Among the instructions given to the Ministers of the United states for treating with foreign powers, was one of the 11 th. of May 1784. relative to an individual of the name of John Baptist Pecquet. it contains an acknowlegement on the part of Congress of his merits and sufferings by friendly services rendered to great numbers of American seamen carried prisoners into Lisbon, and refers to us...
32To John Adams from Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson with a Draft Anglo-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce, 8 … (Adams Papers)
We duly received your letter of the 20 th of June, and now in consequence thereof send you a draught of a treaty which we should be willing to have proposed to the court of London. We have taken for our groundwork the original draught proposed to Denmark, making such alterations & additions only as had occurred in the course of our negociations with Prussia & Tûscany and which we thought were...
33To John Adams from Benjamin Franklin, 18 May 1787 (Adams Papers)
I received by D r White the Letter you did me the honour of writing to me the 27th of January, together with two Copies of your Defence of the American Constitutions, one for myself for which I beg you would accept my Thanks, the other for the Philosophical Society, whose Secretary will of course officially acknowledge the Obligation. That Work is in such Request here, that it is already put...
34Constitutional Convention. Second of Benjamin Franklin’s Motion that Proposed Executive Serve Without Pay, 2 June 1787 (Hamilton Papers)
Philadelphia, June 2, 1787. On this date Benjamin Franklin moved that the expenses of the proposed Executive should be paid but that he should receive “no salary, stipend fee or reward whatsoever” for his service. “The motion was seconded by Col. HAMILTON with the view he said merely of bringing so respectable a proposition before the Committee, and which was besides enforced by arguments that...
35The American Peace Commissioners to David Hartley, 5 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Public Record Office, William L. Clements Library, Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives; press copy of copy: National Archives; copies of draft: Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society We have received the Letter which you did us the Honour to write yesterday. Your friendly Congratulations on the signature of the definitive Treaty, meet...
36From Benjamin Franklin to Charles James Fox, 5 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office; copies: Library of Congress (two), Massachusetts Historical Society I received in its time the Letter you did me the honour of writing to me by Mr. Hartley: And I cannot let him depart without expressing my Satisfaction in his Conduct towards us, and applauding the Prudence of that Choice which sent us a Man possess’d of such a Spirit of Conciliation, and of all...
37From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 6 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, William L. Clements Library (two), Library of Congress (two) Inclosed is my Letter to Mr. Fox. I beg you would assure him, that my Expressions of Esteem for him are not mere Professions. I really think him a Great Man; & I could not think so, if I did not believe he was at Bottom, and would prove himself, a good One. Guard him against Mistaken Notions...
38From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley: Two Letters, 7 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
(I) Copies: Library of Congress (two), William L. Clements Library, Massachusetts Historical Society; (II) Copies: Library of Congress (two), William L. Clements Library, Massachusetts Historical Society, Public Record Office The enclosed Letters to you and to Mr. Fox were written before I saw you yesterday. On my return home last night I found despatches from Congress which may remove the...
39The American Peace Commissioners to David Hartley, 7 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachussetts Historical Society, Library of Congress We have the honour of transmitting herewith enclosed an Extract of a Resolution of Congress of the 1. May last, which we have Just recd. You will perceive from it that we may daily expect a Commission in due Form, for the Purposes mentioned in it, and we assure you of our Readiness to enter upon the Business, whenever you may think...
40From Benjamin Franklin to Mary Hewson, 7 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I received your kind Letter of the 9th past. I am glad that the little Books are pleasing to you and your Children, and that the Children improve by them. I send you herewith some more of them. My Grandson Bache has been four Years at School at Geneva; and is but lately come home to me here. I find Reason to be satisfied with the Improvement he has made in his...