61Pass for John Bickner and John Myfeld, 30 May 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ADS : American Philosophical Society Persons volunteering to work on the military road in Cumberland County (see above, p. 60) received passes for their journey. Five signed by Franklin have been located. The earliest, that to Bickner and Myfeld, May 30, is printed here. The others were issued to the following: Frederick Mutzenstein, May 31. ADS : Harvard College Library Michael Christian and...
62From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 27 July 1756 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library The above is a Copy of my last. Since which I have received from Philadelphia one of our Newspapers printed on the new Letter you sent us, and find that it is not a Brevier Body, but larger, and is really and truly no other than the Burgeois, No.1. of Caslon’s Specimen now lying before me, which Burgeois is mark’d by a Pen with his own Hand, Price 2 s . So that...
63From Benjamin Franklin to Elizabeth Hubbart, 5 March 1756 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Excuse my not writing to your good Mama and my other Friends. I am excessively hurried, and not very well. I shall send a Commission to Cousin Tuthill. I am going shortly to Virginia if nothing hinders, and could be glad to have the State of the Office Accounts and the Ballance, that I may settle it with Mr. Hunter. Pray desire him to put Huske’s Bond in...
64From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 21 March 1756 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We got here yesterday Afternoon and purpose Sailing to day, if the Wind be fair. Peter was taken ill with a Fever and Pain in his Side before I got to Newcastle; I had him blooded there, and put him into the Chair, wrapt up warm, as he could not bear the Motion of the Horse, and got him here pretty comfortably. He went immediately to bed and took some...
65To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Peters, 5 November 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Three of the Inhabitants of Laycock Township brought me your Letter of this morning and in answer The Governor orders me to tell you that whenever Arms and Ammunition are put into his hands he will dispose of them in the best manner he can for the publick Service. I am Sir Your humble Peters first wrote “subjected to,” but struck out the...
66Pennsylvania Assembly Committee: Report on Three Petitions, 14 November 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1755–1756 (Philadelphia, 1756), p. 54. The crucial Assembly session of November 1755 began under a deluge of petitions, mostly from frontier counties pleading for measures of defense against Indian attacks. Other representations, however, presumed to tell the Assembly how to fulfill its obligations, sometimes backing up...
67From Benjamin Franklin to Jared Eliot, 31 August 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I have been employ’d almost all this Summer in the Service of our unfortunate Army, and other publick Affairs, that have brought me greatly in Arrear with my Correspondents. I have lost the Pleasure of conversing with them, and I have lost my Labour: I wish these were the only Losses of the Year: But we have lost a Number of brave Men, and all our Credit with the...
68Pennsylvania Assembly: Orders Concerning Provisions, 2 April 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1754–1755 (Philadelphia, 1755), pp. 81–2. Resolved , That the Sum of Fifteen Thousand Pounds be now given to the King’s Use; Five Thousand Pounds thereof to repay the Money borrowed for victualling the King’s Troops in Virginia; and that Isaac Norris, Evan Morgan, Joseph Fox, and Benjamin Franklin, Members of this House, and...
69From Benjamin Franklin to Timothy Horsfield, 16 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your Favour, and thank you for your kind Cautions. The Bearer, Mrs. McClean, is recommended to me as an Object of Charity, proper to receive some part of that sent from below. She requests a Line from me to you, which I give, not doubting but you will consider her in the Division, so far as may be proper. My Respects to good Mrs. Horsefield, Mr....
70From Benjamin Franklin to Daniel Fisher, [4 June 1755] (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, XVII (1893), 271. Mr. Franklin’s compliments to Mr. Fisher and desires the favor of his Company to drink Tea at 5 o’clock this afternoon. Daniel Fisher ( fl . 1720–1755) visited America in 1722, returned to England, but came back, settling with his family at Williamsburg, Va., 1750. He came to Philadelphia in May...
