Papers of John Adams, volume 6

The Commissioners’ Accounts with Ferdinand Grand: Doit Compte courant des Etats Unis par Messieurs Franklin, Lee, et Adams chez Fd. Grand, 9 August – 12 November 1778 First Joint Commission at Paris JA The Commissioners’ Accounts with Ferdinand Grand: Doit Compte courant des Etats Unis par Messieurs Franklin, Lee, et Adams chez Fd. Grand, 9 August – 12 November 1778 First Joint Commission at Paris Adams, John

The Commissioners' Accounts with Ferdinand Grand

Doit Compte courant des Etats Unis par Messieurs Franklin, Lee, et Adams chez Fd. Grand

9 August – 12 November 1778

1778							Debit			Credit
	Payé a Monsr. Ar: Lee sur reçu	{	le 17 Juin 1200.	}			6000.
	Payé a Monsr. Ar: Lee sur reçu	{	le 9 Juillet 4800.	}			6000.
Aoust 9	Pour Solde du dernier Compte									25995.	5.	6
9	Acceptations de Mr. Franklin aux traittes de Hy. Laurens de Philadelphie du 14 9bre. a 30 Jours de vue ordre Ganot 887., Espencers 900., 1617., de la Balan 900.						4304.
11	Mandats de Mrs. Franklin Lee et Adams de ce Jour ordre B. Chew 360., a Wm. Tryon 360., E. Hinman 720						14401
14	idem de Mrs. Franklin Lee et Adams ordre E. Barnes et E Ledger 10 Louis a chaque						480.
17	Mandat de Mr. Adams a J. L. Austin						720.
19	idem de Mr. Adams a Bureau						360.
20	idem de Mrs. Franklin Lee et Adams a J. Murphy						240.
24	Acceptation de Mr. Franklin a une traitte de Horneca Fizeaux & ce. du 20 Aoust a vue sur B. Franklin						435.	7.
24	Acceptation, de Mr. Francklin a une traitte de Horneca fizeaux & ce. du 20 Aoust a vue, sur Mrs. Les Deputes						646.	17.	3
26	Mandat de Mrs. Francklin et Adams a Th: Barnes						120.
27	idem de Mr. Adams a Hill						319.	152
30	idem de Mr. Francklin a Hill						500.
360
7bre. 1	Acceptation de Mr. Francklin a une traitte de Horneca fizeaux & ce. du 27 Aoust a vue sur B. Franklin						115.	2.	9
3	Payé a Mr. Arthur Lee sur reçu						4800.
4	Mandats de Mrs. Francklin et Adams a Rolandeau 192. a J. Channing, J. Spencer, Wm. Daniel, D. Lymes, J. Fulford, Wm. Knap, D. Thomas, T. Choat 10 Louis chaque						2112.
7	Mandats de Mrs. Lee et Adams a J. Fulford et J. Alsburn						480.
9	Acceptations de Mrs. Francklin et Lee a traittes de J. Bonfield du 30 May a 3 uso. sur Mrs. Franklin Lee et Adams.						82684.	10.
11	Acceptation de Mr. Francklin a une traitte de hy. Laurens du 1er. Janvier a 30 Jours de vue sur les Deputes						900.
12	Mandats de Mrs. Francklin, Lee, et Adams a Gilbank 360., J. Gales 240., G. Sledan 192., B. Wheland 192						984.
13	Mandat de Mr. Adams ordre Hill						236.
17	Mandats de Mrs. Francklin Lee et Adams ordre Capn. Dick, P. Richard, J Stirgis, C. Bulkeley 480. chaque, a Mon. Radford, J. Breton 360. chaque et C. Smith 240.						2880.
17	idem de Mrs. Franklin et Adams, ordre B. Franklin3 120., et D: Thomas 192.						312.
17	Mandat de Mr. Adams ordre Wm. T. Franck						229.	6.	9.
