1Franklin, Thomas Walpole, Samuel Wharton, and John Sargent: Power of Attorney to William Trent, 11 April 1775: résumé (Franklin Papers)
DS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania The promoters of the Walpole grant in London were becoming more and more unsure of obtaining it. Franklin’s ostensible withdrawal from their group in January, 1774, had had no perceptible effect in forwarding their cause, and their chance of success diminished as war drew nearer. They waited for over a year. Then in the spring of 1775 they apparently...
2Speculation on the Speed of Ships, 5 April 1775 (Franklin Papers)
MS : Library of Congress During his homeward voyage Franklin took time off from writing his journal of the peace negotiations in London to return to a question that had intrigued him for years: why do westbound ships have a longer crossing of the Atlantic than eastbound? Almost three decades earlier he had advanced a tentative answer in terms of the earth’s rotation; he now sketched a new one...
3Note on Franklin’s Sketch of How to Force a Wheel Round by Gunpowder, [before March 1775?] (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society For some years we have been trying and failing to answer two questions about this sketch: why and when was it made? The device as described would obviously never produce continuous rotation, if that was the intent; and a wheel that turned in spasms would have limited use. As for the date, no clue to it has appeared in the edited correspondence; one may of...
4From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin: Journal of Negotiations in London, 22 March 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AD and copy: Library of Congress When Franklin at long last set sail for home, memories of the past months were churning inside him. He spent much of the voyage recounting, in the guise of a letter to his son, the events that had crowded upon him since the previous summer and particularly since early December. He had with him a mass of papers with which he documented his journal; the bulk of...
5Franklin’s Remarks on Judge Foster’s Argument in Favor of the Right of Impressing Seamen, [before 17 September 1781] (Franklin Papers)
Copy with autograph additions: Library of Congress Sir Michael Foster (1689–1763) was one of the most respected jurists of the eighteenth century. In 1743 he was recorder for the city of Bristol, a judicial post that required him to prosecute criminal cases such as the one which led to his discussion of the Royal Navy’s right to impress or forcibly recruit sailors. On April 25, 1743, Alexander...
6Memorandum for Mrs. Stevenson, [on or before 20 March 1775] (Franklin Papers)
AD : Dr. William Hewson, Philadelphia, Pa. (1957) Franklin, like so many travelers embarking on a long voyage, had been unable to deal with everything before his departure; and as usual Mrs. Stevenson took care of tidying his affairs. But she was much more deeply involved in them than this memorandum indicates. He left owing her four years’ rent at £100 per annum, and she covered additional...
7From Benjamin Franklin to Arthur Lee, 19 March 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Harvard University Library I leave Directions with Mrs. Stevenson to deliver you all the Massachusetts Papers, when you please to call for them. I am sorry that the Hurry of Preparing for my Voyage and the many Hindrances I have met with, prevented my meeting you and Mr. Bollan, and conversing a little more on our Affairs before my Departure. I wish to both of you Health and Happiness,...
8From Benjamin Franklin to Anthony Todd, 18 March 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL (letterbook draft): Library of Congress Dr. Franklin presents his Compliments to Mr. Todd, and sends the above Extracts of Letters from Mr. Foxcroft to show what reason Dr. F. had to suppose the Accts might now have been settled. In reply to the preceding letter. Above, Nov. 2, 5; Dec. 7, 1774; Jan. 4, 1775.
9From Benjamin Franklin to [Peter P. Burdett], 17 March 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society Being about to embark for America this Line is just to take leave wishing you every kind of Felicity, and to request that if you have not yet purchased for me the Theatrum Machinarum , you would now omit doing it, as I have the Offer of a Set here. But if you have purchased it, your Draft on me will be duly paid in my Absence by Mrs. Stevenson, in...
10From Benjamin Franklin to Lord Bessborough, 16 March 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Yale University Library Dr. Franklin presents his respectful Compliments to Lord Bessborough, with Thanks for the obliging Invitation, which he should embrace with Pleasure, but that he expects to be at Sea on that Day in his Way to America, being to embark on Sunday next. He wishes sincerely to Lord Bessborough every kind of Felicity, and shall always retain a grateful Sense of the many...
