31To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 2 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress Yours of 22d of february received. I have been as much discontented with the delay respecting the Exchange of prisoners as you can have been, and before the receipt of yours, I had made an heavy complaint and remonstrance upon the Subject. I have now the Satisfaction to tell you, that the first Cartel ship has actually left...
32To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 30 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress Yours of March 21st received. I have in my own private thoughts been very much displeased with the delays wch we have met with in the affair of the Exchange of prisoners. I had before the receipt of yours, made some strong remonstrances upon the Subject, and yesterday I went again to the Admiralty with my Complaints. Mr...
33To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 2 April 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress I writ you word in my last that the first hundred of the American prisoners were sailed, therefore I hope that business is in a fair way of getting forward— Peace you know is always my object. If any advice of mine may be influential I assure you it is not, nor ever will be wanting. I am just at this moment more anxious for...
34To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 10 April 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Library of Congress I have had some conferences respecting terms of peace wch. I have pressed in the strongest manner whether with effect or no will appear after the holidays. The grounds upon wch. I argued it were confidence & certainty and upon those grounds a friend of yours wd gladly offer his Services, but that friend of yours will never lend himself to transmitt or to...
35To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 20 April 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress I hope you have heard of your prisoners (viz the first cargo) before this time. I am impatient to receive your answer to some of my late letters to you. You know the Object wch constantly possesses my mind. I wish to bring some material points to issue, upon terms of certainty and Confidence . Parliament will probably sit...
36To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley: Two Letters, 22 April 1779 (Franklin Papers)
(I) ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; transcript: Library of Congress; (II) ALS : American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress The bearer of this, & of some other papers (Mr. D ) is a very sensible & worthy gentleman, with whom I have had the pleasure of contracting an acquaintance, since the commencement of the American troubles, originally upon the...
37To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 11 May 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress Yours of May 4th. recd this moment. I cannot see the Commissioners of Sick & Hurt before tonights Mail, but I can equally give you an answr relating to the Prisoners because it was not longer ago than last night that one of the Commissioners calld upon me, in part to hear what was become of the Cartel Ship and anxious to...
38To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 25 May 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Library of Congress I was in hopes to have had something material to have communicated to you before this but I presume that matters of so much importance & difficulty require long & repeated consideration— In a very long conference of above two hours I enforced every argument for peace upon the terms wch I have explained to you, or nearly upon similar terms, but at all events for...
39To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 11 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Library of Congress Before you receive this you will probably have received my last, by a private Conveyance. You will find by that letter, that I have not been successfull in the negotiation in which I was so desirous to give assistance. Let me just ask you; if a truce of ten years be not practicable, what wd you think of a truce for one Year as a foundation for treating. My bias...
40To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley: Two Letters, 24 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
(I) and (II) transcript: Library of Congress I shall hope soon to have an opportunity of writing to you by a private hand, & shall defer what I have to say till that opportunity. In the mean time let me only tell you that I am still of the same opinion that I have always held that there is not yet any alienation between the nations of GB & NA. I think likewise that what has passed in the way...
41To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 29 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress In the course of a negotiation lately on foot I had at one time entertained hopes of Success. I am still inclined to hope that something is gained, perhaps in the minds of men, wch may hereafter serve as a reference to form some future basis of accommodation upon, when a more fortunate hour may come. You understand that...
42To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 5 July 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Library of Congress I send you for fear of accidents copies of two letters wch I have lately writ to you. I told you in my last that I hoped that our negotiation had done some good upon at least the minds of Men they had not been immediately as effectual as I cd have wished. Perhaps you may incline to the same opinion when you see the last paragraph of the King’s Speech viz that...
43To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 1 September 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Two copies: American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress Yours of August 20th recd. I entirely agree with you in all the Sentiments of humanity wch you express & shall always most heartily concur with you in every endeavour to lessen the Miseries attending the State of war. I will to the best of my power recommend your propositions respecting the most facile & expeditious...
44To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 18 September 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress I think it very probable that the Exchange of prisoners upon acct. by certificates at Sea may take some time in considering & arranging if consented to by the British Ministry. In the mean time as I hear that the second Cartel ship is come back, I write one line to you just to suggest that if you can succeed in obtaining...
