From Brutiere with Franklin’s Note for a Reply
ALS: American Philosophical Society
<Granville, February 21, 1779, in French: I fear you did not
receive my letter of the 5th of last month, and remind you of
what I wrote then. M. Stadelle furnished you with three copies
of my captain’s report to the admiralty, of which you forwarded
two to Congress for verification. You promised me
justice. The owner of the privateer owes me 4-5,000 l.t., and
if he is insolvent you assured me that the bondsmen would
pay. My family and I are in great need. Please have me reimbursed,
or tell me if I must go to the expense of visiting you
again.>
Endorsed: That this Complaint is totally out of my Knowledge,
& which I have no Power to redress. That Application should
be made to the Court of Admiralty of the State of Massachusetts
Bay to which the Privateer belonged, who will do Justice.
If Mr. Brutiere will appoint & impower some Person at Boston
to act for him, and supply that Person with his Papers &
Proofs, I will transmit the same by the first Occasion and do
what in me lies to obtain Satisfaction for M. Brutiere— This
is all I ever promis’d or could promise. I forwarded the Papers
left with me before, but know not whether they arriv’d; many
of our Dispatches being lost in passing—