make peace with us and our allies at the same time, I will on notice from you send to Mr. Jay, to prepare for meeting at such time and place as shall be agreed on. As to our treating separately and quitting our present alliance, which the late ministry seemed to desire, it is impossible. Our treaties, and our instructions, as well as the honor and interest of our country, forbid it. I will communicate those instructions to you as soon as I have the pleasure of seeing you. If you have occasion for money, please to acquaint me with the sum you desire, and I will endeavour to supply you. With very great esteem and respect, I have the honor to be, Sir, &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

COMMISSION to Messrs. Adams, Franklin, Jay, Laurens, and

Jefferson.

The UNITED STATES of AMERICA in CONGRESS

assembled; To all to whom these presents shall come, send greeting.

Whereas these United States from a sincere desire of putting an end to the hostilities between his most Christian Majesty and these United States on the one part, and his Britannic Majesty on the other, and of terminating the same by a peace founded on such solid and equitable principles as reasonably to promise a permanency of the blessings of tranquillity, did heretofore appoint the Hon. John Adams, late a commissioner of the United States of America at the Court of Versailles, late delegate in Congress from the state of Massachusetts, and chief justice of the said state, their minister plenipotentiary, with full powers, general and special, to act in that quality, to confer, treat, agree and conclude with the ambassadors or plenipotentiaries of his most Christian Majesty, and of his Britannic Majesty, and those of any other princes or states whom it might concern, relating to the re-establishment of peace and friendship. And whereas, the flames of war have since that time been extended,

and other nations and states are involved therein: Now know ye, that we still continuing earnestly desirous as far as depends upon us, to put a stop to the effusion of blood, and to convince the powers of Europe that we wish for nothing more ardently than to terminate the war by a safe and honorable peace, have thought proper to renew the powers formerly given to the said John Adams, and to join four other persons in commission with him, and having full confidence in the integrity, prudence, and ability of the Hon. Benjamin Franklin, our minister plenipotentiary at the Court of Versailles; and the Hon. John Jay, late president of Congress, and chief justice, of the state of New-York, and our minister plenipotentiary at the Court of Madrid; and the Hon. Henry Laurens, formerly president of Congress, and commissionated and sent as our agent to the United Provinces of the Low Countries; and the Hon. Thomas Jefferson, governor of the commonwealth of Virginia; have nominated, constituted, and appointed the said Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Henry Laurens, and Thomas Jefferson, in addition to the said Jahn Adams, giving and granting to them the said John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Henry Laurens, and Thomas Jefferson, or the majority of them, or of such of them as may assemble, or in case of the death, absence, indisposition, or other impediment of the others, to any one of them, full power and authority, general and special commission to repair to such place as may be fixed upon for opening the negociations for peace, and there for us, and in our name, to confer, treat, agree, and conclude, with the ambassadors, commissioners, and plenipotentiaries of the princes and states whom it may concern, vested with equal powers, relating to the establishment of peace; and whatsoever shall be agreed and concluded for us and in our name, to sign, and thereupon make a treaty.or treaties, and to transact every thing that may be necessary, for completing, securing, and strengthening the great work of pacification, in as ample form and with the same effect as if we were personally present and acted therein; hereby promising in good faith, that we will accept, ratify, fulfil and execute, whatever shall be agreed, concluded, and signed by our said ministers plenipotentiary, or a majority of them, or of such of them as may assemble, or in case of the death, absence, indisposition, or other impediment of the others, by any one of them; and that we will never act, nor suffer any person to act contrary to the same, in whole or in any part.

In witness whereof we have caused these presents to be signed by our president, and sealed with his seal.

Done at Philadelphia the fifteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-one, and in the fifth year of our independence, by the United States in Congress assembled.

Communication from the Court of France to DR. FRANKLIN, on the overtures for a separate Treaty.

A Versailles, le 12 Avril, 1782.

J'ai mis sous yeux de M. le Comte de Vergennes, Monsieur, les differentes lettres que M. Hartley vous a écrites ainsi que votre projet de réponse; ce ministere a donné une entière approbation à la manière dont vous vous exprimez. Je joins ici un post-scriptum concernant M. Forth; M. le Comte de Vergennes, qui en a pris lecture, trouve que vous pouvez sans inconvenient le transmettre à votre correspondant.