45To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley: Two Letters, 11 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
(I) ALS and copy: American Philosophical Society; (II) ALS : American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress I have not yet got an answer from government relative to the proposition of Exchanging upon contract agrements in writing. I have renewed my application for an answer, & therefore hope to have it soon. In the mean, I wish to forward the Continuation of the Cartel by...
46To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley: Two Letters, 26 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
(I) ALS : American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress; (II) ALS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I have communicated the Substance of yours of the 8th instant to the Board & when I receive their answer I will transmitt it to you. I am very anxious to hear again from you of M De Sartine’s consent to the passport to Morlaix that we...
47To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 16 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress The enclosed letter wch I have received from the Commrs of Sick & Hurt requires no comment. I rejoice much that I have at length prevailed with the Admiralty to dispense with the tedious mode of exchanging only one hundred at a time. I now hope that we shall clear the prisons before the hard weather sets in. Be so good as to...
48To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 3 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress It is so long since I have heard from you that I fear the communication is Stopped between us. It is between two & three months. As you know that Peace is the object of every view of mine, the present extremely anxious state of affairs, makes me wish for some communication with you. You know that my opinion & wish has always...
49To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 5 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress I writ to you a day or two ago, suddenly, upon an offer of a safe conveyance. I am now told that I may yet write another line by the same conveyance, therefore take this as a Supplement. I wish to have some opinions & plan formed in my own mind against the meeting of Parlt. viz by the end of this month or the beginning of...
50To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 8 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I cannot imagine what has prevented my hearing from you for these two month relating to the Cartel. I therefore send you a copy of a letter from the board of Sick & Hurt to me of Novr 15 1779 wch is the place where we left off & where we stick now. I wish I cd expedite things but it is not in my power. You see where the matter has been Stopt these two...
51To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 1 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Having been very much chagrined with the delay of the Cartel I writ some time ago a very pressing letter to the admiralty earnestly requesting them for the sake of humanity to quicken the ceremonious forms of office. They have sent me notice of their compliance & that another vessel is under sailing orders; probably by this time sailed. They add in their...
52To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 27 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I send by this date another letter with enclosures relating to the Exchange of prisoners. I hope in God that nothing will happen to interrupt that Exchange wch I look upon as a link of communication wch may by degrees lead us to farther pacific intercourses. The only object of my thoughts is by every possible means to soften animosities and to counteract by...
53To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 17 July 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D., F.R.S., &c … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), II , 266–8. Inclosed I send you a copy of a conciliatory bill which was proposed in the house of commons on the 27th of last month. It was rejected. You and I have had so much intercourse upon the subject of restoring peace between Great...
54To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 15 June 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères My Cousin Mr Samuel Hartley has thoughts of taking a journey to Paris upon some mercantile business and having myself a month or two without engagements to dispose of it has occurred both to him and to me that I shd like very well to accompany him. However I think it best to inform you of this, that I may...
55To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 26 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Having an opportunity of a conveyance to you, I write one short line (as my notice is very sudden and short) just to tell you how happy I shd have been to have had an opportunity of seeing and Conversing with you. I fear that pleasure must be delayed, but it wd make me infinitely happy to look forward to that pleasure upon some future occasion.— At present...
56To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 2[–8] January 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), II , 269–74. I have recieved the favour of yours of the 15th of December by Mr. Alexander. I most heartily join with you in the wish that we could find some means to stop the spreading flames of this devilish war . I will not despair. The communications which he...
57To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 24[–25] January 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), II , 277–280. I received yours of the 15th instant, this day. I must take the earliest opportunity of setting you right in one mistake, which runs through your whole letter, and which to you, under that mistake, must be a very delicate point. You seem to...
58To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 1 February 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), II , 280–1. I write to you one line by this mail only to tell you that I have seen the Minister since I last wrote to you, and that he never did entertain the idea one Moment of any propositions being thrown out on your part in the least degree inconsistent with...
59To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 28 February 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), II , 282–3. I have not as yet any thing to communicate to you. I have upon many occasions recommended the road to peace in the most earnest way. I am not without hopes. I think I may venture to say that the arguments which I have stated have made an impression....
60To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 11 March 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), II , 286. Mr. Digges who will deliver this to you informs me that having been applied to for the purpose of communicating with Mr. Adams on the subject of his commission for treating of peace, he is now setting out for Amsterdam, and that he intends afterwards...