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Browsing: Papers of John Adams, Volume 6

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The Commissioners' Accounts with Ferdinand Grand

Docno: PJA06d212

Author: First Joint Commission at Paris
Author: JA
Date: 1778-06-30 - 1778-08-08

Doit Compte courrant des Etats unis par Messieurs Franklin Lee et Adams chez F. Grand

[dateline] [30 June–8 August 1778]

1778             [Debit]   [Credit]  
Juin   30   Pour solde de lancien Compte   697434.   4.          
Juillet   1er   Mandat de J. Williams du 25 7bre. ordre Mr. Franklin   891.   10.          
  1er   Ces Messieurs aiant été debites dans deux differents Comptes, de l'achat fait a L'Orient des 34 Affuts je les credite d'autant dans cellui cy, afin qu'ils ne soient debites qu'une seule fois du Montant de cet Achat de         5607.   2.   61  
  3   Acceptn. de Mr. Franklin du 18 May, aux traittes de Hy. Laurens de York Town a 30 Jrs. de vue ord: La Pierre   du 6 9bre.   900   }   1473.            
      14 do.   573            
  3   Acceptn. de Mr. Francklin du 5 Juin a traitte de Hy. Laurens du 14 9bre. a 30 Jours de vue   1030.            
  3   Payé a Mme. de Coalin les 6 derniers Mois de la Maison de Mr. Dean   3600.            
  16   Mandat de Messrs. Francklin Lee et Adams du 16 Juillet   720.            
  17   Payé a Poussin Tapissier, pour l'achat des Meubles qu'il louoit cy devant a Mr. Deane suivant le compte a ce Sujet   4294.            
  20   Pour la Voiture de Mr. Dean que le Scellier s'etoit engagé a reprendre pour 2000 et dont je me suis chargé         2000.      
    Reçu de ces Messieurs         750000.      
  21   Mandat de Mrs. Franklin Lee et Adams du 21 courant, ord Niles   4933.            
  28   Mandat de Mrs. Francklin Lee et Adams du 29 do., au Cape. Barnes   2108.   15.          
{p. 247}
  30   Acceptation de Mrs. Francklin du 26 Juillet a une traitte de Hy. Laurens du 17 9bre. a 30 Jours de vue   900.            
Aoust   4   Mandat de Mrs. Franklin Lee et Adams du 4 Aoust   ord: Collins   439.   }   823.2            
      ord: Welsh   192.            
      ord Grenall   192.            
  6   Acceptation de Mr. Franklin du 27 Juin, a traitte de Hy. Laurens du 7 9bre. a 30 Jours de vue   900.            
  6   Payé a Mr. Adams sur son ordre   2400.            
  7   Payé a Mr. Franklin, sur reçu   4800.            
  7   Payé a Mr. Arthur Lee, sur reçu   4800.            
    Commission a ½p% sur L[ivres]60172.18.6.   300.   17.          
    Ports de Lettres, Paquets, Commissionaires &ca   203.   11.          
    Pour Solde il levient a ces Messieurs   25995.   5.   6        
            L[ivres]757607.   2.   6   757607.   2.   63  
Ainsi arreté double sauf Erreurs ou Ommissions.

[dateline] Paris le 8 Aoust 1778.

[signed] Grand
Note of Additional Sums paid out of the public money for Mr. Deane4
16 April 1778 To his Wheelright   168.    
1st. May, Hire of his Horses   128.    
   Remainder of his Acct.   278.    
7th Do. Remainder of a Servant's Acct.   417.   1.  
Do. To another Servant   244.   16.  
   Sadler's Acct.   6.    
13th. July Traituer's Acct.   12.   11.  
   Blacksmith's Acct.   80.   10.  
{p. 248}
RC MH-H: Lee Papers; notation on the reverse of the first page: “No. 4.” On that same page is a column of figures by Arthur Lee listing payments made to him from 11 Aug. 1777 to 7 Aug. 1778 and totaling 65,719.5.6 livres. For the individual entries, see the accounts in the Lee Papers (MH-H) and those of 30 March–30 June, and descriptive note (above).
 
1. Entries for the purchases of gun carriages appear in the accounts for 15 Jan.–30 March (MH-H: Lee Papers) and 30 March–30 June (above). Together the two entries totaled 11,214.5 livres. The figure here represents that sum divided in half.
 
2. All three men were American prisoners.
 
3. Because of the error noted in the accounts of 30 March–30 June, the total should be 757,607.7.6 livres.
 
4. In Arthur Lee's hand, these sums were taken from the Commissioners' household accounts kept at this time by William Temple Franklin and for the period 9 April to 24 Aug. are printed above.

From Samuel Cooper

Docno: PJA06d213

Author: Cooper, Samuel
Recipient: JA
Date: 1778-07-01

[dateline] Boston July 1st. 1778

[salute] My dear Sir

After various Reports of the Capture of the Boston by a British Cruizer, and of her being struck with Lightning at Sea, it was with peculiar Pleasure I lately receiv'd an Assurance Of your Safe Arrival in France. Not long after you sail'd, Mrs. Adams wrote me a Letter upon a Report of Dr. Franklin's having been assassinated, full of the tenderest Anxiety, and the most amiable Sentiments, sollicitous for the Safety of her dear Partner whom she had given up for a long Interval, to the Service of our Country. I did evr'y Thing I could, in my Reply, to sooth her afflicted Mind, and most sincerely take Part in the Joy which a Letter, I am just inform'd, she has receiv'd from you, must afford her.1 I feel happy that my Country has two such Negotiators as you and your Collegue at the first Court in Europe, and not a little proud that I can call you both my Friends. May Heaven support you under your public Cares, and prosper all your Efforts for the Safety and Happiness of our dear Country. I congratulate you on the Prospect of a speedy and glorious End to our great Contest, that must give us a distinguish'd Place among the Nations, and peculiar Honor to those whose Services have eminently contributed to it. The Monarch, at whose Court you reside, gave by his wise and generous Treaty, a new Turn to our Affairs. They were indeed very far from being desperate· without it, but the Alliance with France gave a new Spring in ev'ry Part, and rapidly brighten'd all our Prospects. Our Paper Credit is that which of all others still labors most. It has remain'd rather at a Stand for some Time then been much advanc'd. I hope by forreign Loans, {p. 249} or some Method or other, we shall soon be reliev'd in this important Point. I refer you for the State of our Affairs to the Paper, and Letter I have sent by this Conveyance to Dr. Franklin.2 The Vessel being on the Point of Sailing I must close. Adieu my dear Friend, and accept the warmest Tenders of Esteem and Affection from Your's
[signed] Saml. Cooper
RC Adams Papers .
 
1. An account of the assassination of Benjamin Franklin, allegedly instigated by the British ambassador to France, Lord Stormont, and taken from a letter of 12 Dec. 1777 from Bordeaux, appeared in the Boston Gazette of 23 Feb. AA's letter to Cooper concerning the report has not been found, but see Cooper's reply of 2 March ( Adams Family Correspondence , 2:398–399). JA's letter, to which Cooper refers, was that of 25 April (same, 3:17).
Cite web page as: Founding Families: Digital Editions of the Papers of the Winthrops and the Adamses, ed.C. James Taylor. Boston: Massachusetts Historical Society, 2007.
http://www.masshist.org/ff/