Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson to John Adams (unpublished)
Passy July 8th 1785
Sir

We duly received your letter of the 20th of June, and now in consequence thereof send you a draught of a treaty which we should be willing to have proposed to the court of London. We have taken for our droundwork the original draught proposed to Denmark, making such alterations and additions only as had occurred in the course of our negociations with Prussia and Tuscany and which we thought were for the better. These you will find in the 4th. 9th. 13th. and 25th. articles, and are such as met your approbation when we were considering those treaties. Nevertheless we shall be happy to concur with you in any thing better which you may wish to propose either in the original draught or the amendments. Particularly we wish it were possible to convince the British court that it might be for their interest to continue their former bounties on the productions of our country on account of their quality, and of the nature of the returns, which have always been in manufactures and not in money. We have the honour to be with sentiments of the highest respect Your Most obedient and Most humble Servants

B Franklin
Th. Jefferson
Addressed: His Excellency / John Adams Esqr / &c. &c. &c.
Endorsed: MM. Franklin & Jefferson Differences bet. the Draughts of the Prussian & British. n.b All the differences between the draughts of the Prussian and British are noted in the two columns hereunto annexed
British Prussian
Art 2.
At end of clause. add “submitting
themselves” &c.
Art. 3.
Do
Art. 4.
line. 1 to carry any kinds of
produce, manufactures & merchandize
of whatever place they be the growth
or manufacture
to carry their own produce manufactures
and merchandize
1. 4.persons
the subjects or citizens
the other
whatever place or growth
1. 6.each party reserves to
itself
the K of P. & the U.S. & each of
them reserve to themselves
1. 13.permits any person of
their own or any other nation
permits any other nation
Art. 5.
retains last paragraph only.
Art. 8. obliged to pay any duties,
charges, or fees whatsoever, or to
render any account of their cargo
obliged to render any account of
their cargo, or to pay any duties
&c. to the end of the clause.
Art 10.
the following addition to the clause.
“and exempt from all rights of
detraction” &c.
Art 12. on the other hand &c.
omitted
Art 13. Nevertheless &c.
Nevertheless &c.

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