Benjamin Franklin Papers

From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 22 February 1766

To Deborah Franklin

ALS: Yale University Library

London, Feb. 22. 1766

My dear Child,

I am excessively hurried, being every Hour that I am awake either abroad to speak with Members of Parliament or taken up with People coming to me at home, concerning our American Affairs, so that I am much behind-hand in answering my Friends Letters. But tho’ I cannot by this Opportunity write to others, I must not omit a Line to you who kindly write me so many. I am well; ’tis all I can say at present, except that I am just now made very happy by a Vote of the Commons for the Repeal of the Stamp Act.6 Your ever loving Husband

B Franklin

Monday, Feb. 24.

The above was wrote supposing the Packet would be dispatch’d that day. She is still detain’d, so I give it to Mr. Penrose7 who was so obliging as to call and tell me of his going.

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

6At about two o’clock on the morning of February 22 the Committee of the Whole House of the House of Commons voted, 275 to 167, to repeal the Stamp Act. See below, p. 168.

7The Penroses were a Philadelphia shipbuilding family; it is not possible to ascertain which one of them carried this letter.

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