[ Paris, 29 April 1783 ]. PRINTED: JA , D&A , 3:114–115 . MS ( Adams Papers ). LbC ( Adams Papers ); APM Reel 109. LbC-Tr
2Proposal by the American Peace Commissioners to David Hartley (Adams Papers)
Paris, 22 May 1783. PRINTED: JA , D&A , 3:125–127 . LbC-Tr ( Adams Papers ); APM Reel 103. With this offer the commissioners sought to counter Hartley’s proposal of the previous day (above) as well as the 14 May Order in Council. They proposed an agreement whereby both parties would appoint ministers to negotiate a permanent commercial treaty. Until such time as an agreement was concluded,...
3From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 6 May 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Dartmouth College Library What as far as we know was the first letter Franklin wrote after landing was not to his son or sister or some close friend, as might be expected, but to an Englishman who three months earlier seems to have been no more than a casual acquaintance. In late February, when Hartley asked for information, Franklin furnished it in a formal, third-person note, and a few...
4From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 8 May 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Harvard University Library I arrived here on Friday Evening, and the next morning was unanimously chosen by the General Assembly a Delegate for the ensuing Congress, which is to meet on Wednesday. You will have heard before this reaches you of the Commencement of a Civil War; the End of it perhaps neither myself, nor you, who are much younger, may live to see. I find here all Ranks of...
5From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 12 September 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress I have this Day received your Favours per Capt. Falconer, of which more in my next. With this I send you a number of Newspapers and Pamphlets, by which you will see Things are become serious here. Your Nation must stop short, and change its Measures, or she will lose the Colonies for ever. The Burning of Towns, and firing from Men of War on defenceless Cities...
6From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 3 October 1775: extract (Franklin Papers)
Extract printed in Benjamin Vaughan, ed., Political, Miscellaneous, and Philosophical Pieces . . . Written by Benj. Franklin . . . (London, 1779), pp. 555–6; copy: D. A. F. H. H. Hartley Russell, on deposit in the Berkshire Record Office (1955); copy: Library of Congress I wish as ardently as you can do for peace, and should rejoice exceedingly in co-operating with you to that end. But every...
7From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 14 October[–11 December] 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères, Library of Congress I received duly your Letter of May 2nd. 77. including a Copy of one you had sent me the Year before, which never came to hand, and which it seems has been the Case with some I wrote to you from America. Filled tho’ our Letters have always been, with Sentiments of Good Will to both Countries, and earnest Desires of...
8From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 5 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Library of Congress I am exceedingly obliged by your interesting yourself so warmly in behalf of those unhappy people. I understand you advanc’d money: Your bills on that account will be punctually paid. As yet I have heard of none. Understanding that a certain Person promised to make proposals for healing a certain Breach, I postpon’d and delayed a material Operation till I should...
9From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 12 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères, Massachusetts Historical Society; transcript: Library of Congress A thousand Thanks for your so readily engaging in the Means of relieving our poor Captives, and the Pains you have taken, and the Advances you have made for that purpose. I received your kind Letter of the 3d Instant, and send you enclosed a Bill for £100. I much approve of...
10From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 26 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library; transcript: Library of Congress I receiv’d yours of the 18th and 20th. of this Month, with Lord North’s proposed Bills. The more I see of the Ideas and Projects of your Ministry, and their little Arts and Schemes of amusing and dividing us, the more I admire the prudent, manly and magnanimous Propositions contained in your intended Motion for an Address to the...
11From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, [29 April 1778] (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin . . . (4to ed.; 3 vols., London, 1817–18), II , 249. I thank you for your kind caution, but having nearly finished a long life, I set but little value on what remains of it. Like a draper, when one chaffers with him for a remnant, I am ready to say, “As it is only the fag-end, I will not differ...
12From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 25 May 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: Library of Congress I am glad to learn by the Newspapers that you got safe home, where I hope you found all well. I wish to know whether your Ministers have yet come to a Resolution to exchange the Prisoners they hold in England, according to the Expectations formerly given you. We have here above two hundred who are confin’d in the Drake, where they must be kept, as we have not...
13From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 8 June 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Stanley R. Becker, East Hampton, New York (1976); transcript: Library of Congress I wrote you a few Lines the 25th of last Month, mentioning that we had here 200 English Prisoners, and desiring you to propose an Exchange. I hope you receiv’d my Letter and that I shall soon be favour’d with an Answer. We are oblig’d to keep the Prisoners on Shipboard where I doubt they cannot be...
14The American Commissioners to David Hartley, 16 June 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): Library of Congress; copy: Massachusetts Historical Society; copy and transcript: Library of Congress; two copies: National Archives <Passy, June 16, 1778: I received yours of the 5th, informing us that the government has agreed to an exchange of prisoners, and we have written Captain Jones for the list; it contains, I understand, at least two hundred men. We expect ours to be...
15From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 13 July 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Two copies and transcript: Library of Congress Inclosed is the List of our Prisoners, which by an accident was long in coming to us. There are supposed to be about 15 more remaining in the Hospital, whose names we have not yet obtained, and about as many who being recovered of their wounds have been suffered to go home to England. If you continue in the Opinion of making the exchange at...
