Franklin, Benjamin | Writing in the uncertain period after Yorktown, Franklin looks forward to negotiating the treaty that will end the War

Franklin, Benjamin

Manuscript letter signed ("Your most obedient and most humble Servant B Franklin") as United States Minister to France, to François-Jean de Beauvoir, Chevalier de Chastellux, anticipating a successful negotiation of a peace with Great Britain

2 pages (315 x 202 mm) on a bifolium (watermarked Pro Patria). Passy, 6 April 1782, text in the hand of William Temple Franklin, his grandson and secretary; very short marginal separation at central fold, paperclip stain at top of second page. Half green morocco slipcase, chemise.

Writing in the uncertain period after Yorktown, Franklin looks forward to negotiating the treaty that will end the War of American Independence. Just days from beginning the Paris peace conference as one of the American delegation, Franklin confides to Chastellux that he anticipates a successful negotiation with Great Britain, aided by a new English Parliament led by the Rockingham Whigs, who had brought down the ministry of Lord North:

"It gave me great Pleasure to hear by the Officers returned last Winter from your Army, that you continued in good Health. You will see by the Public Papers, that the English begin to be weary of the War, and they have reason; having suffered many Losses, having four Nations of Enemies upon their Hands, few Men to spare, little Money left, and very bad Heads. The latter they have lately changed. As yet we know not what Measures their new Ministry will take. People generally think they will be employ’d by the King to extricate him from his present Difficulties by obtaining a Peace, and that then he will kick them out again, they being all Men that he abominates, and who have been forced upon him by the Parliament.

"The Commons have already made a Sort of half Peace with us Americans, by forbidding the Troops on the Continent to act offensively; and by a new Law they have impower’d the King to compleat it. As yet I hear nothing of the Terms they mean to propose; indeed they have hardly had time to form them." Franklin speculates that the English "wish to detach us from France," but he assures Chastellux, "that is impossible."

Franklin acknowledges the role Chastellux played in the Franco-American victory at Yorktown (for which the government of Lord North was blamed) and predicts wide repercussions for America's independence. "I congratulate you on the Success of your last glorious Campaign. Establishing the Liberties of America will not only make the People happy, but will have some Effect in diminishing the Misery of those who in the other parts of the World groan under Despotism, by rendering it more circumspect, and inducing it to govern with a lighter hand. A Philosopher endow’d with those strong Sentiments of Humanity that are manifested in your excellent Writings, must enjoy great Satisfaction in having contributed so extensively by his Sword as well as by his Pen to the Felicité Publique"—an allusion to the chevalier's early philosophical work, De la félicité publique, ou, Considérations sur le sort des hommes dans les différentes epoques de l'histoire (1772).

Next Franklin delivers an endorsement of the comte de Ségur—probably unnecessary since he was related to Chastellux: "M. Le Comte de Segur has desired of me a Line of Recommendation to you. I consider his Request rather as a Compliment to me, than as asking what may be of use to him; Since I find that all who know him here esteem & love him, and he is certainly not unknown to you." (When the chevalier left France to serve with Rochambeau, he carried with him letters of recommendation by Franklin to George Washington and Joseph Reed.)  

Franklin closes this very consequential wartime letter with a bit of teasing about Chastellux's ami intime, Wilhelmina von Mosheim, comtesse de Golowkin. "Dare I confess to you that I am your Rival with Madame G.? I need not tell you that I am not a dangerous one. I perceive that She loves you very much; and so does, Dear Sir, Your most obedient and most humble Servant."

Despite his assurance in the present letter that the United States would not be "detached" from France in the peace negotiations, the American delegation was prompted by John Jay to agree to a highly favorable separate peace with Great Britain, following an unacceptable proposal offered by the French Foreign Minister, Charles Gravier, Count of Vergennes. The Treaty was drafted in late November 1782, signed in early September 1783, and ratified by the Confederation Congress on 14 January 1784. The United States gained a huge expansion of its territorial boundaries and Great Britain gained an anglophone ally and valuable trading partner. (Great Britain did conclude separate treaties with France and Spain.)

PROVENANCE

François-Jean de Beauvoir, Marquis de Chastellux, by descent (shelf-mark and discreet blindstamp of the Archives de Chastellux) to — Comte Louis de Chastellux (Christie's New York, 4 December 2017, lot 15)

REFERENCE

Celebration of My Country 93; The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, ed. Cohn, et al., 37:96