11Proposed Memorial to Lord Dartmouth, 16 March 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ADS and copy: Library of Congress; draft and copy: American Philosophical Society Franklin’s patience was finite, and its limits had been reached. Failure of the negotiations he may have taken in stride, for British intractibility was too familiar to leave him much hope of compromise; but British arrogance was something else again. On March 16 he was in the gallery when the House of Lords...
12From Benjamin Franklin to Lord Kames, 14 March 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Scottish Record Office, Edinburgh Purposing to embark for America in a few Days, I cannot depart without taking Leave of my dear Lord Kaims, to whose Civilities and Friendship I have been so much oblig’d, and for whom I shall ever retain the sincerest Esteem and Affection. I congratulate you cordially on the Success of your last Work. It does you great Honour. I hear it every where well...
13From Benjamin Franklin to Humphry Marshall, 13 March 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Yale University Library I duly receiv’d your Favour of Novr. the 26th, but having mislaid it, I postpon’d answering it till I should find it, not recollecting perfectly what were the Books you wrote for. I now send the Nautical Almanack for the current Year; that for 1776 is not yet publish’d. The Philosophical Transactions, if you mean a compleat Set, will cost near £30. Therefore not...
14From Benjamin Franklin to Charles Thomson, 13 March 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL : National Archives, Washington I have some Thoughts of going with Osborne; but as I may be disappointed in that, I write a few Lines, to acquaint you, that the Petition of the Congress has lain upon the Table of both Houses ever since it was sent down to them among the Papers that accompany’d it from above, and has had no particular Notice taken of it; our Petition to be heard in support...
15From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 26 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL : D. A. F. H. H. Hartley Russell (1955), on deposit in the Berkshire Record Office This note is the first extant communication between Franklin and a man who, as correspondent and eventually as peace negotiator, was destined to play a considerable part in his life. David Hartley ( c. 1730–1813), the son of a physician-philosopher well known in his day, was a close friend of Sir George...
16From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 26 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I hope you continue well, as I do, Thanks to God. Be of good Courage. Bad Weather does not last always in any Country. Supposing it may be agreable to you, I send you a Head they make here and sell at the China Shops. My Love to your Children, and to Cousin Williams and Family. I am ever Your affectionate Brother BF , in writing Bowdoin the day before, had...
17From Benjamin Franklin to Josiah Quincy, Sr., 26 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Josiah Quincy, Memoir of the Life of Josiah Quincy Jun. of Massachusetts (Boston, 1825), pp. 478–9. The young man who is the subject of this letter had arrived in London the previous November. On December 6, the day when Franklin was discussing his “Hints” with Barclay and Fothergill, young Quincy was visited by Corbyn Morris, whom he described as “a choice friend of the...
18From Benjamin Franklin to James Bowdoin, 25 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society I received your kind Letter of Sept. 6 by Mr. Quincy. I thought it might be of use to publish a Part of it, which was done accordingly. But the Measures it so justly censures are still persisted in, and will I trust continue to produce Effects directly contrary to those intended; will unite instead of dividing us, strengthen and make us more resolute...
19From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 25 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society In my last per Falconer, I mention’d to you my showing your Plan of Union to Lords Chatham and Camden. I now hear that you had sent it to Lord Dartmouth. Lord Gower I believe alluded to it, when in the House he censur’d the Congress severely as first resolving to receive a Plan for Uniting the Colonies to the Mother Country, and afterwards rejecting...
20From Benjamin Franklin to Lord Howe, 20 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society; copy: Library of Congress Having nothing to offer on the American Business in Addition to what Lord Hyde is already acquainted with from the Papers that have passed, it seems most respectful not to give his Lordship the Trouble of a Visit, since a mere Discussion of the Sentiments contained in those Papers is not in his Opinion likely to produce any...
