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Subject Area: Political Theory
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AND JOHN JAY TO JOHN ADAMS. - John Adams, The Works of John Adams, vol. 8 (Letters and State Papers 1782-1799) [1853]

Edition used:

The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: with a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations, by his Grandson Charles Francis Adams (Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1856). 10 volumes. Vol. 8.

Part of: The Works of John Adams, 10 vols.

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BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AND JOHN JAY TO JOHN ADAMS.

Sir,

We received the letter you did us the honor of writing to us the 10th instant, with the project of a treaty that had been transmitted to you by the Baron de Thulemeier, which we have examined, and return herewith, having made a few small additions or changes of words to be proposed, such as citoyens for sujets, and the like, and intimated some explanations as wanted in particular paragraphs. The sooner a copy, with such of these changes as shall be agreed to by your Excellency and the Prussian minister, is forwarded to congress for their approbation, the better. With regard to the language of treaties, we are of opinion, that if the ministers of the nation we treat with insist on having the treaty in their own language, we should then insist on having it also in ours, both to be signed at the same time. This was done in our treaties with France; but if both parties agree to use a language that is particular to neither, but common to both, as the Latin or the French, as was done in our treaty with Sweden, we then think it not necessary to have it also signed in English.

With great respect, &c.

B. Franklin,

John Jay.