The American Commissioners to the President of
Congress
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; three copies and transcript:
National Archives
<Passy, September 17, 1778: Since our last letter, July 20, there
has been an important naval battle in which, in our opinion,
the French had a manifest and great advantage. Both fleets are
again at sea. The British public is amused and the public funds
supported by rumors of peace. We are in a state of suspense
awaiting news of the comte d’Estaing.
We have taken measures to borrow money in Amsterdam
but we cannot yet say with what success; we have had no
answer to our request for permission to borrow money in
France. We yesterday applied [to the French government] for
a continuation of the quarterly payments of 750,000 l.t. Because
of the apprehension of a general war England, France,
the Emperor, Spain and Prussia are borrowing money and offering
better interest rates than we can.
We have administered the oath of allegiance and issued certificates
to that effect to Mr. Moor, Mr. Woodford and Mr.
Montgomery, have given naval commissions to Mr. Livingston
and Mr. Amiel and have administered an oath of secrecy to
one of our secretaries. We wish instructions about such matters,
and about Englishmen wishing to emigrate to America,
about certification of ship cargoes belonging to Americans,
and about payments to escaped prisoners, a large segment of
our expenses. The comte de Vergennes informs us he asked
Mr. Holker to write him from time to time. We have sent orders
to Bordeaux to ship you 56 cannon, but this will take
perhaps two or three months.>
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