1From Benjamin Franklin to John Paul Jones, 22 July 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received yours of the 12th. and one preceding. I am glad you took mine of the 5th as it was intended in friendship— It had appeared to me, that you hurt your own Views, and weaken’d your own hands by a censorious [quarellous?] Disposition that obstructed your Acquisition of … … at your Request and to prevent Mischief, the orders were not caried into Execution, I...
2From Benjamin Franklin to Jean-Charles-Pierre Lenoir, 22 July 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress This letter was written in response to a plea from Capt. William Robeson of the South Carolina navy, now in Paris, regarding a runaway slave. Robeson had purchased this “little Negro Boy” from Lieut. Peter Amiel. The young man had disappeared on May 31, the eve of Robeson’s intended departure for Lorient. Robeson was forced to delay his journey by several days, during...
3From Benjamin Franklin to Alexander Small, 22 July 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D., F.R.S., &c … (2nd ed.; 2 vols., London, 1817), I , 65–6. You see, my Dear Sir, that I was not afraid my masters would take it amiss if I ran to see an old friend though in the service of their enemy. They are reasonable enough to allow that differing politics should not prevent the...