my Invoice, Four
Bales of Do. according to Mr. Monthieu's Invoice. One hundred
and seventy one Sheets of Copper to be weighed. Forty five Casks of Flints. All
the Arms and Furniture repaired and unrepaired in the Magazine, taking an
Inventory of the same, and sixty three Barrells of Beef. Those of the above
Articles which stand in my name in the Bureau D'Entrepot you will see
transferred to Mr. Schweighauser, and me discharged therefrom,
at the time of Delivery.
I am your humble Servant
Signed J. Williams Jr.
Passi
July 13 1778
Sir
We have received several late Letters from you, and two this morning by the
hand of Captain Amiel, containing abundant Testimonies of your
good Character.
As We have never entertained the least doubt, of your Probity or Honor, or
of your unblemished reputation, you have given yourself much trouble without
necessity, and used as the Saying is, In Re non dubi, testibus non
necessariis.
It is true We received a Letter, in which some regret was expressed that We
had addressed Mr. Amiel and his Papers to you, and the reason
assigned was, because you had the Letter Writer thought you had made
yourself "somewhat too busy, in some particular matters," but this you may be
assured never made the least Impression upon Us, to your disadvantage.
In one of those Letters We received the Bond, Instructions and Commission
returned.
If you should write to
America, the News as it occurs, you may write to
the Honourable James Warren Esqr.,
Speaker of the House of Representatives of
Massachusetts Bay, at
Boston,--or to The Honourable Committee of foreign Affairs, at
Congress, or to both. If you can send any English Newspapers they will be
always acceptable. But We would wish You to observe one Rule, which is, not to
write any News to
America that is not well authenticated, because there are so
many Misrepresentations floating about in the World, that if these should be
written as they occurr, to a distant Country, they would tend to confound and
mislead the People.
The American Seamen you mention, We wish to have put into some Employment,
by which they may earn their Bread and save Expences to their Country, as soon as possible, and it is
indifferent to Us, whether it is at
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Dunkirk,
Brest, or
Nantes. We are &c.
B. Franklin, Arthur Lee, John
Adams
[to] Mr. Francis Coffyn at
Dunkirk.
Passi
July 13. 1778
Sir
As We understand the
Boston in her last Cruise, did not sail so well as formerly, We
apprehend this Alteration has been made, by some change in her Ballast: for
which reason, you are directed, if you judge it necessary, to take out your
present Ballast; to apply to Mr. Schweighauser at
Nantes, and take from him such Articles, as he may have to send
to
America, which may be stowed away in your Ship, without
hindrance to her sailing or fighting, and to take from him also, a quantity of
Lead, to be used as Ballast untill you arrive in
America, and then delivered to the Continental Agent, informing
Congress or the Navy Board by Letter.
Upon the Receipt of this Letter, you are then to join Captain
Whipple and to pursue his orders, respecting your future Cruises and
Voyage to
America. If Lieutenant Simpson of the
Ranger should apply to you for a Passage to
America, in the
Boston, you will afford him Accommodations according to his
Rank. We are &c.
B. Franklin, Arthur Lee, John
Adams
[to] Captain Tucker
Passi
July 13. 1778
Sir
You will putt on board the Boston
Frigate such Articles as Captain Tucker shall inform you he can
take to
America, and among other Things you are desired to furnish him,
if it is in your Power, with a quantity of Lead.... As this Article is much
wanted in
America, and is excellent for Ballast, you are desired to
furnish him as much as he can carry and you can conveniently supply. We are
&c.
B. Franklin, Arthur Lee, John
Adams.
[to] Mr. J. D. Schweighauser.
Passi
July 13. 1778
Sir
We have ordered Captain Tucker, to join you, in your future
Cruises and Voyage to
America. -- You will get to Sea, with all possible
Expedition.
B. Franklin, Arthur Lee, John
Adams.
[to] Captain Whipple
July 14. 1778.
Dined at
Chatou with Mr. Bertin, the Minister of State.
Went to see the Park where We rambled till We were weary. We received from
Mr. De Sartine the following Letter, [illegible]
in french.
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Versailles the 14. July 1778
Notwithstanding the Precautions I have taken, Gentlemen, to assure the
Subsistance of the Inhabitants of the Islands of
St. Pierre and
Miquelon, who, in the present Circumstances, will receive little
or no Supplies sent by the Commerce of
France, it may happen that the Interception of one or more, of
the Vessells which I have caused to be expedited to
those Islands, with Cargoes of Provisions, may reduce their Inhabitants to the
greatest distress. And there will no longer be an Opportunity to provide a
remedy when We shall be informed of the Event.... I have thought that We might
depend upon the Assistance of the
United States of America, and I have pointed them out, for the
case of a pressing Necessity, to the Administrators of the Islands of
St. Pierre and
Miquelon. -- It will be very agreable to his Majesty, if you concurr, in whatever may
depend on you, in procuring such Succour, by
recommending to the
United States of America and particularly to the Government of
Boston, to encourage if it is possible, some Expeditions to
those Islands, to carry Eatables to their Inhabitants and supply their
Necessities. I have the Honor to be, most perfectly, Gentlemen your most humble
and most obedient Servant
De Sartine
[to] The Gentlemen The Deputies of the Congress of
the United States of America.
The next day We received another Letter of which the following is a
litteral Translation.
Versailles
15 July 1778
Among the English Prisoners detained at
Belle Isle, Gentlemen, and proceeding from Vessells detained in the Ports of France,
are found the Persons named James Niggins and John
Selby, who call themselves Americans, the first of
Charlestown in
South Carolina, and the other of
Baltimore in
Maryland: They demand their Liberty, and the means of returning
home. According to their declaration, they made heretofore a part of the Crew
of the Ship Hancock, arrived from
America at the Port of
Nantes, in the month of December last, and that Ship having
sailed from that Port to return to Charlestown, was taken, at
thirty Leagues from
Belle Isle by an English Privateer and carried to
Falmouth, where to avoid the Press, they consented to remain, on
board the Englishman who had made them Prisoners. I pray you to signify to me,
whether these Men are known to you, whether you consider them as belonging to
the
United States of America, whether they have made, or caused to
be made
