1To Benjamin Franklin from David Barclay, Junior, 27 March 1767 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Historical Society of Pennsylvania D: Barclay Jun. presents his Respects to Dr. Franklin, with the inclosed Copy of his Remarks on Paper Currency: The Committee have several Times mett thereon, but have not yet fixed on their Answer to the Report of the Board of Trade, and as it has been intimated to them, that protracting the Affair a Week or two will be advantageous to the Cause, they...
2To Benjamin Franklin from David Barclay, [December 1774?] (Franklin Papers)
AL : Library of Congress D. Barclay’s respects, and desires to see Dr. Franklin this Evening on particular Business. Addressed: Doctor Franklin Endorsed: recd at 7. The only clue to the date is the “particular Business,” which might have been connected with either the peace negotiations or the projected meeting of merchants to petition Parliament (see Barclay to BF above, Dec. 22). The first...
3To Benjamin Franklin from David Barclay and John Fothergill: Two Notes, 3 December 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and AL and copies of both: Library of Congress These two notes set in train the final development of Franklin’s British mission, the complex and secret negotiations to find an alternative to war. Almost our only information about them comes from the journal that he wrote the following spring on his voyage home. By then he was no longer bound by secrecy, and seems to have told all he knew;...
4Barclay’s Plan of Reconciliation, [on or before 16 February 1775] (Franklin Papers)
AD (draft): Norfolk Record office; two copies: Library of Congress The answers returned to Franklin’s “Hints” (above, under Feb. 4, 1775) produced a conference of the negotiators which revealed the entrenched positions of both sides and no ground of compromise between them. For the next week or so Franklin, busy talking with members of Parliament, heard nothing more about terms of settlement....
5To Benjamin Franklin from David Barclay, [8 December 1774] (Franklin Papers)
AL and copy: Library of Congress D. Barclay presents his Respects to Dr. Franklin and requests to receive the paper to day by Twelve o’Clock, if he can finish it with Conveniency , otherwise as soon after as best suits him. Addressed: Dr. Franklin / Cravenstreet The AL has been removed from BF ’s journal of negotiations below, March 22; the copy is in the copy of the journal. The “Hints”...
6To Benjamin Franklin from David Barclay, [11 December 1774] (Franklin Papers)
AL and copy: Library of Congress D Barclay presents his Respects and acquaints Dr. Franklin that being inform’d a pamphlet entituled: a Friendly Address has been dispersed to the disadvantage of America (in particular by the Dean of Norwich) He desires Dr. F will peruse the inclosed, just come to hand from America; and if he approves of it republish it, as D B wishes something might be...
7Barclay’s Independent Negotiation: Three Documents, [after 12 December 1774 and before 16 February 1774, 1775] (Franklin Papers)
(I) AD : Historical Society of Pennsylvania; two copies with comments, and a sheet of answers: Staffordshire County Record Office; (II) copy and (III) AD : Norfolk Record Office In mid-February, 1775, after a conference with Lord Hyde, Barclay said that he was “now fully possess’d of what would do in this Business.” He thereupon drew up a list of points that he thought both sides had conceded,...
8To Benjamin Franklin from David Barclay, 18 December 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and extract: Library of Congress Being inform’d by my Nephew, that agreable to the Advice given to the Holder of the Pamphlet, received from the other Side of the Atlantic, it is reprinting, and will probably be published Tomorrow; I am of the Opinion that it will be adviseable to let a little time elapse before any other Steps are persued, more especially when its consider’d, that at the...
9To Benjamin Franklin from David Barclay, [22 December 1774] (Franklin Papers)
AL : Library of Congress D. Barclay presents his Respects and acquaints Dr. Franklin, that the Merchants in general highly disaproving of Attendance on anonymous Advertizements, (as no Person would own that inserted in the paper to Day), Agreed to disaprove it, by another to be published Tomorrow, on a more liberal Plan, with an Invitation for All Merchants and others interested in the...
10To Benjamin Franklin from David Barclay, 2 [January] 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Library of Congress D. Barclay presents his Respects and desires Dr. Franklin will peruse the inclosed and DB intends calling for it Tomorrow about 9 or 10 Clock. Addressed: Dr: Franklin Endorsed: Recd Jan 2. 75 Doubtless something to do with the meeting of merchants scheduled for Jan. 4, to consider a petition to Parliament; see Barclay to BF below, Jan. 12. At this time Barclay was too...
11To Benjamin Franklin from David Barclay, 10 January 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Library of Congress David Barclay presents his Respects and acquaints Dr. Franklin that if he could, without inconvenience, call on DB this Morning at Ten ’Clock his Company would be particularly acceptable. DB has been indisposed several Days past, or he should have waited on Dr. Franklin. Addressed: Doctor Franklin / Craven street Barclay probably wanted to discuss the merchants’...
12To Benjamin Franklin from David Barclay, 12 January 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Library of Congress The merchants’ meeting that had been planned in late December was postponed to January 4, when some three or four hundred men concerned with the American trade met at the King’s Arms Tavern in Cornhill. Barclay offered two motions: that the state of the North American trade made a petition to Parliament expedient, and that a committee should be appointed to draw it up...
13To Benjamin Franklin from David Barclay, 16 March 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Library of Congress D: Barclay’s respects, and acquaints Dr. Franklin, that Dr. Fothergill desires the favor of his Company Tomorrow Evening at half past 7 Clock, when D B will meet him if that Time is agreable to Dr. Franklin. Addressed: Doctr. Franklin / Cravenstreet Endorsed: March 75 The purpose of this last meeting was a sad one, to send word by BF to their American friends that the...
14David Barclay to James Pemberton, 18 March 1775: extract (Franklin Papers)
Extracted from ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania This letter and Fothergill’s to Dartmouth above, February 6, seem to be the only comments by British negotiators on why their efforts failed. Whereas Fothergill expressed his despair before the game was played out, Barclay retained some hope until after the middle of February. The plan that he produced on the 16th elicited a number of...
15To Benjamin Franklin from David Barclay, 31 March 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This letter was written, a modern scholar has suggested, at the initiative of the man who is the subject of it, Admiral Lord Howe. The suggestion is plausible: Barclay and Howe were not well acquainted, as far as is known; but in the circumstances their common friendship with Lord Hyde might have been enough to elicit this testimonial. Franklin’s Quaker...
16To Benjamin Franklin from David Barclay, 27 May 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Pennsylvania Library I embrace the opportunity of my Friend Baron Dimsdale to convey to Thee two attempts on the Character of our late valuable Friend Doctor Fothergill, another more at large is in the press— I am—Thy respectful Friend. Addressed: Dr. Franklin Notation: David Barclay 27. May 1782. The Quaker physician Thomas Dimsdale, for whom see the DNB and Namier and...
17To Benjamin Franklin from David Barclay, 27 December 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Pennsylvania Library Had it pleased the wise disposer of Events to have permited our inestimable Friend & Colleague, to have lived until this day; I should have been spared the melancholy , ’tho pleasing reflections of that good man’s multiplied great Actions— Doctor Lyttsom a physician of London, has undertaken, & I think has well executed, the Biography of our late dear...
18To Benjamin Franklin from David Barclay, 28 December 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Having been informed of the intention of Lady Juliana Penn to go to Paris, as an Advocate for the Representatives of the Founder of Pensilvania, I feel my self impress’d with a desire to cast in my Mite, unsolicited, & I trust, unnecessary, because that family have better Advocates— Justice , on their side, & my honourable Friend so large a share in the...