Papers of John Adams, volume 6

William Bingham to the Commissioners, 29 May 1778 Bingham, William First Joint Commission at Paris JA William Bingham to the Commissioners, 29 May 1778 Bingham, William First Joint Commission at Paris Adams, John

William Bingham to the Commissioners

Honble Gentn St. Pierre M/que May 29th 1778

I have done myself the Honor of writing Several Letters to Congress upon the Subject of Remittances, for Debts I have contracted in this place on public Account; in Some of which I requested Liberty to draw upon you Gentlemen for the Amount, as being the most Sure and eligible Plan of procuring Payment.1 I have not as yet received any Answers to my Letters, but expect them with great Impatience.

Should they not arrive, and Remittances fail me, I Shall be under the Necessity of drawing upon you for the Sum of Livs. 100,000 Tournois, to preserve my Credit, and enable me to pay due honor to the Engagements I have entered into, on the Public Account.

Nothing but the most pressing Demand for this Sum, and the fullest Assurance of my Drafts being punctually honoured, could induce me to take this Liberty, without having first obtained yours and Congress's Permission. But I am fully confident that it cannot be the Intention of Congress that their Agents Should be reduced to Difficulties, or their Credit Suffer, by a failure in their Payments.

The Congress is indebted to me a much larger Sum, and Should I receive Remittances from America in Produce, I Should find the greatest Difficulty in disposing of it, for mercantile operations are almost Suspended here, from the Appearance of an approaching War.

Besides, Several French Vessels have lately been taken, and carried into English Ports, for no other Reason than their having American Produce on board, which has made the Owners of Vessels very cautious of receiving it on Freight untill War is openly declared.

It gives me Pain to impart to you the disagreeable News of the Loss of the Randolph and Alfred Frigates. The Circumstances 169that attended the Capture of the Alfred, greatly aggravate the Misfortune. She fell a Sacrifice to the Cowardice of Capt. Thompson Commander of the Raleigh, who declined giving her any assistance, during her Engagement with the Ceres and Ariadne Sloops of War, the one of 18 and the other of 22 Guns. I have transmitted to Congress a full and circumstantial Account of this unfortunate Event, and I hope the base and infamous Conduct of Capt. Thompson will meet with a proper and condign Punishment.

The Stroke of Misfortune that befel the Randolph proceeded from a very different Cause, from an intemperate and indiscreet Courage. Capt. Biddle had the Confidence to attack the Yarmouth a 64 Gun Ship and was Sunk in the Engagement. Out of 305 Persons of which the Crew consisted, but four were Saved.

A Captain of a Vessel that was taken and carried into Domenica informs me that the Day before he Sailed from Boston Mr. Deane arrived there from France.2 There is no late News of any Consequence from the Armies. I have the honor to be with great Respect Gentn. Your obedt. hble servt

Wm Bingham

RC (PPAmP: Franklin Papers) docketed: “Wm. Bingham St Pierre May 29 78.”

See Committee for Foreign Affairs to the Commissioners, 16 April (above).

That is, Simeon Deane.

Jonathan Trumbull to the Commissioners, 29 May 1778 Trumbull, Jonathan First Joint Commission at Paris JA Jonathan Trumbull to the Commissioners, 29 May 1778 Trumbull, Jonathan First Joint Commission at Paris Adams, John

Jonathan Trumbull to the Commissioners

Gentlemen Hartford May 29th. 1778

This will be handed to you by Capt. Robert Niles (Commander of the Schooner Spy own'd by this State) and has in Charge Dispatches from the Honorable Continental Congress which I was desir'd to forward Imediately to you, hope he may have a Good Passage, and Arive Safe.1 The Article of Lead is much wanted in this State and would desire that you would putt as much on Board, the Spy as Capt. Niles shall Judge Suffecient to take on Board, to putt her in Trim for Sailing and Supply him with Cash Suffecient for his Disbursments during his Stay in France, and One hundred and Twenty Four pounds Lawfull Money, which I have Agreed to advance for Capt. Niles and his Mate, also as much more as will pay Each of his Seamen One Months pay, the Amount must Refer you to Capt. Niles.2 I am, with great Esteem and Consideration Gentlemen Your most Obedient most hble Servant

Jonth; Trumbull 170

RC (PPAmP: Franklin Papers) addressed: “The Honorable Commissioners of the United States of America at Paris. Per Packet Capt Robt Niles. Commander.”; franked: “On Public Service Jonth; Trumbull”; docketed in an unknown hand: “Jon. Trumbull to Commrs. 29 May 1778. by Capt Niles (who came in 22. Days).”

The Marine Committee, in a letter of 5 May, had requested Trumbull to prepare the Spy “to carry dispatches to France.” These were the ratified copies of the Franco-American treaties received by Trumbull in a letter from the Committee for Foreign Affairs dated 19 May (Charles Oscar Paullin, ed., Outletters of the Continental Marine Committee and Board of Admiralty, 2 vols., N.Y., 1914, 1:235; MHS, Colls. , 7th ser., 2 [1902]:234; see also Foreign Affairs Committee to [Jesse] Brown, in Burnett, ed., Letters of Members , 3:258–259, and note 3). On the morning of 3 July the Spy reached Brest, and the first set of the ratifications to arrive in France was immediately sent to Paris, where it was received on the 8 th (Thomas Simpson to the Commissioners, 3 July, below; JA to James Lovell, 9 July, calendared below).

JA, who informed Arthur Lee of the newly arrived ratifications in a letter of 8 July (MH-H: Lee Papers), apparently added one of the sets that arrived later to his personal files, for the Adams Papers contain ratified copies of the treaties signed and sealed by President Henry Laurens.

For the Commissioners' response to Trumbull's requests regarding the Spy, see their letters of J. D. Schweighauser and Trumbull (both below, that to Schweighauser quoted in note 1 there). On its return voyage the Spy was captured by a Jersey privateer (Robert Niles to Benjamin Franklin, 27 Oct., Cal. Franklin Papers, A.P.S. , 1:522).