19	Acceptations de Mrs. Francklin a traitte de Hy. Laurens a 30 Jours de vue, ordre Fouquet 287., 573., 600						1460.
22	Mandat de Mrs. Franklin et Adams a P. Hancock 600. a Ballioure4 1259.10.						1859.	10
361
24	do. de Mrs. Franklin Lee et Adams a J. L. Austin L2400. a S. Miles, P. Carter 288.						2688.
26	Payé a Mr. Arthur Lee sur reçu						4800.
26	Acceptation de Mr. Francklin a traittes de hy. Laurens du 14 9bre. a 30 Jours de vue ordre Dubourg 450. a Loyauté 717						1167.
30	Mandats de Mrs. Francklin et Adams a J. Whelch 480. a Wm. Hamilton 360.						840.
8bre. 1	Mandat de Mrs. Franklin et Adams, ord. Mr. Adams						6000.
8	Acceptation de Mr. Francklin a une traitte de Mrs. Horneca fizeaux &ce. du 17 7bre. a vue, sur moy même						574.	17.
8	Acceptation de Mr. Franklin a traitte de D. Walsh d'Amsterdam du 22 Juillet a vue						176.
10	Acceptation de Mr. Franklin a une traitte de Welch et Hamilton a Bruxelles du 21 7bre. a vue, sur moy						192.
17	Acceptation de Mr. J. Adams a traitte sur lui de J. Bondfield du 23 7bre. a 15 Jours de date						888.	12.
17	Acceptations de Mrs. Franklin et Lee a traittes de J. Bonfield du 23 7bre. a 15 Jours de date 1404., 2952. 7.						4356.	7.
19	Mandat de Mr. Francklin a Hill						701.	4.
24	Payé a Mr. Franklin						2400.
24	Acceptation de Mrs. Francklin a traitte de J. Bonfield du 29 7bre. a 15 Jours de date, sur Mrs. Franklin Lee et Adams						7407.
31	Payé a Mrs. Francklin et Adams sur reçu						4800.
31	Acceptation de Mrs. Franklin Lee et Adams a traitte de Heze. Ford du 7 Juillet ordre J. Ross 240. 120 et Maury 144.						264.
362
9bre. 3	Acceptation de Mr. Franklin a traitte de C. G. F. Dumas de'Amsterdam du 21 7bre. a Uso sur les Deputés.						2400.
	Payé a Mr. Adams sur reçu de 27 courant						684.	17.	6
	Mandats de Mrs. Franklin Lee et Adams du 3 8bre a J. Granis, J. Woodward, T. Rogers, E. Downer, C. Sterry, R. Ewart du 9 8bre. a J. S Barnes, B. R Grinnel du 17 do. a Collas, du 19 do. a C. Barnes, J. Barnes, du 23 a Wm. Spencer du 26 a Whitmarsh du 6 9bre. a J. Lee a G. Rolls, a J. Revil 240. a chaque du 17 8bre. a Hy. Moore 360.5 a A. Kirk 288.						4488.
10	Reçu de Messrs. Franklin Lee et Adams		L370940.	17.	11	}				750000.
	a reçevoir des dits le 30 9bre.		379059.	2.	1	}				750000.
11	Acceptations de Mr. Franklin Lee et Adams a traittes de Monthieu du 9 8bre au 10 9bre						150713.
11	Acceptation de Mr. Franklin a une traitte de Bingham de la Martinique a 3 Mois de vue						10000.
11	de même, datée du 16 Juillet.						1682.	11.	8
11	Traitte de hy. Laurens du 14 Juin a 30 Jours de vue acceptée par.						7792.
	Payé a Mr. Arthur Lee sur reçu du 27 8bre.						2400.
12	Commission sur L750000 a /12; per cent						3750.
	Ports de Lettres, Paquets Commissionaires &ce						482.	12.
	Pour Solde il revient a ces Messieurs						439728.	15.	7
							L775995.	5.	6	L775995.	5.	66

