To John Jay from François de Barbé-Marbois, 27 January 1785
From François de Barbé-Marbois
New York 27 Janvier 1785
Il en a desirer que le Congress veuille bien faire communiquer au Chargé des affaires de France les mesures qui ont été prises ou celles qui le seront en consequence de la note qu’il a eu l’honneur de remettre au Commencemen du mois de Decembre dernire1 touchant les affaires d’Espagne.
Mr. Rendon eu d’opinion que Sa Cour sera disposée à fair une cession de la partie des Floridas que le Traité entre l’angleterre et les Etats unis place du Coté des Etats unis mais il et croit pas2 que Sa Cour fasse cette cession en consideration de ce Traité: il pense qu’elle Sera Seulement une suite du derie ^desire^ que son maitre a de dounce ^donner^ aux Etats unis une marque de Sa Bienveillance et de son amitié. Il en aussi porté à croire que la nouvelle Orleans pourroit être ouverte aux commercans et navigateurs americains par le Mississippi.
Au reste M. Rendon ne donne cet conjectures que comme son opinion particuliere et il declare n’avoit aucune instruction à cet egard.
Mr. Bingham a t il été payé des avances faites par le correspondant du Munitionaire général pour le Compte de la Frigate la Confederacy, et S’il l’a été de quelle maniere le remboursement du Correspondant doit il S’operie en l’absence de Mr. Bingham? Vide the Resolutions of Congress December 16th. 1784.3
Le Commerce4 entre la France et ses Colonies d’une part et les Etats unis de l’autre ayant été reglé par un Traitè il ne peut étre modifiée qu’après un mui5 examen des changemens qui seront proposés et le Chargé des affaires de France recevra avec beaucoup de plaisir les communications que Monsieur Jay voudra bien lui faire au sujet. Il peut l’assurer d’avance que les Etats unis eprouveront de la part du Gouvernement de France toutes les facilités qui pourront se concilui avec l’avantage des sujets du Royaume et le System etabli.
Mr. les Plenipotentiaries amercains6 ont déjà pu informer le Congrés de la nouvelle preuve que le Roi donne aux Etats unis de son affection et de son amitié en leur ouvront Les ports des iles de France et de Bourbon soumises jusqu’à present à une le giere prohibitif[.]7 Les Commerçans et navigateurs americains pourront y aller Des ports de ce Continent; ils y Seront reçus et ils pourront y prendre des raffraiclies-semens8 y vendre partie ou totalité de leurs cargaisons ou pouriuie ^poursuivre^ leur voyage jusqu’aux Ierdes ^Indes^ et a la Chier ^Chine^: ils pourront a leur retour relacher dans ces deux iles, et vendre partie ou totalité de leurs cargaisons. Ils auront aussi la Faculté de se pourvoir des marchandises et productions de ces deux Colonies. On espere que les avantages reciproques qui resulteront de ces arrangemens engageront la Cour de Versailles a les render permanens.
Sans rapeller ici ce que le Chargé des affaires de France ave l’honneur de dire9 a Monsieur Jay il Se Borne à lesigayer10 a en faire Son rapport pour que le Congrès puisse jugee de la necessité de remplir ses engagemens et il leprie de vouloir bien lui faire part des mesures qui auront été prises à cet egard.
Il a été presenté differentes notes au Congrès à ce sujet.11 Monsieur Jay ^est^ en prié de vouloir bien seles faire [illegible]12 representer. Il y verra l’etat où sont reduits plusieurs commerçans françois par une Suite de leur confiance dans la foi des Etats unis: en consultant les registres du Congrés il trouvera que cette assemblee a recommendé aux differens Etats de passer des loix ou actes pour lever les Sommes vieces faires ^necessaires^ au payement des interests du certifficats de Loan office possedés par des Etrangers. Il a en effet été passé des loix pour le payement de ces interets aux citoyens et notament en Pensylvanie: mais C’est dans ce meme Etat qu’ils ont exclus les etrangers de cette repartitition non obstant les remonstrances puissantes du Ministre et ensuite du chargé des affaires du Roi. Il paroît que le Congrès S’en occupé de cette affaire en conséquence de la derniere note qui lui a été recu/ ise ^remise:^ comme l’assemblée de Pensylvanie va se former et qu’elle paroît disposie a faire payer les porteurs de certifficats habitans de cet etat, il en a desirer que le Congrès veuille bien adresser de nouvelles recommandations, ou plutot qu’il assigne un fond pour ce payement eu qui ^vu que^ l’etat ne paroit pas disposé a se conformer aux recommandations qui lui seront faites.
