21To Benjamin Franklin from ———, 10 May 1757 (Franklin Papers)
AL (incomplete): American Philosophical Society The accurate determination of longitude by a ship at sea long remained an unsolved problem. Several theoretically possible methods were advanced during the two centuries and a half after Columbus, but when put to actual test none proved both practicable and sufficiently reliable to serve the needs of mariners, especially of those embarked on long...
22To Benjamin Franklin from ———, [December 1777]: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society <[Brussels, December, 1777, ] in French: You do not know me, and my name would not mean much to you. I am fond of great souls, and want to pay tribute to their virtues. Sincere congratulations on the defeat of M. de Burgoÿne, obtained by skill and bravery. M. de Washington has those qualities, and we may hope that Sir Howe, now in check, will be checkmated....
23——— to the American Commissioners, 11 July 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society <On board the Boston , Port Louis, July 11, 1778: Jerome Cazneau, sergeant of marines, obtained shore leave and persuaded the other Frenchmen aboard to quit the ship. He did everything in his power to alienate them from returning to duty. The General, though under orders to assist us, gave them the choice of staying or quitting, even though he was reminded...
24James Madison’s List of Autographs, beginning 1828 (Madison Papers)
List of autographs [by James Madison:] Autographs sent [by Dolley Payne Madison:] G. Washington John Adams Thomas Jefferson James Monroe John Quincy Adams A. Hamilton Robert R. Livingston Albert Gallatin Edw. Livingston Richard Peters John Page Edmd. Pendleton Wm. Pinkney Timothy Pickering Lafayette Le Baron de Humboldt Du pont de Nemours Peter S. Du Ponceau. 18—
25To Benjamin Franklin from ———, [before or during July 1778] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society On a appris par un officier francois lieutenant dans les troupes aux ordres du général Gates que Klinton avec un corps de 4000 hommes, etant en marche pour se réunir a Philadelphie au général Howe a été attaqué en chemin par le general Gates, et qu’apres un combat très opiniâtre les anglois ont été tous ou tués ou blessés ou prisonniers de guerre. Le Genéral...
26Anonymous to Thomas Jefferson, 18 December 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
I rejoice to find you engaged in your latter days, in so laudable an undertaking as that of perfecting a system for the education of our youth: an estabilishement much wanted on your side of the mountains: and which must hereafter prove a great blessing to our posterity. But, what has astonished me more than all the miracles of Moses , is, that the birth state of Washington , Jefferson ,...
27Description of a Cipher, [23 May 1803] (Hamilton Papers)
Pour se servir de l’Echiquier cy inclus, en place d’un Chiffre, afin d’empecher la decouverte de votre correspondance; employer la maniere suivante. Ayant ecris votre lettre comme de coutume; vous prepárerez le papier sur lequel vous ētes intentioné a coucher votre copie secrete de la meme grandeur que le carré en Echiquier, lequel ētant placé sur le dit papier, vous l’y fixerez par les quatre...
28A. & J. W. Picket to Thomas Jefferson, 10 September 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
We address you on a Subject of vital importance; we mean the Subject of Female Education , which in our opinion has not received that attention which its intrinsic value merits.—To benefit, & place it on a more permanent basis, as far as our capabilities will allow, we intend to apply to the Legislature of mary land , at its next session, for means to erect a Female College . The importance of...
29To Thomas Jefferson from “A. B.,” 2 January 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I have had frequent occasion to transact Business at the Collectors Office in this Port & for a year or two past the Business of the different departments has been executed entirely by Clerks, many of whom are perfectly ignorant of their Business; the Collector during that time has not been at the office once a fortnight on an average, the consequence of which is a great inconvenience to...
30To George Washington from “A.B.,” 19 June 1795 (Washington Papers)
Being a Resident of this place and since the prospect of having the seat of a great Empire (which the Rapid Increase of my native Country forebodes, and its Rising consequence among the nations Indicates) is likely to be fixed near us, I have been for one, well pleased. Being under the direction of the man who gave our Infant Empire its Consequence, and whose manly fortitude supports her...