ALS: American Philosophical Society; copy: University of Virginia Library;
transcript: National Archives
I am well informed that two Indorsements have been made
on the Accots I have had the Honour to present to the Commissioners,
one of which contains Accusations as injurious to
my Reputation as they are false & malignant. The first of
these Indorsements is on my Accot dated Sept. 10 1778 and is
written in the following Words.—
“N B The Order from B Franklin & John Adams Esqrs. to
the public Banker for the Payment of all Mr Williams’s Demands
is dated the 10th July, yet he charges a Louis d’or a
Day from that Time to the 11th of August, besides the whole
Charge being such as was never heard of before.”
The Charge here mentioned appears to me reasonable, and is
by no Means unprecedented. I left Nantes by Order of the
Commissioners to lay my Accots before them— I was a long
Time in Paris for the sole Purpose of having them settled, and
I returned as soon as I thought myself justifiable in so doing:
Five Louis per Day is certainly not an Object for a Merchants
Absence from his Business.
The second Indorsement contains Accusations of a most
criminal and atrocious Nature, and which if true would deservedly
brand me with the Name of Villain; but I trust in God
my Character (hitherto unimpeached) will stand the piercing
Eye of Justice, and this Appelation be elsewhere more effectualy
applied.
On the Back of my Accots settled May 30. 1778 is thus
written.
“at Chaillot 6 of October 1778.
I have examined the within Accots, the Articles of which
may be distinguished into such as are without Orders or manifestly
unjust, or plainly exorbitant, or altogether unsatisfactory,
for want of Names, or Dates, or Receipts, or any other
Voucher whatsoever.— Being also perfectly satisfied from his
own Accots that Mr Williams has now & has long had in his
Hands upwards of an hundred thousand Livres belonging to
the Public, and which have not been employed to the Public
Use, or by Order of those who were entrusted with the Public
Money. I do refuse to concur in passing these Accots, or allowing
the Balance demanded & do protest against such Use
of the Public Money.”
This violent Attack on what is most dear & valuable to an
honest Man was so privately made, that I am indebted to Accident
only for the Knowlege of it. He who can deliberately
massacre the Reputation of an other, must not only be lost to
the exquisite Feelings of Humanity in himself, but must delight
in glutting his Soul with the Carnage of Characters.
The Accusation of my Transactions being without Authority,
is an Affront to the Characters of Doctor Franklin and Mr
Dean, for I have their express Orders to support me in
them—but if I had not, would the sending Cloathing for
thirty thousand american Troops be considered as a Crime?
That my Charges are “exorbitant” I deny, and I pledge myself
to prove that the whole Profit issuing to me from the Public
Business for eighteen Months, and for shipping Supplies to
the Amount of near three Millions two hundred thousand
Livres, (of which only about two hundred thousand Livres
were taken) does not exceed an averaged Commission of one
and a quarter per Cent. Compare this, Gentlemen, with the
common Charges on american Business in Nantes, and you
will find that if five per Cent was to be charged only on the
Sale of three Cargoes of Tobacco (and this is the usual
Charge) it would more than equal all the Reward of all my
Services. In short the being usefull to my Country & the Establishment
of my Reputation, have been Considerations with
me superior to my Emolument, as is evinced by the moderate
Commission I charged.—
Mr Lees Assertion that I have upwards of an hundred thousand
Livres Public Money in my Hands, I have Charity to
think he does not believe to be a Fact; and surely the Protest
is an Insult on you who have approved my Drafts for the
Money which is here said to be used for private Purposes.
My Character Gentlemen has been too long wounded by
Mr Lee—my Accots too long unsettled, and as it is my Intention
to depart soon to America, I humbly conjure you to fix
on some Method whereby my Reputation can be vindicated
from such unjust Slanders, or my Conduct publicly reprehended
and condemned. To this Purpose as the major Part of
the Public Debts under my management were contracted in &
near Nantes, and as the Persons live in this Neighbourhood, I
earnestly request you to order an Examination of my Accots.—
There are here several Gentlemen of Character Residents
of America who are well versed in commercial Transactions—
permit me to mention their Names,— Mr William
Blake, Mr Daniel Blake, Mr Johnson, Mr Fendall, Mr Wharton,
Mr Ridley, Mr Ross, Mr Lloyd & Mr Oglevie.— Choose
if you please, all these Gentlemen to scrutinize my Charges
and Vouchers, or refer them to any three of them, and I will
recall every Allowance for my Services, whether under
the Name of Commission, or otherwise, and for these as
well as for the whole of my Accots, I will abide by their Decision.
It is Justice I want;— Justice is my Due—and it is equaly
indifferent to me who are my Judges, so that Honesty and
Impartiality are the Umpires.
I have the Honour to be with the greatest Respect Honourable
Gentlemen Your most obedient & most humble Servant
The Honourable Benjamin Franklin & John Adams.