Le Chargé des affaires du Roi a eu l’honneur de remettre au Congrés le 7 du mois de Decembre dernier une note relative aux demandes des heritiers de divers officiers françois. Le Congrès a resolu le 16 du même mois de renvoyer cette affaire au Pay master general avec ordre de faire son rapport aussi promptement que possible. Monsieur Jay est supplié de vouloir bien faire part au Chargé des affaires de france de l’etat present de cette affaire.
[Translation]
New York 27 January 1785
It is hoped that Congress would be willing to inform the French Charge des affaires about the measures that have been taken or those that will be taken in consequence of the note that he had the honor to deliver at the beginning of last December regarding Spanish affairs.13
Mr. Rendon is of the opinion that his Court will be disposed to cede the part of the Floridas that the Treaty between England and the United States places on the United States side but he does not believe that his Court will make this cession in consideration of this Treaty: but because his master desires to give the United States a token of his Good will and friendship. He also believes that New Orleans may be opened to American merchants and navigators on the Mississippi.
Mr. Rendon, however, only puts forward these conjectures as his private opinion and states that he has no instructions on these matter.
Has Mr. Bingham been supplied funds to cover the advances made by the correspondent of the General Supply Officer on account of the Frigate Confederacy, and if he has been, in what manner will the Correspondent be reimbursed in the absence of Mr. Bingham? See the resolutions of Congress of December 16th. 1784.14
Commerce between France and its Colonies on the one hand and the United States on the other having been regulated by a Treaty it can only be modified after a very15 examination of changes that may be proposed and the French Charge des affaires will receive with great pleasure the communications that Mr. Jay will consent to make him on this subject. He can assure him in advance that the United States will experience from the French government all the facilities that can be conceded to it that benefit the subjects of the Kingdom and the established System.16
The American Plenipotentiaries have already informed Congress of the new proof that the King gives to the United States of his affection and his friendship in opening to them the ports of the Isles of France and Bourbon subject to a [light?] prohibitive [duty?]. American merchants and navigators will be able to go there from ports of this Continent: they will be received there and they will be able to take on refreshments there and sell part or all of their cargos or pursue their voyages to India and to China: they will be able on their return to put into port on these two islands and sell part or all of their cargoes. They will also have the right to provide themselves with the merchandize and products of these two Colonies.17 One hopes that the reciprocal advantages that will result from these arrangements will persuade the Court of Versailles to make them permanent.
Without recalling here what the French Chargé des affaires had the honor to say to Mr. Jay, he will only [ask?] him to make his report so that the Congress can judge the need to fulfill its engagements, and he begs him to be so kind as to inform him of the measures that have been taken in this regard.
He has presented different notes to Congress on this subject.18 He asks Mr. Jay to see that they are [illegible] represented. He will see the condition to which many French merchants are reduced because of their reliance on the good faith of the United States: on consulting the registers of Congress, he will find that this assembly recommended to the different states to pass laws or acts to levy the sums needed to pay the interest on the Loan Office certificates held by Foreigners. In effect, laws have been passed to pay the interest to citizens and notably in Pennsylvania: but in this same State they excluded foreigners from this distribution despite the powerful remonstrances of the Minister and afterwards of the King’s chargé d’affaires: It appears that Congress took up this affair as a result of the last note that had been sent to it: since the assembly of Pennsylvania is meeting and seems disposed to pay the certificate holders living in this state, it is hoped that Congress will send new recommendations, or identify a fund for this payment itself, seeing that the state does not appear disposed to conform to the recommendations that are made to it.
On the 7th of last December the King’s Chargé des affaires19 had the honor to send Congress a note relative to the requests of the heirs of various French officers. Congress resolved the 16th of the same month to forward this affair to the Paymaster General with an order to report as promptly as possible. Mr Jay is asked to be willing to inform the French Chargé des affaires about the present state of this matter.
LbkC, in French, , 1: 26–29 (EJ: 1568). Translation by editors. Recipient’s copy not found.