21Franklin’s Contributions to the Conference on February 17: Four Drafts, 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AD (I, III, and IV) and AL (II) and copies: Library of Congress As Franklin reviewed the situation during the day of the 17th before meeting again with Barclay and Fothergill that evening, according to his journal, he decided that he would take the responsibility of agreeing conditionally to pay for the tea. He also became more impressed than he had originally been with Barclay’s idea of a...
22From Benjamin Franklin to [the Pennsylvania Assembly Committee of Correspondence], 15 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
Résumé printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives of the Province of Pennsylvania, Met at Philadelphia, on the Fourteenth of October, Anno Domini 1774, and Continued by Adjournments (Philadelphia, 1775), pp. 643–4. <February 15, 1775: He reports that on the previous day six provincial acts, passed in September, 1773, and July and September, 1774, were presented to the...
23From Benjamin Franklin to the New Jersey Assembly Committees of Correspondence, 14 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society In my last I informed you of my Attendance on the Board of Trade upon your Acts passed in March last, the Objections made to some of them, particularly the Paper Money Act with the Answers I gave to those Objections; and that all were likely to pass, except those for lowering the Interest of Money, and for the Relief of an insolvent Debtor. Petitions...
24From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Viny, 12 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Miss S. Madeline Hodge, Princeton, New Jersey (1955) Mr. Webb called upon me the other Day, and delivered me your Favor of Jany 28, enclosing a copy of your former, dated in March 24. I am pleased to find that you approve of the Proceedings of the Congress: I send you herewith a Number of their Addresses to the People of England, with some of the Bishop of St. Asaphs Speeches to be...
25From Benjamin Franklin to ———, 10 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Henry E. Huntington Library In Compliance with your Request I this Morning applied to a Virginia Merchant for Information, Whether the Courts of Virginia are now shut? and if so, from what Causes? particularly whether from any Resolutions of the People there to avoid Payment of their English Debts, as you told me had been insinuated by a Person in Administration. Inclos’d I send you the...
26From Benjamin Franklin to Josiah Tucker, 10 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society I beg to be inform’d by a Line whether a Letter, the third I did myself the honour of writing to you, dated the 26th of February 1774, ever came to your Hands. I am, Reverend Sir, Your most obedient and most humble Servant Notation by Franklin: Letter to Dr Tucker Feb. 13. 75 It did indeed. Tucker did not answer it but subsequently used it in a...
27From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 5–7 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Clements Library, University of Michigan I received duly your respected Favours of Oct. 27 and Nov. 1 with Bills for five hundred Pounds Bulkeley on Whitmore; I thank you much for your Care in so speedy a Remittance. I hope you will excuse the Trouble I have given you in previously drawing for that Sum: and be assured that the Bills which I provisionaly desired you to draw on me (or in...
28An Imaginary Speech, 7 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Public Advertiser , February 7, 1775. Verner Crane argues that the grounds, set forth at length in his annotation, for attributing this speech to Franklin are not conclusive but are plausible. The letter certainly contains a number of Franklin’s favorite ideas and rhetorical devices; its theme, the defense of American provincial troops in particular and of American courage in...
29From Benjamin Franklin to a Committee of the Library Company of Philadelphia, 5 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
Minutebook copy: Library Company of Philadelphia I received your Favour of Decr: 16. with the Bills Barclay & Mitchell on Harvey & Co: for sixty Pounds which is carried to your Credit. I am glad my little Services have been acceptable and every future Opportunity of continuing them will be a Pleasure to, Gentlemen, Your and the Company’s assured Friend, and most obedient Servant For Matthew...
30From Benjamin Franklin to Charles Moore, 5 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Pennsylvania Hospital I duly received your Favour of Dec. 7. with a Copy of the Resolution of the House appointing me Agent for the current Year; and the printed Votes. I am oblig’d by your Care in sending them so expeditiously. A Friend of mine, Lord Le Despencer, has lately erected at Wyecomb his fine Country Seat, a noble Statue of William Penn, our Founder; holding in its hand a...