71Provincial Commissioners to Robert Hunter Morris, 12 August 1756 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Yale University Library Your Honour having in your Letter of Yesterday to the Commissioners recommended sundry Articles of Expence, and the advancing of Money on several Occasions, they think it necessary to acquaint your Honour, which they hereby do, that the Fifty-five Thousand Pounds put into their Hands by Act of Assembly for the King’s Use, is all expended, together with about Two...
72From Benjamin Franklin to Charles Norris, 12 June 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania June 12th 1755 pd £100. 0. 0 Cash 50. 0. 0 Notes £150. 0. 0. Please to send me One hundred and Fifty Pounds on Account of the Committee. It should be Paper Money, as it is to go up to Mr. James Wright: and Paper will be the best Carriage. Some of it may be in the new Bills. The Post goes in an Hour. Let Jemmy bring it, if you please, as my Niece can...
73From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Pownall, 19 August 1756 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society I have done my self the Honour to write to you twice since my Return, relating to the propos’d Road; but have as yet had no Line from you. Inclos’d I send you a Copy of the late Treaty or Conference at Easton, with a Letter from Bishop Spangenberg to Mr. Norris, by which you will see nothing is like to come of that Treaty; that the Indians are preparing to...
74From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, [25 March? 1756] (Franklin Papers)
ALS (fragment): American Philosophical Society … about 5 aClock in the Afternoon, tho’ I had been hinder’d near half a Day by Peter’s Illness. The 3d Day about 2 in the Afternoon, we sail’d, after parting with Col. Washington, who overtook us there, and proceeded on his Journey by Land. We were only Sunday Night and Monday Night on the Water, for on Tuesday Morning about 10 aClock, we arrived...
75Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, 11 November 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1755–1756 (Philadelphia, 1756), p. 21. While Morris and his Council were considering the governor’s message to the Assembly of November 8, Conrad Weiser arrived with Scaroyady and other Indians who came with pleas of action to defend the frontier lest the few still loyal Indians defect or become the victims of their armed and...
76Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, 18 November 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1755–1756 (Philadelphia, 1756), p. 29. After Braddock’s defeat, deteriorating relations with the Indians became one of the most troublesome and pressing concerns of the Pennsylvania authorities and an added source of conflict between the governor and the Assembly. William Penn had established the policy of fair play toward the...
77From Benjamin Franklin to Jared Eliot, 1 September 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I wrote to you yesterday, and now I write again. You will say, It can’t rain, but it pours: For I not only send you manuscript but living Letters. The first may be short, but the latter will be longer and yet more agreable. Mr. Bartram I believe you will find to be at least 20 folio Pages, large Paper, well fill’d, on the Subjects of Botany, Fossils, Husbandry,...
78From Benjamin Franklin to Catharine Ray, 11 September 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and enclosed translation: American Philosophical Society Begone, Business, for an Hour, at least, and let me chat a little with my Katy. I have now before me, my dear Girl, three of your Favours, viz. of March the 3d. March the 30th. and May the 1st. The first I receiv’d just before I set out on a long Journey and the others while I was on that Journey, which held me near Six Weeks. Since...
79From Benjamin Franklin to John Fothergill, 6 April 1755 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society I am but just return’d from a long Journey, having been absent near [six months]. I find your Favour of Novr. [ I , which I shall?] answer particularly per Reeve [who sails for London?] in about 10 Days. This [will only serve to bring?] Dr. Douglas’ Piece (and another) on the [ one and a half lines missing ] Copy, [ one line missing ]. With [ complimentary...
80From Benjamin Franklin to Timothy Horsfield, 24 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
Extract: American Philosophical Society Foulk with his Company March this Day to build another Fort between this and Fort Lebanon in the Forks of Shuylkill. He is to be assisted by Traxlers Company and a Detachment of Wetherhold’s, which also leaves us this day. My Son with Hay’s Company and Arndt’s Marches in a few Days to Surfass’s Place (where Trump is also Expected) to Erect another Fort...
