1To Benjamin Franklin from ———, 2 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society On ne doit jamais Batonner ny Biffer une signature d’une Lettre de change que quand on l’a payée; on pouvoit Repondre qu’on avoit accepté la seconde et qu’on ne vouloit pas accepter la premiere, cette reponse suffisoit, Mr. petit de Lanauze a qui elle a eté envoyée ne peut se dispenser de faire constater le refus d’acceptation, et de la Renvoyer a son cedant...
2To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 6 December 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Massachusetts Historical Society I congratulate you, on the Return of your Health and thank you for the Extract from Dr Styles, which I have communicated to Mr Searle and Mr Dumas as you desired.— Shall be happy to See, the detail of Arnolds Conduct. As long, as Congress and Courts Martial, inflict So gentle Punishments upon flagrant Criminals, and...
3To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 10 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society Relying on your Virtues and Graces of Faith and Hope, I accepted the Bills to the Amount of ten thousand Pounds Sterling, drawn in favour of Mr. Tracy. I have recieved Advice from Congress of more Bills drawn upon me: when they arrive and are presented, I must write You concerning them and desire You to enable me...
4To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 24 November 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Massachusetts Historical Society The Letter which your Excellency did me the Honour to write me on the thirteenth is recieved, and I have accordingly accepted the Bills, and shall draw upon your Excellency about the Time they become payable, for Money, to enable me to discharge them, provided I should not succeed in my Endeavours to borrow it here. I...
5To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 16 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society I yesterday had the honour of your’s of the seventh. The letter inclosed is a better satire on the nation which produced it. Is it possible that Arnold should shew his Face among Men after such a Letter? If it is not a bribe it is robbery committed in the American Service: for it is well known, that Arnold had no...
6To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 7 December 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Massachusetts Historical Society Inclosed are three Bills of Exchange for the Use of S. C. Johonnot, One for twelve Dollars, another for sixty Dollars, and another for one hundred and twenty Dollars, which I must ask the Favour of your Excellency to take the Charge of for the Use of the young Gentleman, and to pay his Expences. I have the Honour to be...
7To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams: Two Letters, 30 November 1780 (Franklin Papers)
(I) LS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Massachusetts Historical Society; (II) copy: Massachusetts Historical Society I was duly honoured with your Excellency’s Letter of the eighth of October by Mr. Searle. I thank You, Sir, for inclosing the Resolution of Congress respecting my Salary and Mr Dana’s. I wish I could see a prospect of relieving You from this Burthen, as well as that of...
8To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 27 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have received your Excellencys Letter of the 21. and will Send you the List of the Bills, and of the times of their becoming due according to your desire as soon as I can make it out. I will examine Mr De Neufvilles Bill, and if it is good, accept it. From the time I received from Congress, their orders to borrow Money here, I have constantly, in my...
9To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 15 February 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society This Morning, the House of Botereau & Co. of this City, presented to me, Sixty Six Bills of Exchange drawn by Congress on the 26th day of October last, in favour of Nathaniel Tracy, of Newbury Port, amounting to the Sum of Ten Thousand Pounds sterling, payable at Ninety days Sight.— I was obliged to ask the favour of the House, to wait untill I...
10To Benjamin Franklin from Isaac All, 10 January 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The occasion of my troubling you at present is to acquaint that soon after my arrival at this place I meet with a voilent hurt by a Fall which confined me for two months and in the intrim a Small bill for Eighteen Dollars of the 14th March 1780 Number 826 was Returned to me acepted but from the State I then was in it was laid by and forgot to be Sent...
11To Benjamin Franklin from G. Aubin de St. Lambert, 16 January 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Sans doute quiconque a une ame sensible aura régretté plus D’une fois L’ancien etat sauvage De L’humanité, et beni Ces Douces Vertus bienfaisantes, Dedaignées en grande partie et bannies aujourdhuy chèz Les hommes réunis en societé. Accoutumée a Voir La Verité par elle même sans deguisement je me crois autorisée a m’élever à Celui qui est Le Legislateur...
12To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis d’Auzoüer, 5 January 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Linterest que vous inspirees a tous Ceux qui ont lavantage de vous connoistre, est le premier motif qui me porte a vous assurer des voeux Sinceres que je forme dans ce renouvellement dannéé pour la Complissement de tout Ce que vous pouvez desirer! Puisse vos jours estre de la plus longue durée, pour le bonheur dune nation a qui ils Sont Si importants. Mde...
13To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Franklin Bache, 26 November 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society J’avoue qu’il y a longtemps que je ne vous ai écrit cependant je pense toujours à vous si j’avois eu plus de temps je vous aurais écris en anglois il y à aussi longtems que vous ne m’avès ècris mais je sçais bien que ce n’est pas de vôtre faute et que c’est les affaires qui vous en enpechent. J’espère que vous aves reçu mon prix dans la derniere lettre je...
14To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Franklin Bache, 26 March 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Je vous ecris cette lettre pour vous dire combien je m’amuse a Geneve parceque Mr Marignac a loué une petite campagne près de la ville d’ou nous venons tous les matins pour aller au college et nous nous en retournons tous les soirs et nous y couchons mais une chose qui me fait bien de la peine c’est que la foire na pas eu lieu a cause des affaires de Genève...
15To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Bache, 20 December 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I had the pleasure of writing you a day or two ago by the Shelala Capt. Holmes, on board of whom I have put 2 Barrels of Pippins & one large Barrel of Nuts, I also sent you the 2d. Sets of your Interest Bills; I now inclose you the third. We are just informed that Capt. Smith in the Kensington is arrived at Boston, having been chased in there, by a Frigate,...
