1From Benjamin Franklin to Lord Kames, 1–16 January 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Scottish Record Office It is always a great Pleasure to me to hear from you, and would be a much greater to be with you, to converse with you on the Subjects you mention, or any other. Possibly I may yet one day enjoy that Pleasure. In the meantime we may use the Privilege that the Knowledge of Letters affords us, of conversing at a distance by the Pen. I am glad to find you are turning...
2To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, [c. 2 January 1769] (Franklin Papers)
ALS (incomplete): American Philosophical Society Many of your Friends, as well as myself, would be glad to have such a Bust of you. Pray what would be the Expence? That of Lord Halifax, I am told, was not cut in Marble first, but made of Clay, and from that the Casts in Plaister of Paris was made. I am often ask’d for your Prints by your old Friends and Acquaintance, and I have given among...
3To Benjamin Franklin from Harvard College, 4 January 1769 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William C. Lane, “Harvard College and Franklin,” Colonial Society of Massachusetts Publications , X (1907), 236. Voted 4. That the Thanks of this Board be given to Dr. Benja. Franklin for his very acceptable Present, of a fine Bust of that great Assertor of American Liberties, Lord Chatham. The bust was presumably a copy of the only one known from this period, that executed by...
4Pennsylvania and Nonimportation, [5 January 1769] (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Verner W. Crane, ed., Benjamin Franklin’s Letters to the Press, 1758–1775 (Chapel Hill, N.C., [1950]), p. 152. Franklin had just received a memorial from the Philadelphia merchants, dated November 1, 1768, and addressed to the manufacturers and merchants of Great Britain, protesting against the Townshend Acts and threatening the renewal of nonimportation. In order to bring the...
5From Benjamin Franklin to Michael Hillegas, 5 January 1769 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from The Historical Magazine , III (1859), 212. I received yours of Nov. 3, and was very sorry to find you had been disappointed of your Glasses by their being broken in going over. I have given Orders to have the Loss repair’d, agreeable to the Directions in your Letter, and hope it will not be long before they are executed. Make no Apology as if you gave me Trouble, for I assure...
6From Benjamin Franklin to Charles Thomson and Thomas Mifflin, 5 January 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Amherst College Library I received yours with two Bills of Exchange enclos’d, for £150 Sterling, with a Catalogue of Books to be procur’d for the Library Company, which I have given Orders for Collecting immediately, and hope they will be ready to send by Budden or the next Ship. I am not acquainted with the Work intitled British Zoology, but shall enquire its Character of some knowing...
7From Benjamin Franklin to John Bartram, 9 January 1769 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Darlington, ed., Memorials of John Bartram and Humphry Marshall (Philadelphia, 1849), pp. 402–3. I received your kind letter of November 5, and the box directed to the King is since come to hand. I have written a line to our late dear friend’s son, (who must be best acquainted with the usual manner of transacting your affairs here,) to know whether he will take charge of...
8From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 9–28 January 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Clements Library I have now before me your several Favours of Oct. 15, 17, and 20, and of Nov. 6. I am much oblig’d to the Assembly for the Honour they have done me in a new Appointment. Be pleased to present my respectful Thanks to the House, and assure them of my best Service. I have bespoke the Telescope they have ordered, and hope it will be done in time. The Workmen have promised...
9“A Horrid Spectacle to Men and Angels,” [before 17 January 1769] (Franklin Papers)
AD (draft): American Philosophical Society This emotional outpouring cannot be precisely dated. Verner Crane assigns it to January, 1769, because some of the ideas that it contains were elaborated in Franklin’s two letters printed in the Public Advertiser on January 17. Hays, on the other hand, assigns it to c . 1775. But that date is virtually ruled out by the reference to Corsica. In May,...
10A Purported Letter from Paris, 17 January 1769 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Public Advertiser , January 17, 1769 Extract of a Letter from Paris to a Gentleman in London, dated Dec. 23. You English consider us French as Enemies to Liberty: You reproach us for endeavouring to reduce Corsica to our Obedience, and say, that if we heard of a Freeman on the other Side of the Globe, you suppose we should hasten thither to make a Slave of him. How easy it is...
