to be signed by Baron Thulemeyer on the part of the King, who without the least hesitation had approved and conceded to the new humane articles proposed by Congress,' which articles are considered as doing that body great honour. Mr. Short was also to go to London with the treaty for the signature of Mr. Adams, who I learnt (when at Southampton) is well received at the British Court. The Captain Lamb, who in a letter of yours to Mr. Adams, was said to be coming to us with instructions respecting Morocco, had not appeared, nor had we heard any thing of him; so nothing has been done by us in that treaty. I left the Court of France in the samme friendly disposition towards the United States that we have all along experienced, though concerned to find our credit is not better supported in the payment of the interest money due on our loans, which in case of another war must be, they think, extremely prejudicial to us, and indeed may contribute to draw on a war the sooner by affording our enemies the encouraging confidence that a people who take so little care to pay will not again find it easy to borrow, I received from the King at my departure the present of his picture set round with diamonds, usually given to Ministers Plenipotentiary who have signed any treaties with that Court, and it is at the disposition of Congress, to whom be pleased to present my dutiful respects. I am, Sir, with great esteem, your most obedient and most humble servant, B. FRANKLIN.

P.S. Not caring to trust them to a common conveyance, I send by my late Secretary, W. Temple Franklin,

1 Against privateering.

who will have the honour of delivering them to you, all the Original Treaties I have been concerned in negociating that were completed. Those with Portugal and Denmark continue in suspense.

ŞIR,

To ***

Philadelphia, Jan. 19, 1790.

I received the letter you did me the honour of writing to me respecting the construction of the eleventh article of the treaty of commerce between France and the United States. I was indeed one of the Commissioners for making that treaty, but the Commissioners have no right to explain the treaty. Its explanation is to be sought for in its own words, and in case it cannot be clearly found there, then by an application to the contracting powers.

I certainly conceived that when the droit d'aubaine was relinquished in favour of the citizens of the United States, the relinquishing clause was meant to extend to all the dominions of his most Christian Majesty, and I am of opinion, that this would not be denied if an explanation were requested of the Court of France, and it ought to be done, if any difficulties arise on this subject in the French Islands, which their Courts do not determine in our favour. But before Congress is petitioned to make such request, I imagine it would be proper to have the case tried in some of the West India Islands, and the petition made in consequence of a determination against us. I have the honour to be, &c. B. FRANKLIN.

f,་,

[The two Letters from William Carmichael, Esq. (Secreat the Court of Madrid,) to' Dr. Franklin, of which the following are Extracts, were accidentally omitted in their appropriate 'place in the CORRESPONDENCE, together with the subjoined curious MEMOIR of Sir John Dalrymple, referred to by Mr. Carmichael; a Copy of which was requested by Dr. Franklin in his Letter to that Gentleman, of June 17, 1780. (See Vol. 1, p. 62.)]

tary of the American Legation at t

13

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM W. CARMICHAEL, Esq. TO HIS EXCELLENCY DR. FRANKLIN, PARIS.

Madrid, April 27, 1780.

"Sir John Dalrymple, who perhaps you know personally, has been here near three weeks, under the pretext, or in reality, of travelling with his lady, who

is in a bad state of health. I have been able to trace most of his motions here, which wear a suspicious appearauce; and having some reason to think that he means to proceed hence to France, I think it my duty to inform you of it, not from any apprehension of what he may be able to effect, (because we have too many proofs to doubt now) but that the servants of our country should not neglect to give you that advice, which I know you will receive from the Count de Vergennes, in case this Philosothis Philo phical Traveller should visit Paris of his family, at this crisis."

Paris, for his health or that

[From the Same to the Same.]

Madrid, July 18, 1780.

"I thought, until the receipt of your letter (of the 17th June ') that Mr. Jay had sent you Sir John Dalrymple's Memorial, and other papers while, I was at Aranjuez. He sends them, however, by this courier, and I think you will be amused in reading Sir

John's Reveries."

2

Mr. Cumberland, a former Secretary of Lord Germaine, succeeds Sir John. His residence gives no uneasiness to the Count de Montmorin, which with the assurances that we receive from the Count de Florida Blanca,3 ought to remove our apprehensions."

■ See Private Correspondence, Part I. page 62.

2 The French Ambassador.

3 The Spanish Minister.

1

TY. I

(Not to diminish from the ORIGINALITY of this DOCUMENT, neither the Phraseology, Grammar, or Orthography, have been corrected.)

Confederation AVANT que la France se fut declarée pour générale.

l'Amérique, Lord Rocheford, autrefois Ambassadeur en Espagne et en France, formoit un Projet pour empêcher la guerre. C'étoit que l'Angleterre proposeroit un grand traité de confédération entre la France, l'Espagne, le Portugal et l'Angleterre, qui devoit avoir Trois Objets trois objets. Le premier, une garantie mude Confédéra- tuelle entre ces quatre Puissances de leurs pos

tion.

sessions dans l'Amérique et dans les deux Indes, avec une provision qu'une guerre dans l'Europe ne seroit jamais une guerre dans ces rémotes régions sous quelque pretexte que ce soit, et fixant le nombre des troupes et des vaisseaux que les puissances contractantes devoient fournir contre la puissance contreve