“The peace, which has been so much desired, and which is going to make the happiness of America, since it puts a seal to her liberty, terminates our projects. We shall sail for France in a week, with the troops under command of Baron de Viomenil. Mr. Paul Jones, who embarked with me, is about returning to his dear country. His well-deserved reputation had made him very acceptable to me, not doubting but that we should have had some opportunities in which his talents might have shone forth. But peace, of which I cannot but be glad, puts an obstacle in the way; so we must part. Permit me, sir, to request of you the favor of recommending him to his superiors. The intimate acquaintance, which I made with him since he has been on board the Triomphante, makes me take a lively interest in what concerns him; and I shall be very much obliged if you will find means of being serviceable to him.”
It will be remembered that Paul Jones had been assigned a room on board the crowded Triomphante, with Baron de Viomenil, who was in command of the land forces. The baron, for five months, was in the most intimate relation with Jones. No one could have a better opportunity of ascertaining his true character. He wrote as follows, to the French ambassador at Philadelphia:
“Mr. Paul Jones, who will have the honor of delivering to you, sir, this letter, has for five months deported himself among us with such wisdom and modesty as add infinitely to the reputation gained by his courage and exploits. I have reason to believe that he had preserved as much the feeling of gratitude and attachment toward France, as of patriotism and devotion to the cause of America. Such being his titles to attention, I take the liberty of recommending to you his interests near the President and Congress.”
Viomenil also wrote the Honorable Mr. Morris, in high commendation of Paul Jones, and expressing his desires for the prosperity of “ce brave et honnête homme.”
Jones appeared in Philadelphia on the 18th of May, 1783. He was still suffering from fever, and his constitution was greatly shattered by the hardships he had experienced. He therefore retired, for the recovery of his health, to the beautiful little Moravian[Moravian] village of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, about sixty miles northwest of Philadelphia, on the banks of the Lehigh river. Here he passed the summer, resting from his toils and employing his time in those literary and scientific studies which ever deeply interested him.
His health being much improved, he was appointed on the 1st of November, 1783, an agent of the United States Government to collect the amount of money for prizes taken, in Europe, by vessels under his command. The ships had been sold, and the money had gone into the French treasury, and was not yet paid. The question was full of embarrassing complications. Several years had elapsed since the prizes were captured. The sailors who had taken them were scattered in all parts of the world, and many were dead. Was the distribution of the prizes to be adjudged according to French law, or American law? and these laws were very different. The Bon Homme Richard was a French ship, purchased and armed at the expense of the French court, and entitled to raise alike the French or American flag. What proportion of the prizes she took belonged to France, and what to America?
It is manifest that, in carrying claims involving such embarrassments through any court or Congress, there was a fine opportunity for years of diplomatic struggles. It was in the autumn of 1779, that the prizes were taken by the Bon Homme Richard. Four years had since elapsed, and yet nothing had been done toward the settlement of the distribution of the prize-money. There was not another man in the world so well qualified to manage this difficult and delicate business as was Commodore Jones.
He was personally familiar with all the facts in the case. By midnight studies he had made himself thoroughly acquainted with the naval code of all the European nations. He was well known in the court of France and was very highly esteemed, alike by the monarch, his cabinet officers, and the people. And in addition to all this he was a well-bred gentleman, who scorned all trickery, who would make no claim which he did not honestly believe to be just, and who, while unyielding in his righteous demand, was ever courteous and gentle in his bearing. Even Arthur Lee was one of the committee who recommended to Congress that this all-important commission should be assigned to Commodore Jones. As it was expected that a large sum of money would be placed in his hands, he was required to give bonds, to the amount of two hundred thousand dollars, in pledge of his faithful administration of the trust. It is evidence of the high esteem with which he was regarded by the leading men of the nation, that he found no difficulty in obtaining bondsmen.
On the 10th of November, Jones sailed from Philadelphia, in the ship Washington. After a stormy wintry passage of twenty days, the ship, instead of making the French harbor of Havre, baffled by head winds in the Channel, ran into the English port of Plymouth. As Mr. Jones had important despatches for John Adams, then our minister at the court of St. James, he travelled post to London. Mr. Adams, after examining his documents, informed Commodore Jones that the despatches with which he was intrusted to Dr. Franklin, in Paris, probably contained authorization for Adams and Franklin to conclude a commercial treaty with England.
It required a journey and voyage of five days for Jones to traverse the distance between London and Paris. Franklin received his old friend with great cordiality. Marshal de Castries was Minister of Marine, Count de Vergennes occupied another of the most important positions in the government. They both received Paul Jones with all those flattering attentions which render French society so fascinating. The Chevalier Luzerne had written to them both from Philadelphia, affectionately commending Paul Jones to their kind regards. With true French politeness they informed him that they had received such letters, but that they were entirely unnecessary.