11Defense of American Placeholders, 17 January 1769 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser , January 17, 1769 In his two roles of colonial agent and royal official, Franklin was particularly vulnerable to charges in America that he was betraying the first, and in England that he was betraying the second. Criticism in the London press of him and other Americans in royal service continued as long as he remained in England, but this is...
12An Account Stated against G. G., [17 January 1769] (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Verner W. Crane, ed., Benjamin Franklin’s Letters to the Press, 1758–1775 (Chapel Hill, N.C., [1950]), pp. 156–9. I thank you for the Information you so readily gave at the Request of the Manufacturer of London , relating to the Agreement going forward in America not to use more of our Manufactures. The Memorial you published in your Paper of the 13th inst. from the Merchants of...
13To Benjamin Franklin from Lord Kames, 21 January 1769 (Franklin Papers)
Extract: reprinted from Jared Sparks, ed., The Works of Benjamin Franklin … (10 vols., Boston, 1836–40), VII , 432 n. The letter you mention, about American affairs, never came to hand. I have an essay on the subject of your Queries, and you shall hear from me soon about our agreeing or differing. I have a great fund of political knowledge reduced into writing, far from being ripe, but fit for...
14From Benjamin Franklin to Charles Thomson and Thomas Mifflin, 27 January 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Amherst College Library Enclos’d is Bill of Lading and Invoice of the Books you order’d, which I wish safe to hand, and am, Gentlemen Yours and the Company’s most obedient Servant P.S. On looking over your Letter I see that I am desir’d to add other Books if the List does not amount to your Money. Now that I have receiv’d the Invoice and find it amounts to so little, I shall look out for...
15From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 29 January 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Clements Library The within was written to go by Budden, then expected to sail every Day. But as he still continues here, I now send it per Falconer. The Parliament has since come together after their Recess. The Lords Resolutions were to have been taken into Consideration last Monday by the Commons. They had before determin’d to let none be present that were not Members. I got a Member...
16To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas Gilpin, 29 January 1769 (Franklin Papers)
Extract: reprinted from “Memoir of Thomas Gilpin,” Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography , XLIX (1925), 302–3. This letter is the first surviving one in a correspondence that continued, insofar as it is extant, until November, 1770. Thomas Gilpin belonged to a wealthy Quaker family; although he had estates in Maryland and Delaware, his principal residence was Philadelphia. His fortune...
17From Benjamin Franklin to Jean-Baptiste LeRoy, 31 January 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Pierpont Morgan Library I received your obliging Favour of Nov. 15. I presented your Compliments to Sir John Pringle, who was glad with me to hear of your Welfare, and desired me to offer his best Respects whenever I wrote to you. The Farmers Letters were written by one Mr. Dickinson of Philadelphia, and not by me as you seem to suppose. I only caus’d them to be reprinted here with that...
18To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, [31 January 1769] (Franklin Papers)
ALS (perhaps incomplete): American Philosophical Society The last Packet, which left England about the Middle of Novr. brought no Letter from you, that I can hear of, except one to the Committee of Correspondence. I imagine your Time must be almost wholly engross’d in attending on the publick Business at this important Crisis, and in writing for the Press. I see a Number of Pieces in the...
19To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas Gordon, 5 February 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society It is a Tax on Superior Merrit and Benevolence, to be troubled with Importunities of every kind of People, who want Assistance. Your kindness formerly to my own Son, Encourages me now to Apply in behalf of my Son in Law Henry Benbridge, a very Deserving youth who has been Several Years in Italy for his improvement in Painting, and is now going to London for...
20To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas Gilpin, 6 February 1769 (Franklin Papers)
Extracts: reprinted from “Memoir of Thomas Gilpin,” Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography , XLIX (1925), 303. Our last advices of ministerial and parliamentary measures has revived the motion of a non-importation of manufactures from Great Britain; for myself I should have rather preferred to confine it to particular articles suited to the convenience of each colony which would have...
