1From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 20 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I am much obliged by your kind Letter, informing me of the good Disposition of the Commissioners for the Sick and wounded. I believe they would do in all things what is humane, just and honorable, but I have not so good an Opinion of the Lords of the Admiralty, from whom Mr. Hartley had never been able to obtain a Yes or a No on the plain Question whether the written...
2From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 14 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have this Moment received your favour of Jany. 28. I had written to you the 20th. of the same Month, and enclosed a second passport for Morlaix. I hope to hear of its being come to hand, tho’ it was not when you wrote. I have written also lately to Mr. Hartly and Mr. Digges on the subject of our Prisoners.— I shall give Orders this Day for the sending away in the...
3From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 26 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have just received your favour of the 11th. Instant. I am much oblig’d by your immediate Application to The Board of sick and hurt after the Receipt of mine of Jan. 20th. and Very glad to hear that another Cartel is soon to sail from Plymouth with 100 Americans. The English Prisoners to exchange for them, will be ready at morlaix.— And I am authoriz’d to repeat what...
4From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 11 April 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received your favours of the 10th. and 28th. of march. The Method you propose of managing the Money for the Prisoners is perfectly agreable to me. You desired in your last that I would explain how it happen’d that no Prisoners went back in the last Cartel. I did not till this Day well understand it myself; or I should have answer’d sooner. When our Little Squadron...
5From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 19 June 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Incomplete copy: Library of Congress I received your several favours of March 28. and may 12. I thank you for the Justice you did me at the sick and hurt Office, in the assurances you gave that it was not my Intention to deceive, nor my fault that an equal Number of Prisoners did not return with the Cartel. On my consenting to give up the 500 Prisoners we carried into Holland, I had the...
6From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 25 August 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have received your Favour of the 11th. Instant. I have only time by this Oportunity to enclose and send you the Receipts of the Capt. of the Cartel, for some English Prisoners I have lately releas’d. There were a Number sent before, of which I can not find at present the Receipt. I shall continue sending as they may arrive, in order to settle my particular Account...
7From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 9 October 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received your favour of the 20th. Past, containing the account of Prisonners as it stands between the Board & me. I do hereby agree that Capt. Scott of the Golden Eagle Privateer, taken by Capt. Harrabin of the General Pickering, and carried into Bilbao, and allowed to go to England on his Parole, be considered exchanged by one of the 119 Americans Landed at...
8From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 18 December 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received your Favour of the 4th. with the Account of the Expenditure of the 100£ in supplying the Wants of the Prisoners, which is very satisfactory. I beg you to accept my thankful Acknowledgements of your kindness to & Care of those unfortunate People, & let my Blessings be mix’d with theirs. By next Post I shall send you 150£ more, requesting you will continue...
9From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 30 January 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Draft and copy: Library of Congress I recd your Favour of the 9th. Inst. I am convinc’d of the Reasonableness of your Remarks, and leave the Disposition of the Money entirely to your Discretion. As I had formerly written to Mr Digges on the same Subject, and on the Stoppage of our Correspondence wrote to you, I wish it may be convenient to you to see him, so as that you may not be both doing...
10From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 1 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress I received your respected Favour of the 20th past, & am shock’d exceedingly at the Account you give me of Digges. He that robbs the Rich even of a single Guinea, is a Villain, but what is he who can break his sacred Trust by robbing a poor Man and a Prisoner of Eighteen Pence given charitably for his Relief, and repeat that Crime as often as there are Weeks in a...