Brest June 3d, 1778
I congratulate 868 [you] my dear Williams on 869 [your] Release—1 perhaps you will soon see 869–302 [your Friend] in the 708 [same] Situation—The 615 [post] of Honor may soon be in 691 [retire]ment.—I wish you saw a 458 [letter] of the 25th Ulto: spun from the Brains I believe of 453 [Lee]—It appeared 447 [last] Night—348 [He] is damnably afraid of being 123 [Cheat]ed—the 141 [Commissioners] all sign it.—though the first (299)[Franklin] is last and the last (453) [Lee] is first!—2
You will see in the hands of 299 [Franklin] a paper wch: 364 [I] inclosed two days ago.3 392 [In] confidence whereby 868 [you] will see 576 [my] Situation—It is bad enough 868 [you] will say— 364 [I] remain on Board the Drake ‘till I see if it can be mended—364 [I] live alone.—364 [I] have now Answer’d the 141 [Commissioners] with some Spirit perhaps it may offend!4
I wrote you to 519 [Nantes] the 29th which I hope will immediately follow you to Paris—I then mentioned my prospect of Obtaining many valuable 458 [letter]’s to the Great ones at Court—But unless the present Storm blows soon over I shall not make the Application—perhaps my Friend you will be able to bring fair Weather & Sunshine—Or to take me in Tow ‘till I can repair my shatter’d Rigging.—I had the honor to receive a very Courteous and polite letter from Dr: Franklin—5 he has my Cordial thanks and I know that the other is not of his diction—my Kind respects await Doctor Bancroft—you will hear from me again.— and I am [&c.]
LB, MdAN, John Paul Jones Letter Book, Mss. No. 236, p. 38. Addressed below close: “Jonathan Williams Esqr:” For more on the code used in this letter, see note at Jones to William Carmichael, 27 May, in NDAR 12: 761–62.
1. That is, Williams’s “release” from his post as Continental agent.
2. Commissioner John Adams wrote the letter that Jones referred to, although Adams took portions of it from a draft penned by Arthur Lee on 17 May. See note at American Commissioners in France to Jones, 25 May, in NDAR 12: 748–49.
3. See Jones to the American Commissioners in France, 27 May, in NDAR 12: 755–61.
4. See Jones to the American Commissioners in France, immediately above.
5. See Benjamin Franklin to Jones, 27 May, in NDAR 12: 755.
