ministers to accept of the mediation of the Emperor of Germany and Empress of Russia, in one of which, the Emperor is first named, and, in the other, the Empress, to be made use of as circumstances shall render it expedient.*

I have also herewith enclosed instructions for your government, in addition to those formerly given to Mr. Adams for negotiating peace. A letter, in answer to yours of the 12th of March last, will also accompany this. You will please to communicate immediately to Mr. Adams and Mr. Jay the receipt of these important despatches.

Mr. Secretary Thomson desires you would be so good as to send him the machine, with proper directions, to be used for striking copies of letters, as mentioned in yours of the 12th of March. For want of time I must refer you to Mr. Lovell's despatches for American intelligence in general. I have the honor to be, &c. SAMUEL HUNTINGTON, President of Congress.

TO WILLIAM JACKSON.†

Stopping Payment of Money in Holland.

SIR,

Passy, 28 June, 1781.

Since my acceptance of your bills, I have applied to the ministry for more money to discharge the other engagements I entered into for payment of the Con

* See Diplomatic Correspondence, Vol. X. pp. 71-76.

† Mr. Jackson was aid-de-camp to General Lincoln, and accompanied Colonel Laurens to France. When Colonel Laurens left Paris, to return to America, he sent Mr. Jackson to Holland, with instructions to superintend the shipment of money and goods on public account in the frigate South Carolina, commanded by Commodore Gillon

gress bills drawn on Holland and Spain. I find so much difficulty, and even impossibility of obtaining it at this time, that I am under the absolute necessity of stopping the cash that is in Holland, or of ruining all the credit of the States in Europe, and even in America, by stopping payment.

This is therefore to order, that, in case the said cash has been delivered to you by Messrs. Fizeau and Grand, you would immediately return it into their hands to remain there at my disposal. I am sorry that this operation is necessary, but it must be done, or the consequences will be terrible. I have the honor to be, &c. B. FRANKLIN.

TO DAVID HARTLEY.

Passy, 30 June, 1781.

I received my dear friend's kind letter of the 15th instant, and immediately communicated your request of a passport to the Count de Vergennes. His answer, which I have but just received, expresses an opinion, that the circumstance of his granting a passport to you, as you mention the purpose of your coming to be the discoursing with me on the subject of peace, might, considering your character, occasion many inconvenient reports and speculations; but that he would make no difficulty of giving it, if you assured me, that you were authorized for such purpose by your ministry, which he does not think at all likely; otherwise he judges it best that I should not encourage your coming.

Thus it seems I cannot have at present the pleasure you were so kind as to propose for me. I can only join with you in earnest wishes for peace, a bless

ing which I shall hardly live to see.

With the greatest

esteem and respect, I am ever, dear Sir,

B. FRANKLIN.

TO WILLIAM JACKSON.

Reasons for detaining the Money, which was Part of the Grant obtained by Dr. Franklin.

SIR,

Passy, 5 July, at 6 in the morning, 1781.

I have this instant received your letter of the 2d, urging the delivery of the money. I must be short in my reply, as your express waits.

Colonel Laurens indeed obtained a promise of ten millions to be raised by a loan in Holland. I understood, while he was here, that that loan was in train, and that the million and a half to be sent with you was a part of it. I since learn, that nothing has yet been obtained in Holland, that the success is not yet certain, and that the money in question is a part of the six millions I had obtained before his arrival, upon the strength of which I accepted the bills drawn on his father, and on Mr. Jay, and without which acceptances the Congress's credit in America would have been ruined, and a loss incurred of twenty per cent upon the protests. I cannot obtain more money here at present; and those bills, being accepted, must be paid, as well as those I accepted on your earnest request, for the great unexpected purchase you made in Holland.

Colonel Laurens has carried two millions and a half of that six millions with him, which will serve till the loan in Holland produces a further supply. In the mean time I cannot suffer the credit of our country to be destroyed, if, by detaining this money, it may be

saved. And, if I were to consent to its going, our banker would be obliged to arrest great part of it as belonging to the States, he being in advance for them, which would occasion much disagreeable noise, and very ill consequences to our credit in Europe.

I find, by Mr. Viemerange's account just received, that Mr. Laurens's orders have more than absorbed all the money he did not take with him. I applaud the zeal you have both shown in the affair; but I see, that nobody cares how much I am distressed, provided they can carry their own points. I must, therefore, take what care I can of mine, theirs and mine being equally intended for the service of the public. I am sorry to learn that the vessel is detained for this express. I understood by your last, that she waited for convoy, I heartily wish you a good voyage, and am, with great esteem, &c.

B. FRANKLIN

SIR,

TO WILLIAM JACKSON.

Passy, 5 July, 1781.

I received your letter of the 2d instant, by your first express, this morning at six, answered it, and sent him away immediately. I have just now received your second express, of the same date, in which you threaten me with a proceeding, that I apprehend exceedingly imprudent, as it can answer no good end to you, must occasion much scandal, and be thereby very prejudicial to the affairs of the Congress.

But I cannot, therefore, consent to suffer their bills, to the amount of more than a million accepted and expected, to go back protested for want of this money. I have nothing to change in the answer above men

tioned. You will however follow your own judgment, as I must follow mine; and you will take upon yourself the consequences. I have the honor to be, &c. B. FRANKLIN.

TO WILLIAM JACKSON.

Account of the Manner in which the Money referred to in the preceding Letters was obtained.

SIR,

Passy, 6 July, 1781.

I received and answered two of your expresses yesterday morning, and in the evening I received a third letter from you, all dated the 2d instant.*

In this last you tell me, "that I must be sensible I cannot have the disposal of the money, as it was obtained without either my knowledge or concurrence, by Colonel Laurens, appointed special minister for that purpose." I do not desire to diminish the merit of Colonel Laurens. I believe he would have been glad, if it had been in his power, to have procured ten times the sum; and that no application or industry on his part for that purpose would have been wanting. But I cannot let this injurious assertion of yours pass, without expressing my surprise, that you, who were always with that gentleman, should be so totally ignorant of that transaction. The six millions, of which he took with him two and a half, of which one and a half were sent to Holland, and of which more than the remainder is ordered in stores from hence, was a free gift from the King's goodness (not a loan to be repaid with interest), and was obtained by my application, long before Colonel Laurens's arrival.

* All Mr. Jackson's letters on this subject are contained in the Diplo matic Correspondence, Vol. III. p. 221–226.