The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 12
History
The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 12
United States -- Foreign relations -- 1775-1783; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Sources
Having said thus much of things previous to the year 1782, I must now
take the liberty to remind your Excellency, that I had requested the
sum of twelve millions for that year, on the principle, that after
deducting two millions and a half for M. de Beaumarchais, the
remaining nine and a half would be absolutely necessary, and I then
did expect much more from the States than has been received. The
Court, however, granted only six millions, but I had every reason to
suppose, that this sum would be exclusively at my disposition; and
therefore in consequence of your Excellency's assurances, and
according to your advice, I drew twelve bills of half a million each
on Mr Franklin, in favor of Mr Grand, and I appropriated this money to
the payment of what bills I should draw on him; excepting a part which
I desired him to ship during the last summer, when bills were not
saleable, and which I expected here in November, or December; but as
it did not arrive, I conjectured as the event has shown, that no
shipment was made, and extended my bills accordingly. As to M. de
Beaumarchais' bills, I expected that some arrangement might have been
taken with relation to them, according to our conversations. For
although you declared that you had no instructions on that subject,
yet you saw with me that our funds would not bear such a deduction,
and the line of conduct which you advised, was precisely that which I
pursued, as I shall presently have occasion to mention.
I relied then on the loan of six millions, and on three millions which
Mr Adams had obtained in Holland, so long ago as in September last. My
appropriation of these sums was as follows. Bills drawn on Mr Grand in
1782 for six millions, being the amount of the loan made by his
Majesty; one million negotiated through the Havana; half a million
which I directed for payment of interest on the Dutch loan of 1781;
and a million and a half drawn for in 1783, at the time I had the
honor to speak to your Excellency, formed the amount of three millions
in Holland, which by the Acts of Congress were exclusively at my
disposition.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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