November 11

[On November 11, 1786, while serving as Minister to France under our fragile Articles of Confederation, I wrote from Paris to Monsieur Famin, a French merchant and commercial advocate at Honfleur, to introduce Colonel Blackden, a veteran officer of the American army turned trader. I requested that Monsieur Famin assist the colonel in examining the port's harbor, facilities, and potential commodities for exchange, especially as recent regulations by the King and Council give us renewed hope of shifting the bulk of American commerce away from Great Britain and over to France. It captures the precise moment I was aggressively lobbying the French crown to establish Honfleur as a free port, demonstrating how I weaponized personal introductions and trade logistics in a desperate diplomatic bid to break England's economic stranglehold on our young, vulnerable republic.]

This will be handed you by Colonel Blackden, heretofore an officer in the American army—at present engaged in trade. He goes to Honfleur with a view to examine the commercial relations which may be established between that port and the United States. He wishes particularly to see the nature of its harbor, the conveniences already established for commerce, and to know something of the productions which can be taken and given there in exchange. Knowing your desire to assist in drawing the American commerce to that port, I take the liberty of recommending this gentleman to your acquaintance, and of praying you to procure him the information he desires.

Some late regulations of the King and Council in favor of the commerce of the United States having given us room to hope that our endeavors may be successful to remove a good part of it from Great Britain to France, Honfleur presents itself as a more important instrument for this purpose than it had heretofore appeared. We are, therefore, now pressing more earnestly its establishment as a free port, and such other regulations in its favor as may invite the commerce to it.