31From Benjamin Franklin to the Speakers of the Colonial Assemblies: a Circular Letter from Franklin, William Bollan, and … (Franklin Papers)
LS : Library of Congress Our last Letter informed you, that the King had declared his Intention of laying the Petition before his two Houses of Parliament. It has accordingly been laid before each House, but undistinguished among a Variety of Letters and other Papers from America. A Motion made by Lord Chatham, to withdraw the Troops from Boston, as the first Step towards a conciliating Plan,...
32From Benjamin Franklin to Charles Thomson, 5 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received duly your Favours of Nov. 1. by Capt. Falconer, and afterwards that of Oct. 26. both inclosing the Letter from the Congress, and the Petition to the King. Immediately on Receipt of the first I wrote to every one of the other Gentlemen nominated, and desired a Meeting to consult on the Mode of presenting the Petition committed to our Care. Three of them,...
33Franklin’s Notes for a Conversation with Lord Chatham, 31 January 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AD and copy: Library of Congress In the debate in the House of Lords on January 20 Lord Chatham, in response to a challenge from the ministerial benches, promised to offer a plan of reconciliation. Franklin was most curious to know what it was, and the Earl had assured him in December that he would be consulted. His curiosity was satisfied when he was summoned to a conference at Hayes on...
34From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 28 January 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society I have been favour’d with yours of Sept. 24. and Oct. 26. from Philada. Nov. 14. and Dec. 5. from Boston, and thank you for the Information communicated. It gives my Mind some Ease to learn that such good Care is taken both by the General and the Town to prevent Mischief. I hope that Care will continue and be effectual. And that People will be...
35From Benjamin Franklin to Lord Stanhope, 23 January 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Chevening Estate, Sevenoaks, Kent (1958); copy: Library of Congress Dr. Franklin presents his best Respects to Lord Stanhope, with many Thanks to his Lordship and Lord Chatham for the Communication of so authentic a Copy of the Motion. Dr. F. is fill’d with Admiration of that truly great Man. He has seen in the Course of Life, sometimes Eloquence without Wisdom, and often Wisdom...
36From Benjamin Franklin to Granville Sharp, 21 January 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Miss T. Olive Lloyd-Baker, Hardwicke Court, Glos. (1956) Dr. Franklin presents his respectful Compliments to Mr. Sharp, with many Thanks for the Copy of his excellent Work, of which he desires 50 may be sent him; with a Bill of what he is indebted. Addressed: Granville Sharp Esqr BF had long known Sharp’s work against slavery, and had made his acquaintance by early 1773. Above, XVII , 38...
37Three Public Notices Concerning the Petition from the Continental Congress, 17–18 January 1775 (Franklin Papers)
I and II: printed in The Whitehall Evening Post , respectively January 19–21 and 14–17, 1775; III: printed in The Public Advertiser , January 20, 1775. Once Dartmouth informed the Massachusetts agents on December 24 that the King had received the petition from the Congress and would lay it before Parliament, they had to decide when it might properly be published. As soon as it had been...
38From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Rush, 7 January 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia This letter of introduction is the initial appearance in Franklin’s correspondence of a young man who later became important to him, first as his editor and then as Shelburne’s emissary during the peace negotiations of 1782. Benjamin Vaughan (1751–1835) was the eldest son of Samuel Vaughan, a wealthy English merchant with interests in...
39From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Shipley, 7 January 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I find it impossible to visit my dear Friend at Twyford as I promis’d myself. My Time is totally engross’d by Business. The Petition from the Congress has been presented to the King by Lord Dartmouth to whom we delivered it for that purpose. The Answer we receiv’d was, that his Majesty had been pleased to receive it very graciously, and had commanded him to tell...
40Replies to Questions from Lord Howe, [7 January? 1775] (Franklin Papers)
AD : Library of Congress Franklin, in reply to Mrs. Howe’s request in the preceding document, called upon her immediately. She showed him a letter from her brother that asked for the American’s answers to two questions. First, would his constituents approve his agreeing to pay for the tea, on condition that they were promised redress of their grievances when their assembly petitioned for it?...
