Mr Adams and himself
were fully convinced, that they could not live at Paris under L3000
sterling, (or about 70,000 livres) each annually. Had the
commissioners expended at that rate, from February, 1777, to March,
1778, the whole of the sum would be no more than a sufficiency to
supply their expenses; but this was not the case. The commissioners,
in the whole, received out of it the sum of 115,480 livres, 5 sols, 6
deniers, for their expenses and private disbursements, as will appear
by the account enclosed; of this, Dr Franklin received 27,841 livres,
Mr Lee 52,039 livres, 5 sols, 9 deniers, and myself 35,600 livres. It
is true, at the same time, that Mr Lee had in his hands the whole of
the money received from Spain, which he disposed of without the
interference of the other commissioners.

I appeal to the honorable gentlemen in Congress, then present, and
perfectly well acquainted with our mode and style of living, to inform
Congress on which of the commissioners the greatest expense of
providing for and entertaining the Americans, who visited them at
Paris, or who escaped from prison in England, and applied for relief,
fell. I lay this general state before Congress, to convince them how
very far I was from being prodigal of the public monies, and that the
accounts delivered, general as they are, are sufficient to exculpate
me from every charge of peculation or extravagance. My future
reputation and fortune depend much on my mercantile character in these
transactions, and I rely on the justice of Congress to prevent its
being any longer undeservedly sported with, vilified and abused.

Under the load of calumny and abuse I have for some months sustained,
I have had this consolation, that the services I had rendered my
country had been long since sensibly felt by her, and that they would
one day be acknowledged, but when returning to the character of a
private citizen in the mercantile line, I cannot sit down easy under
imputations injurious to my private character.

I have long since requested to have these accounts examined into, on
the spot, where only a full and minute investigation can be made, and
that they should be settled as justice required. I now repeat my
request, and that previous thereto, the accounts laid before Congress
be examined, from which alone it will appear, if there be any ground
even for suspicion, and that I may be permitted to obviate, if in my
power here, any objections that may be made