J'ai l'honneur d'être avec un très sincere attachement, Monsieur, votre très humble et très obeissant serviteur, DE RAYNEVAL.

(signé)

P. S. Depuis ma lettre écrite, Monsieur, j'ai pesé de nouveau les differentes ouvertures qu'elle renferme. Selon vous l'ancien ministere Anglois désiroit sincerement une réconciliation avec nous, et il nous proposoit dans cette vue une paix separée. Tandis que vous me transmettiez ce vœu du Lord North, cet ex-ministre avoit ici un émissaire chargé

de sonder le ministère François sur ses dispositions pacifiques, et de lui faire des propositions fort avantageuses. Vous pouvez juger par-là, Monsieur, de l'opinion que je dois avoir des intentions du Lord North et de ses collégues. Pour vous convaincre de la vérité de la notion que je vous transmets, je vous confierai que l'émissaire étoit un M. Forth, et qu'on l'a chargé ici de répondre aux ministres Anglois, que le Roi de France désiroit la paix autant que le Roi d'Angleterre ; qu'il s'y prêteroit dès qu'il le pourroit avec dignité et sureté; mais qu'il importoit avant tout à S. M. T. C. de savoir si laTM cour de Londres étoit disposée à traiter également avec les Alliés de la France.. M. Forth est parti avec cette réponse pour Londres; mais il y a apparence qu'il ne1 sera arrivé qu'après la rétraite des ministres qui l'avoient envoyé. Vous pourrez, Monsieur, sans aucun inconvenient faire usage de ces details, si vous le jugez à propos : ils feront connoître au ministère actuel les principes de la cour de France, et ils le convaincront, j'espère, que le projet de nous désunir seroit aussi illusoire qu'il nous seroit injurieux. Quant au problème remis à M. Forth, je ne saurois prévoir (si les nouveaux ministres en sont instruits) de quelle manière ils croiront devoir le résoudre; s'ils aiment la paix, comme ils l'ont persuadé à la nation Angloise et à toute l'Europe, ils ne doivent pas être embarrassés: la France leur a ouvert une voie qu'ils peuvent, selon moi, suivre sans blesser la dignité de leur maitre; s'ils ne la suivent pas, ils se flattent sans doute que le sort des armes procurera à l'Angleterre des succès qu'il leur a refusé jusqu'à présent; ce sera à la Providence a couronner ou à frustrer leurs espérances.

VOL. II

H

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TO DAVID HARTLEY, ESQ. M. P.

DEAR SIR,

Passy, April 13, 1782,

Since mine of the 5th I have thought farther of the subject of our late letters. You were of opinion, that the late minister desired sincerely a reconciliation with America, and with that view a separate peace with us was proposed. It happened that at the same time Lord North had an emissary here to sound the French ministers with regard to peace, and to make them very advantageous, propositions in case they would abandon America. You may. hence judge, my dear friend, what opinion I must have formed of the intentions of your ministers. To convince you of the truth of this, I may acquaint you that the emissary was a Mr. Forth; and, that the answer given him to carry back to the English ministers was, que le roi de France désiroit la paix autant que le roi d'Angleterre; qu'il s'y prêteroit dès qu'il le pourroit avec dignité et sureté; mais qu'il importoit avant tout à S. M. T. C. de savoir si la cour de Londres étoit disposée à traiter également avec les alliés de la France. Mr. Forth went off with this answer for London, but probably did not arrive till after the dismission of the. ministers that sent him. You may make any use of this information as you judge proper. The new ministry may see by it the principles that govern this court; and it will convince them, I hope, that the project of dividing us is as vain as it would be to us injurious. I cannot judge what they will think or do in consequence of the answer sent by Mr. Forth (if they have seen it.). If they love peace, as they have persuaded the English nation and all Europe to believe, they can be under no difficulty. France has opened a path which in my opinion they may use, without hurting the dignity of their master, or the honor of the nation. If they do not choose it, they doubtless flatter themselves that war