Ainsi arreté double sauf erreurs ou Ommissions Paris le 22 9bre 1778 Grand 363

RC (MH-H: Lee Papers); notation on the reverse of the 1st page: “No. 5.” Also on that page is a column of figures by Arthur Lee listing the sums received from Ferdinand Grand that are given in this account, together with an entry for 16,806 livres received from Dr. Sollier, a Paris banker. These sums, added to Lee's previous total given in the account of 30 June (above), indicate that he had received 100,525.5.6 livres since his arrival in France in 1777. See also the descriptive note for the accounts of 30 March (above).

This entry and those for 20, 26 Aug.; 4, 7, 12, 17 (2), 22, 24, 30 Sept.; 8, 10 Oct.; and 3 Nov. are for payments made to American prisoners.

A Paris tailor; see Household Accounts, 9 April (above).

Apparently an error; the Foreign Ledgers, Public Agents in Europe, 1776–1787 (DNA: RG 39, Microfilm, Reel 1, f. 90), indicate that the payment of 120 livres was to Lewis Brethe.

According to the Foreign Ledgers (same), this was Ballier, a wine merchant.

The Foreign Ledgers (same, f. 91) indicate that this payment was to Henry and John Moore.

Because of the error noted in previous accounts the total should be 775,995.10.6 livres.

Benjamin Franklin and John Adams to John Paul Jones, 10 August 1778 Franklin, Benjamin JA Jones, John Paul Benjamin Franklin and John Adams to John Paul Jones, 10 August 1778 Franklin, Benjamin Adams, John Jones, John Paul

Benjamin Franklin and John Adams to John Paul Jones

Sir Passy Aug. 10 1778

We do not think ourselves authorized to give any Orders concerning the Deductions to be made from the Seamen's Price1 money or Wages, of what was advanced to them. The Resolutions of Congress must be complied with as to your Stores and Furniture, we suppose there can be no Difficulty, but that M. Simpson will as he ought to deliver you your private Property upon Request.

We are not informed particularly what Receipts for your Indemnification you desire, and therefore we are not able to give any Advice concerning them. But we hope that all proper Receipts will be given you, such as you have a Right to expect, readily upon Request.

We shall recommend the Men who Landed with you at White haven to the Favour of Congress, because we think they have merited it; but least our Recommendation Should miscarry, we wish you to recommend them yourself and inclose in your Letter an extract of this Paragraph of ours.2 As these People belonging to the Ranger have done themselves so much Honour in their expedition under your Command, perhaps Congress would approve of the Deductions being made from their Wages to be paid in America that the Men may have their Price Money here.

We have received a Letter concerning Some Price Plate3 deposited by you in the Hands of a Gentleman who waits your 364Orders to deliver it, which we suppose, as you are upon the Spot, you will give of Course. We are Sir, with all due Respect Your most obedient and very humble Servants

B. Franklin John Adams4

RC (PCC, No. 168, f. 183–186); docketed: “from The American Plenipotentiaries Passy Passy Augt. 10th. 1778 Reed. Brest Augt. 17th. 1778 No.2.” LbC (Adams Papers).

That is, “Prize money.” “Price” was an obsolete form of “prize” even in 1778 ( OED ). JA used the word “prize” in his Letterbook copy.

Jones wrote to the Marine Committee on 18 Aug. ( Cal. Jones Manuscripts , p. 46).

Possibly the plate seized when Jones raided Lord Selkirk's mansion on St. Mary's Isle during the Ranger's expedition in April. Jones ultimately returned the plate to Lord Selkirk after paying out of his own pocket the prize shares accruing to his officers and men from its capture (Morison, John Paul Jones , p. 145–146,154–155).

An explanation of why this letter was not signed by all three Commissioners was inserted by JA at the bottom of his Letterbook copy: “Signed by F. and A. Lee being at Versailles, and the opportunity pressing.”