16From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 3 September 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Library of Congress I received duly your Favours of July 14. and August 14. I hoped to have answered them sooner, by sending the Passport. Multiplicity of Business has I suppose been the only Occasion of Delay in the Ministers to consider of and make out the said Passport. I hope now soon to have it, as I do not find there is any Objection made to it. In a former Letter I propos’d...
17From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 14 September 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and transcript: Library of Congress; copy: Public Record Office I now send you the Passport required. I postpon’d answering your last in hopes of obtaining it sooner; but tho’ it was long since agreed to, much Business in the Admiralty Department here has I suppose occasion’d its Delay. The Port of Calais was not approv’d of, and I think the Ports mention’d (Nantes or L’Orient) are better...
18From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 20 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress; copies: National Maritime Museum, Public Record Office; transcript: Library of Congress I received your Favour of the 9th. Instant, with a Copy of the Letter from the Admiralty Office relative to the proposed Exchange of Prisoners, in which the precise Number of those we have here is desired. I cannot at present give it you, they being dispers’d in different Ports;...
19From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 26 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Library of Congress I received yours without Date, containing an old Scotch Sonnet full of natural Sentiment and beautiful Simplicity, I cannot make an entire application of it to present Circumstances; but taking it in Parts, and changing Persons, some of it is extreamly a propos . First Jenie may be supposed old England and Jamie America. Jenie laments the Loss of Jamie, and...
20From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 29 November 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : National Library of Scotland; transcript: Library of Congress I have heard nothing from you lately concerning the Exchange of the Prisoners. Is that Affair dropt? Winter is coming on apace. I understand that your charitable Contribution is near expended, and not likely to be renewed. Many of those unfortunate People must suffer greatly. I wish to have a Line from you, informing me what...
21From Benjamin Franklin to [David Hartley], 1 January 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : National Maritime Museum I am glad to learn by your Favour of the 19th past, the good Disposition of the Board who are to manage the Exchange. They may depend on the fairest and most candid Proceeding on the Part of the Commissioners here. Our Agent at Nantes, whose Name you desire, is Mr Schweighauser, a Noted Merchant there, who does our Business by Sub-Agents in the other Ports of...
22From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 25 January 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : The Current Company, Bristol, R.I. (1977); transcript: Library of Congress I a long time believed that your Government were in earnest in agreeing to an Exchange of Prisoners. I begin now to think I was mistaken. It seems they cannot give up the pleasing Idea of having at the End of the War 1000 Americans to hang for high Treason. You were also long of Opinion, that the Animosity against...
23From Benjamin Franklin to [David Hartley], 3 February 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have just received your favour of the 23d. past, in which you mention, “that the Alliance between France and America is the great Stumbling Block, in the way of Making Peace,” and you go on to observe, that whatever Engagements America “may have entred into, they may, (at least by consent of Parties) be relinquished for the purpose of removing so material an...
24From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley: Two Letters, 22 February 1779 (Franklin Papers)
(I) LS , AL (draft), copy, and transcript: Library of Congress; (II) transcript and incomplete copy: Library of Congress I received your Favor of Jany 23d containing the Answer you had received from the Board of Sick and Hurt, in which they say they are taking Measures for the immediate Sending to France the Number of Americans first proposed to be changed, &c. I have heard nothing since of...
25From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 21 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : M.H. Venables, Bristol, England (1976); copy and transcript: Library of Congress I received duly yours of the 2d Inst. I am sorry you have had so much Trouble in the Affair of the Prisoners. You have been deceived as well as we. No Cartel Ship has yet appear’d. And it is now evident that the Delays have been of Design, to give more Opportunity of seducing the Men by Promises and...
26From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 4 May 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy and transcript: Library of Congress; copy: Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères I received your several favours, viz: One of April the 10 one of the 20th. and two of the 22d. all on the same Day but by different Conveyances. I need not repeat, what we have each of us so often repeated, the Wish for Peace. I will begin by frankly assuring you that tho’ I think a direct, immediate...
27From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 12 July 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS , copy, and transcript: Library of Congress I am glad to hear that another Cargo of Prisoners are on the Way. I will give Directions to assemble an equal Number immediately at Nantes in order to dispatch the Cartel with all Expedition: And I will direct Mr. Schweighauser to correspond more exactly with the Board, and send Returns of the Prisoners as desired. I shall endeavour to obtain...
28From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 20 August 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy and transcript: Library of Congress It is a long time Since I have had the Pleasure of hearing from you. Your last favours received were two of the 24th of June, and one of july 5. The second Cargo of Prisoners you mentioned is since safely arrived. M. Schweighauser wrote to me that the Captain of the Cartel was impatient to return, and as Capt. Babcock of the general Mifflin, and others...
29From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 8[–10] October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS , copy, and transcript: Library of Congress My Dear Friends late Letters have been long in coming, having met some Delay on the Way. I am told the Communication is now more open. As Captain Tattwell cannot now perform his Engagement specifically by procuring the Release of Captain Harris and his Crew, I think he may be discharged of his Parole by obtaining the Release of some other Captain...
30From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 19 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : M.D.A.F.H.H. Hartley Russell, on deposit in the Berkshire Record Office (1955); copy and transcript: Library of Congress Having just received the Passport desired for the Cartel to make use of the Port of Morlaix, I take this first Opportunity of sending it to you, in hopes of releasing by more expeditious Voyages the poor Prisoners on both Sides before the Severity of Winter comes on....