1. “dernire” for “dernier.” The copyist makes numerous errors, not noted, that suggest limited knowledge of French. Occasional corrections to the text made in JJ’s hand are superlineated in the manuscript and are indicated by words placed in carets. Marginal notes indicate the topic under discussion in particular paragraphs. Marginal note: “Negociation avec la Court de Madrid” (Negotiation with the Court of Madrid.)
2. The sense here would appear to be “mais il ne croit pas”: “but he does not believe”.
3. Marginal note: “affaire de Mr Bingham” (Mr. Bingham’s affair).
4. Marginal note: “Nouveau Traité de Commerce” (New Treaty of Commerce).
5. Thus in manuscript.
6. Marginal note: “Commerce de l’Inde et de iles de France et Bourbon” (Commerce with India and the Isles of France and Bourbon).
7. Thus in manuscript. Period supplied.
8. Thus in manuscript.
9. Marginal note: “Dettes des États unis envers le Roi” (Debts of the United States to the King.)
10. Thus in manuscript.
11. Marginal note: “Dettes des Etats unis envers les sujets François” (Debts of the United States to French subjects.)
12. Marginal note: “Officiers François” (French officers.)
13. Barbé-Marbois had forwarded Francisco Rendón’s letter of 16 Nov. 1784 to Congress under cover of his letter of 19 Nov. Congress assigned it, along with an extract of a letter from José de Galvez that dealt with the boundaries of Louisiana and the Floridas and the navigation of the Mississippi to a committee consisting of James Monroe, Charles Pinckney, and William Churchill Houston. The committee report of 15 Dec. recommended that JJ be instructed to express Congress’s satisfaction that Spain wished to see measures taken that would “consolidate and maintain a good understanding between his Catholick Majesty and the United States” and to convey its hope that its endeavors to cultivate his friendship would be effective. It recommended further that Congress should express “high confidence” in the King’s justice and trust that he would permit “amicable discussion” of the mutual rights of Spain and the United States to occur without adopting measures that might prejudice those rights. See 27: 687–90. JJ informed Barbé-Marbois of the substance of this recommendation in a letter of 31 Jan. 1785, LbkC, , 1: 9 (EJ: 1550); Dft, NNC (EJ: 5707). His reply did not, however, address the other matters Barbé-Marbois had raised.
14. For Barbé-Marbois’s letter to Congress of 7 Dec. 1784, asking reimbursement for funds advanced to Bingham for repairs to the Confederacy, see DNA: PCC, item 96, 314–15. For the arrangements eventually made to reimburse France for funds advanced to Bingham, partially in bills of exchange drawn on JJ, see Margaret L. Brown, “William Bingham, Agent of the Continental Congress at Martinique,” 61 (1937): 79–83.
15. Translation based on erroneous French text.
16. On France’s formulation of a postwar trade policy with the United States, see 8: 681–99n.
17. On the French decision to open these islands (now Mauritius and Réunion) as way stations and entrepôts for American vessels, see 9: 336–43n. On the opening of trade with China and India, see the editorial note “Americans Engage in the China Trade,” below.
18. Barbé-Marbois’s correspondence on loan office certificates has not been found. Among the means Congress had used to finance its war effort was the issuance of government bonds called loan office certificates, in which individuals, attracted by a return of 6 percent payable in bills of exchange on France, had invested. Congress discontinued interest payments in 1782, but allowed individual states to pay interest on them to their own citizens out of funds raised to cover their quotas on Continental requisitions, a decision La Luzerne had protested because it discriminated against foreign holders. Congress was forced to depend on the states to provide interest payments in the form of indents, certificates of interest receivable for taxes. It was not until 13 Sept. 1785 that Congress adopted a resolution authorizing payment in this form. It contained a provision allowing foreigners to present their claims for interest to the Continental loan office in any state and forbidding discrimination against them. See 29: 695–700; 35–40, 149–52, 220–32; and 7: 143; 9: 77–78n2.
19. La Luzerne had begun to press Robert Morris, Superintendent of Finance, for settlement of these accounts and payment on them in 1784. After Morris’s resignation and La Luzerne’s return to France, Barbé-Marbois wrote Congress about the matter on 7 Dec. 1784. See DNA: PCC, item 96, 306–13; 9: 163–64, 165–66, 260–62, 288, 331; 656, 657n3.