81From Benjamin Franklin to Robert Hunter Morris, 26 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission We left Bethlehem the 10th: Instant with Foulk’s Company, 46 Men, the Detachment of M’Laughlin’s 20, and 7 Waggons laden with Stores and Provisions. We got that night to Hays’s Quarters, where Wayne’s Company joined us from Nazareth. The next Day we marched cautiously thro’ the Gap of the Mountain, a very dangerous Pass, and got to Uplinger’s...
82To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Timothy, 8 June 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society ’Tis almost an Age since I have a Letter from you: I have however received 56 Reams of Demy Paper by Capt. McFunn, with a Promise of a State of my Account at your Return from Maryland, which must again beg you’ll let me have. Your Application to the Study of the Electrical Arcana, and public Affairs, I make no Doubt, very often prevents your Writing; but I...
83To Benjamin Franklin from David Colden, 12 August 1756 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: New-York Historical Society You oblidged me very much by communicating your Electrical Experiments made in pursuance of those by Mr. Canton: I shall think myself fully rewarded for my attempts in Electricity if I can thereby procure the notice of one whose Labours always aford agreable instruction to those who are desirous of discovering truth. Altho’ I have not intirely laid aside...
84To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Jackson, [17 June 1755] (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Benjamin Franklin, Experiments and Observations on Electricity (London, 1769), pp. 329–41; also copy (incomplete): American Philosophical Society. It is now near three years since I received your excellent Observations on the Increase of Mankind, &c . in which you have with so much sagacity and accuracy shewn in what manner, and by what causes, that principal means of political...
85Pennsylvania Assembly: Address to William Denny, 23 August 1756 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives, 1755–1756 (Philadelphia, 1756), p. 130. The Assembly minutes, August 19, record: “The House being informed, that the Gentleman who is appointed to succeed our present Governor, is now on the Road hither from New-York, and will be in Town some Time To-morrow, Adjourned to Five a Clock To-morrow Afternoon.” In the rush to honor...
86The College of William and Mary: Degree of Master of Arts, 2 April 1756 (Franklin Papers)
MS : American Philosophical Society; two copies: Yale University Library Quum in Charta regia nobis concessum et confirmatum fuit, ut eos, qui se Literis et Studiis suis praecipue ornarunt, Gradibus academicis decoremus: Quum volumus in hujusmodi Honorem imprimis evehi Virum inclytissimum, quo nobis et Juventuti Virginiensi Exemplum valde egregium proponamus; Quumque Benjaminum Franklin...
87Provincial Commissioners: Orders for Payment, [11 May–16 June 1756] (Franklin Papers)
DS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania After Franklin’s return from Virginia he resumed attendance at meetings of the provincial commissioners on May 11 and continued regularly until he left for New York about June 18. The sixty-six orders for money payment signed during this period are listed below in the same form as those signed earlier (see above, pp. 392–6). Orders which Franklin did not...
88Pennsylvania Assembly Committee: Report on the Governor’s Message, 25 November 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1755–1756 (Philadelphia, 1756), pp. 42–44. A sharp message from Governor Morris on November 22, answering one from the Assembly of four days earlier, dealt principally with precedents for the amendment of money bills. Probably both weary of the dispute and sensing no advantage to be gained by further responses, the Assembly...
89Introduction to John Pringle’s Account of Gaol Fever, 4 September 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , September 4, 1755. This introduction preceded a reprinting of John Pringle’s “Account of several Persons seized with the Goal Fever, working in Newgate; and of the Manner, in which the Infection was communicated to one entire Family,” from Phil. Trans ., XLVIII , pt. I (1753), 42–55. Because of BF ’s interest in the subject as it related to German...
90To Benjamin Franklin from William Shirley, 17 September 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: American Philosophical Society; also copy: Library Company of Philadelphia I have just receiv’d your two favours of the 1st. and 4th. of September; in Answer to the former I inclose you a Copy of a Paragraph in my Letter to Colonel Dunbar upon that Subject. As to the Affair of the Waggons and Horses which you engag’d for the Use of the late General Braddock’s Army, I think it of the...