"I am sorry I cannot give you a more favorable answer; but on 'any other occasion I shall always be happy to render you service, ' and do assure you that I am, sir, "Your very humble servant, &c., ("Signed) DE L'ETOMBE.” The perusal of this letter will shew the contradiction it contains. It appears so to all who have read it, for Mr. De L'Etombe calls my demands out of date, that is, not recoverable, forfeited by not applying in time; but how could he make use of such language, after acknowledging the receipt of my letters of 1782, 1783, and 1784; doubtless these letters had no other object but these claims, there must therefore be an error or injustice in attributing to me a neglect I have not been guilty of. I need no other proof than the contradiction strongly marked in this letter. It is, however, true that after I was released from captivity in England I took every method in my power to claim my due. The roll of the crew of the frigate when she was paid off will shew I was included in it, and the Admiralty of the United States should have secured the pay, &c., due me, as is practised in France, for it could not be lost, either myself or my heirs would always have a right to it, and it cannot be supposed that the United States can regard with indifference the vicious and unjust decision contained in the letter abovementioned, and deprive me of my pay and prize-money gained in their service, and which was the cause of a two years' captivity, with the loss of all I had. It is of no consequence that Captain Tucker is dead, and that his accounts are settled, since it was not in my power to object to that settlement, being a prisoner in England; and, besides, being a Frenchman, and in Europe, I could not know of the settlement, nor could I transport myself suddenly to the place, so that, all things considered, nothing can prevent the Admiralty of the United States from paying what appears due to me at the paying off the Boston frigate, the rolls of which they must have preserved. It is from their justice alone I expect it, as it is to them only I can look for the failure of Captain Tucker in paying me my due. P. ROUSILLE. My address is at Mr. Cazemeau, Broker, Rue Causse rouge, at Bordeaux. FROM THE COUNT DE VERGENNES TO THE CHARGÉ D'AFFAIRES OF FRANCE TO THE UNITED STATES. Versailles, October 12, 1784. Sir, I annex the copy of a letter from the Comptroller-General, with the account which accompanies it, relative to a sum paid from the Royal Treasury to reimburse Messrs. Despres & Sabatier for articles furnished by them to the United States. You will please to take the necessary steps to engage Congress to rid themselves of this debt, and to pay the amount into the Royal Treasury agreeably to the demand of the Comptroller-General, founded on the vouchers he has furnished. I am, &c., DE VERGENNES. FROM M. DE CALONNE TO THE COUNT DE VERGENNES. In conformity to the letter you did me the honor to write to me the 8th February, I caused payment to be made from the Royal Treasury to Messrs. Despres & Sabatier, of the sum of 134,065 livres 7s. 6d., due to them for articles furnished to the United States of America. You were pleased to assure me that you would charge yourself to demand the repayment of this advance to Congress whenever I should furnish you with the vouchers. I have, therefore, the honor to address to you the account of payments made to the United States on the ten millions borrowed from Holland. You will see, sir, that the Royal Treasury has paid 134,065 livres 7s. 6d. above the ten millions, and that this excess is carried to the second expedition of articles furnished by Messrs. Despres & Sabatier, whose certified accounts I annex. The original vouchers of the articles furnished are deposited in my office, and M. De Veimeranges has delivered duplicates of them to Mr. Franklin. I shall be much obliged by your endeavors to procure the return of this advance to the Royal Treasury. Translation. ADVANCE of Ten Millions granted by the King to the United States of America, payable with interest 1st January, 1783. Articles to be carried to account of the advance of Ten Millions. 1st. 200,000 lbs. powder, including expense of transporting it to Brest, 2d. To Messrs. Despres & Sabatier, articles furnished 1st time at the requisition of Col. Laurens, 196,481.15. 3 - 1,011,248. 5.11 (*) 3d. Articles furnished 2d time, 2,194,219. 7. 4 1,052,345.11. 6 252,275 6th. Freight of 4 vessels sent from Sums paid out of the Treasury to Mr. Grand in the 5,000,000 2,352,399.15. 4 10,000,000 The articles furnished the second time by Messrs. Despres & Sabatier amounted, by the certified account of M. de Veimeranges, 2,328,284.14.10 - 2,194,219. 7. 4 134,035. 7. 6 Which the Royal Treasury advanced to Messrs. Despres & Sabatier in 1784. The Count de Vergennes promised to demand the reimbursement of this sum of the United States. UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICA, 2d EXPEDITION. Translation. Amount of Articles furnished and Sums advanced to the United States of North America. Account of sums, forming together the amount of a second expedition of clothing and military stores, which the Messrs. Sabatier & Despres furnished to the United States of America, at the requisition of Colonel Laurens, including the expense of packages, commission, gratification to the Storekeeper-General at Brest for trouble; and also the expenses of transportation from St. Denis and other places to Brest, viz: According to the accounts of the said articles furnished, No. 1, endorsed A A; extract of invoices annexed, No. 2, indorsed B B; account of their reception in the magazines at Brest, and the shipment, No. 3, endorsed C C; the certificate of examination of the articles, No. 4, endorsed DD; and the warrant of the order, No. 5, endorsed E E; two millions one hundred and ninety-three thousand one hundred and six livres five sous, including six per cent. allowed Messrs. Sabatier & Despres for advances, commission, trunks, and packages, as per said account, 2,193,106. 5 According to the account of sums advanced by the said Sabatier & Despres to pay the bills of transportation of said effects and the commission on said payments at four per cent. agreeably to the account of articles, No. 6, endorsed F F; the sum of one hundred and thirty-five thousand one hundred and seventy-eight livres nine sous and ten deniers, Total general, 135,178. 9.10 2,328.284.14.10 The above account, amounting to two millions three hundred and twenty-eight thousand two hundred and eighty-four livres fourteen sols and ten deniers, certified to be just and true. SABATIER & DESPRES. The above account examined by us, Principal Commissary of War, amounting to the sum of two millions three hundred and twentyeight thousand two hundred and eighty-four livres fourteen sols and ten deniers, agreeably to the different accounts therein mentioned, and numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and marked A A, B B, C C, D D, E E, and F F. Paris, 26th December, 1782. DE CORNY. The above accounts, amounting to two millions three hundred and twenty-eight thousand two hundred and eighty-four livres fourteen sols and ten deniers, examined and agreed to, agreeably to the different vouchers and accounts therein mentioned, and also examined by us. I have the honor to address to you a note, which I must request you to lay before Congress. The unfortunate people whose interests I have put into your hands, have patiently waited until the moment of peace, and I have not ceased to support their hopes until this moment. I beg you to put it in my power to acquaint them that their confidence in the faith of the United States has been well founded. In reminding you, sir, of the different notes which I have had the honor to present to Congress, or to put into your hands, permit me to mention that in particular which respects the demands of the different French officers, or their widows or heirs. Congress has referred them to the War Department. If the report has come to your hands, or if there has been any resolution on the subject, I must request, sir, that you will make me acquainted with it. In case nothing should have been determined on the subject, I must take the liberty to remind you of it. |