21From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 7 February 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I wrote to you pretty fully per Falconer, since which nothing material has pass’d relative to American Affairs. The Grand Committee was to have reported on them last Friday; but Wilkes had taken up so much of their Time, the House sitting four Nights successively till three in the Morning, that they were oblig’d to postpone it for another Week. He is expell’d, but...
22From Benjamin Franklin to Smith, Wright, & Gray, 13 February 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Be so kind as to procure a Letter of Credit on Paris for Dr. Benjamin Rush, a young Physician from Pensylvania, of excellent Character, and a particular Friend of mine; the Sum Two Hundred Pounds. He sets out to-morrow. I will be answerable to you for what he may take up there on such Letter. I inclose a Bill of £100 for which please to send me a Receipt...
23From Benjamin Franklin to Smith, Wright, & Gray, 14 February 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library Enclos’d is Dr. Rush’s Signature which you desired. I thank you for so readily furnishing the Letter of Credit. Yours &c Addressed: To / Messrs. Smith, Wright & / Gray, / Bankers / Lombard street See the preceding document.
24To Benjamin Franklin from Joseph Priestley, 14 February 1769: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS (fragmentary copy): American Philosophical Society [A few lines at the end of a letter, which convey Priestley’s best wishes “for the success of your laudable endeavours in the cause of science, truth, justice, peace , and, which comprehends them all, and everything valuable in human life, LIBERTY .”]
25To Benjamin Franklin from James Parker, 17 February 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This covers one of a Set of Bills of Exchange, which I just received from Mr. Hubbart of Boston, for £60 13 s . 9 d . Sterling on John Blackburn, Esq. London: The first of this Set I sent down to Mr. Foxcroft, who is gone to Virginia, and I apprehend he will send it to you, but very probably this will come to your Hand first, and of this I have advised him,...
26To Benjamin Franklin from the Selectmen of Boston, [between 18 February 1769 and 13 March 1769] (Franklin Papers)
LS (incomplete): American Philosophical Society Between February 16 and 24, 1769, the Selectmen twice exchanged letters with the Governor, Francis Bernard, on the subject of false representations made to London about the riots of the previous year and about the convention held in September to protest the Townshend Acts. One of the Selectmen’s letters took specific exception to ex parte...
27To Benjamin Franklin from Moses Franks, 20 February 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I must entreat you to deliver to Mr. Dagge the Account and Papers relative to the Sufferers by Indian Depredations in 1754. There being particular occasion for them; being requested by the legal representatives of those Sufferers to solicit compensation. You were troubled formerly by Mr. Levy on the subject, and Mr. Dagge having just told me he is to meet...
28From Benjamin Franklin to Lord Kames, 21 February 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Scottish Record Office I received your excellent Paper on the preferable Use of Oxen in Agriculture, and have put it in the way of being communicated to the Public here. I have observed in America that the Farmers are more thriving in those Parts of the Country where Cattle are used, than in those where the Labour is done by Horses. The latter are said to require twice the Quantity of...
29To Benjamin Franklin from John Foxcroft, 21 February 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Immediately on my receiving your favour by the Genl. Gage Captain Kemble (enclosing me Mr. Todds Letter Signifying to me that their Lordships had been pleased to grant me leave of absence for a few Months) I set out for this Colony, in order to put the Riders on such a footing that no stopages might happen during my absence, which I think I have Effectually...
30From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 23 February 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have received your kind Letters of Sept. 26. Oct. and Nov. 7. That of Sept. 26. is directed to my Wife, but she sent it to me, I suppose that I might see your Opinion of Mr. Bache: I am glad you approve the Choice they have made. I write a few Lines to Mr. Leadly: I cannot say much on that Subject till I see Mr. Foxcroft, whom I now expect daily. I am...