16To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Bache, 16 January 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Musée de Blérancourt About a Week ago Captain Read brought us, what made us all very happy, a Letter from you, of the 4th. October; we had been so long without hearing from you, that we esteemed it quite as a New years Gift. It was delivered us the day after your birth day, When, by your account to Doctor Bond, some time ago, you must have got back to the Age of Sixty three— We have...
17To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Bache, 28 March 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am this moment informed that a Vessel loaded & bound to the West indies is, by a sudden determination of her Owners, ordered for L’Orient. She is now down the River & ready for Sea, I therefore snatch this moment to tell you, we are all well & to send you the Dutch & English News papers— I have sent them regularly to you for some time past, also two...
18To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Bache, 26 December 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I had last Week the pleasure of writing you per Ships Shelala & Franklin from this port for L’Orient by the former I sent you the Nuts & Apples, which Temple had wrote for, putting them under the care of a Mr. Erskine who went Passenger in the Ship; I hope they may arrive safe & in good order as we took particular pains to have them properly dried and...
19To Benjamin Franklin from Sarah Bache, 14 January 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library Your letter by Capt Read has afforded us great Pleasure, tis’ a long time since we have been made so happy, our little Benjamins improvement has delighted us, Your answer to his letter is one of the best in the world, William shall get it by heart, and I hope they will neither of them ever forget it— the letter you mention to have wrote telling us Benny had...
20To Benjamin Franklin from John Barry, 13 March 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society In my last I forgot to acquaint your Excellency how very poorly the Ship Alliance is mann’d and the great risque we rund in Coming to Sea with Such a Paltry Crew, be assured Sir nothing would have induced me to leave Boston in such a State but Knowing how essential it was to my Country that Colo. Laurens should be Landed in France with the grestest...
21To Benjamin Franklin from John Barry, 23 March 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I had the Honor to receive yours dated the 17th. inst. but it leaves me intirely in the dark.— As I have no orders from you, and as there is no person here for me to apply to, in Consequence of it and to Comply with my orders from the Honble. the Admiralty I have took the Ship the Marquis delafayette with public Stores onboard under my direction and shall...
22To Benjamin Franklin from John Barry, 10 March 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have the Honor to inform your Excellency of my safe arrival in this place, with Colonel Laurens who doth me the favour to be the bearer of this, and who can give you a particular Account of our Affairs in America,— with respect to the Alliance which I have the Honor to Command.— My Particular Orders is to wait here four or five weeks should there be any...
23To Benjamin Franklin from John Barry, 27 March 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Inclosed I send your Excellency the Names of the Prisoners I captured in a Small Privateer on my passage from Boston.— I Sail in a few hours for Philadelphia in Company with the Ship that has the Continental stores on board and Sundry other Vessells; I am Sorry I cannot wait for your Dispatches the reason is the Captain of the Marquis de la fayette with the...
24To Benjamin Franklin from Jean Bartt, 28 December 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Permettez qu’un Petit Suget aye L’honneur de vous offrier Lassurance de ces respect, et vous represanter qu’en 1777. il á armé a Bordeaux sur le corsaire nommé Lecxinton avec le capitaine Jonson amériquin, par devant Mr. des Laps négocient Logeant au chartron; depuis le départ de Bordeaux le corsaire a mis six mois jusquâ Morlay ou il a Eté pris a la...
25To Benjamin Franklin from Giambatista Beccaria: résumé, 17 November 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society <Turin, November 17, 1780, in Italian: Encouraged by your gracious letter, I am sending you by Monsieur Chantel some of the disconnected pieces I wrote during my painful and interminable malady. If I manage to see through the printing of Elettricismo Naturale which I hope to start in January, I will send you a copy in due time. I have decided to gather my...
26To Benjamin Franklin from ——— Bénard, 31 March 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Si je n’avois a rechercher que l’estime de ceux qui Vous ont fait des rapports outrageants contre moi, je resteroit sans doute fort tranquile: C’est un torrent d’injures auquel je saurai mettre ordre sous peu; mais il m’importe de détruire les impressions défavorables que ces feaux rapports ont dus faire Naître, et de Vous rammener, monsieur, a L’estime que...
27To Benjamin Franklin from Emmanuel-Yves Bersolle, 9 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Jai recu Le nouveau billet qu’on ma fait passer de Votre part sous La datte du 3. Courant avec Les deux derniers Pacquets. J’aurai soin de profiter de la premiere occasion pour Les acheminer sous couvert de M. holker Egalement que Vos précédens. Comptez S’il Vous plait 7 l.t. a M. Le Rai de Chaumont pour ports des derniers. Je me ferai Toujours un Vrai...
28To Benjamin Franklin from the Board of Admiralty, 2 January 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; copy: National Archives As superintendants of the Navy of the United States of America we hold it to be our duty to become acquainted with the business in which any of their Ships have been employed and the result thereof. More especially we think it incumbent upon us to be fully informed with regard to A certain expedition in which the frigate Alliance...
29To Benjamin Franklin from the Board of Treasury, 24 January 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society I have the Honor to acquaint you that an Accident has happened to a Messenger employed in bringing Dispatches from the State of Virginia to this City in loosing his Saddle Bags at Bush Town in Maryland, in which was a Packet from Mr Hopkins the present Commissioner of the Continental Loan Office there, containing a Number of sets of Bills of Exchange drawn...
30To Benjamin Franklin from John Bondfield, 3 March 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society As we are making up our Accounts to tranfer to New Ballance Inclosed I take the liberty to transmit you the State of my Account with your Excellency in which is incerted the advances I have made to sundry Americans for which I have taken their receipts others for which I find I have neglected I have left out as all we advanct was to prevent them from...