me with the sole appointment to be their Minister Plenipotentiary at this court, and I have just received my credentials. This mark of public confidence is the more agreeable to me as it was not obtained by any solicitation or intrigue on my part, nor have I ever written a syllable to any person, in or out of Congress, magnifying my own services or diminishing those of others. William Greene, Esq., present Governor of the State of Rhode Island, has sent me some bills of exchange, amounting to 1,080 livres, which he desires may be laid out in the following articles: one piece dark calico; one piece bedtick; best silk handkerchiefs and linen do; Hollands, cambrics, muslins, sewing silk, and one box of window glass, seven inches by nine. I send you the commission, and desire you to forward the things by the first good opportunity, drawing upon me for the money. I am told you have laid aside your thoughts of going to America for the present, so that you will not have the opportunity you wished for of settling your accounts there. No resolution has been yet taken by the Commissioners here relating to your proposition of settling them by arbitration at Nantes; and though I could now perhaps do by myself what is necessary to finish the affairs in that way, yet as the transactions were in their time, it seems to me most proper that they should consent to it.' I am ever your affectionate cousin, B. FRANKLIN. 'This Jonathan Williams was the son of Grace Harris, a niece of Dr. Franklin, and of the Jonathan Williams who presided at the meeting she may stand in need of; wherein I am confident your conduct will be approved by the Congress and your owners. Given at Passy, near Paris, this day of B. FRANKLIN. Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States of America at the Court of France. P. S.-The same request is respectfully made to the commanders of armed vessels belonging to France and Spain, friends of the said United States. B. FRANKLIN. To All Captains and Commanders of Armed Ships Acting by Commission from the Congress of the United States of America, now in War with Great Britain. GENTLEMEN:-A ship having been fitted out from England before the commencement of this war, to make discoveries of new countries in unknown seas, under the conduct of that most celebrated navigator, Captain Cook; an undertaking truly laudable in itself, as the increase of geographical knowledge facilitates the communication between distant nations, in the exchange of useful products and manufactures, and the extension of arts, whereby the common enjoyments of human life are multiplied and augmented, and science of other kinds increased to the benefit of mankind in general; this is, therefore, most earnestly to recommend to every one of VOL. VII.-29. DCCLIII TO M. DUMAS PASSY, 19 February, 1779. DEAR SIR:-Since mine of the 11th inst. I have received an appointment from Congress to be their sole Minister Plenipotentiary at this court, my former colleagues having, or being likely to have, other destinations. I have had frequent conversations with your friend concerning a loan in Holland. A fit of the gout has interrupted them these two days, but his demands appearing to be beyond my powers, I have not agreed to them, and I question whether we can agree. I fancy he has had some information of the purport of some imprudent letter you know of, and that he thinks our necessities greater than they are. I begin to think it best to be obliged to one generous friend, and to take the little aids we want from France only. The Marquis de Lafayette is arrived, covered with laurels. He and his suite speak very handsomely of the Americans and of the present condition of affairs. All our letters from different persons in different bodies, the Congress, the army, the government of separate States, are full of his praises. By his bravery and good conduct he appears to have gained the esteem and the affection of that whole continent. I am with sincere regard, etc. as I am neither furnished with money nor authority for such purposes. And I believe it is the constant practice with all maritime powers to pay the ships in their service at home on their return, and not in foreign countries. I am sensible, however, of some hardships in your present circumstances relative to the high price of clothing in America, and as I respect your zeal for your country and readiness to engage in its defence, and hope I shall on those accounts be excused in doing it, I have this day, in a letter to the agent at Nantes, given leave to advance to each of you, and also to the warrant officers, a decent suit of clothing, suitable to your respective stations. But I must recommend it to you, and I flatter myself that you will not take it amiss, to be as frugal as possible for your own sakes, and not make yourselves expensively fine from a notion that it is for the honor of the States you serve. It seems not necessary that young and poor States, laboring, as at present, under the distresses of a most burdensome war in defence of their liberties, should vie in the dress of their officers with ancient and wealthy kingdoms who are in full prosperity. The honor of the States will be better supported by the prudent conduct of their officers, their harmony with each other, their ready obedience to the commands of superior officers, their reasonable and kind treatment of inferiors, and, above all, their bravery in fight and humanity to those they conquer. I am confident that you, gentlemen, have the same sentiments. If it should be in my power to do any thing further for you before you go, it will give me pleasure. But ex the late Commissioners, and they only, might have access to them, I would very readily contribute the few I have. But on no other terms can I part with them, and must therefore desire you to command me in some other service. Still, however, I am in the judgment of Congress, and if upon our mutual representations, should you think it worth troubling them with it, they should be of a different opinion, I shall abide by their decision and obey their orders. I hope your gout is better, and have the honor to be, etc., ARTHUR LEE. DCCLV TO DAVID HARTLEY PASSY, 22 February, 1779. DEAR SIR: I received your proposition for removing the stumbling-block. Your constant desire of peace ought to endear you to both sides; but this proposition seems to be naturally impracticable. We can never think of quitting a solid alliance, made and ratified, in order to be in a state for receiving unknown proposals of peace, which may vanish in the discussion. The truth is, we have no kind of faith your government, which appears to us as insidious and deceitful as it is unjust and cruel; its character is that of the spider in Thomson, in |