41From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 7 May [1774?]: extract (Franklin Papers)
Extract: British Museum Both Bigelow and Smyth accept the date that appears on the copy, but we suggest that the copyist was wrong by a year. The point is of some importance because, if the letter was written in 1775, even this small fragment bears on the relationship between father and son when the former returned from England. Although the language is open to various interpretations, the...
42Tract Relative to the Affair of Hutchinson’s Letters, [1774] (Franklin Papers)
AD (draft) and two copies, one complete and one mutilated and lacking the initial pages: Library of Congress This narrative opens quietly. Franklin explains why he has hitherto suffered in silence the political slings and arrows that have come his way, and why he is now breaking silence. Next he summarizes, more fully than anywhere else, the principles on which he has acted during the past...
43From Benjamin Franklin to The Public Ledger, [after 9 March 1774] (Franklin Papers)
AD (draft): American Philosophical Society; copy: Library of Congress Nothing can equal the present Rage of our Ministerial Writers against our Brethren in America, who have the Misfortune to be Whigs in a Reign when Whiggism is out of Fashion, who are besides Protestant Dissenters and Lovers of Liberty. One may easily see from what Quarter comes the Abuse of those People in the Papers; their...
44From Benjamin Franklin to John Pownall, [on or after 21 April 1774] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft ): Library of Congress Dr. Franklin presents his Compliments to Mr. Pownall and acquaints him, that he was appointed Agent of the Province of Pensilvania for the current Year, by a Vote of the present Assembly, a Copy of which follows, viz. Resolved, That Benja Franklin Esqr be, and he is hereby appointed Agent of the Province for the ensuing Year, to solicit and transact the Affairs...
45Franklin’s Proposals to Lord Howe for Resolving the Crisis, [between 28 and 31 December 1774] (Franklin Papers)
AD : Library of Congress On December 4 Franklin called on Mrs. Howe for their second session at chess. After they finished playing, their talk turned to politics and the chance of settling the American quarrel. He could do it himself, she was confident, if he were authorized. He agreed, provided that both sides wanted to settle; in that case two or three people could resolve the issues in half...
46Queries for a Conversation with Lord Camden, [27 December 1774?] (Franklin Papers)
AD : Library of Congress Qu. What were the original Ideas upon which the Colonies were settled? What was the State of their Government during the first Reigns? Were they established at the Expence of Govt here? Did the Parliament make any Grants to defray or aid the first Charge, or for Protecting the Settlers? Was the Parliament advis’d with by the Crown concerning the Terms of Settlement?...
47From Benjamin Franklin to the Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly: a Circular Letter from Franklin, William Bollan, and … (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Princeton University Library; draft: Library of Congress When four of the seven agents to whom the Congress had entrusted its petition refused to have anything to do with it, the three representatives of Massachusetts faced the problem of how to deliver it; and they decided to depart from their instructions and not put it directly into the hands of the King. The “regular Official...
48From Benjamin Franklin to William and Robert Molleson, 21 December 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft ): Library of Congress I am much obliged by your friendly Offer of accompanying me in presenting the Petition. It is committed to the Care of sundry Gentlemen who meet this Day to consider the Mode of presenting it. What they will agree on is uncertain. If it were a Petition from Merchants in America on the Subject of Commerce there might be more Propriety in its being accompanied...
49From Benjamin Franklin to Edmund Burke, 19 December 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Central Library, Sheffield The Congress had told the seven active colonial agents to deliver its petition into the King’s hands. This instruction raised a delicate question of protocol, for the method of direct presentation, although not entirely unprecedented, was contrary to the normal one of delivering a petition to the American Secretary to be forwarded. The meeting that was the...
50Franklin’s “Hints” or Terms for a Durable Union, [between 4 and 6 December 1774] (Franklin Papers)
AD and copy: Library of Congress On the evening of December 4, in response to Barclay’s and Fothergill’s invitation the day before, Franklin met with them to discuss the situation. Fothergill assured him that some in the Cabinet were disposed to compromise, and urged him to draw up terms on which the three of them might agree; if they did, their proposals would receive attention in Whitehall....