11[Benjamin Franklin?] to ——, 25 December 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Extract printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , January 1, 1756. Governor Morris and the commissioners appointed in the £60,000 money act worked diligently to organize more effective measures against the continuing Indian attacks. By December 4 they had decided to rely chiefly upon a fort to be erected at Shamokin (at the forks of the Susquehanna; now Sunbury) from which ranging parties would be...
12From Benjamin Franklin to ———, 2 July 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am exceedingly oblig’d by the exact Plan and Profile you have been so kind as to send me, of the hydraulic Machine at Chatou. Be pleased to accept my thankful Acknowledgments of the Favour, and be assured that I am, with great Esteem, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant A virtually indecipherable notation on the verso, which may have no relation to the...
13[Benjamin Franklin?] to ——, 6 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
Extract printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , January 8, 1756. Jacob Levan, Esq; was sent by us to hear the Particulars of the Affair at Gnadenhutten, and fearing to go alone, sent Fifty-six Men over the Mountains on Saturday Evening, and on Sunday followed them with seventeen more. As soon as they got to the Top of the Hill, they saw all the white People running up, and the Indians running on...
14From Benjamin Franklin to ———, 26 March 1782 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society J’ai reçu, avec ma petite Dialogue, votre charmante Epitre & Puisque je trouve que Madame la Goutte est de votre Connoissance, ma tres chere Amie je vous prie de grace que quand elle me fait une autre Visite, vous voudriez bien l’accompagner. Votre Présence me dedommagera de la sienne. Avec une telle Garde, la Peine deviendra Plaisir. We can identify...
15From Benjamin Franklin to ——, [11 April 1767] (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from extract in The Pennsylvania Chronicle , June 1–8, 1767. We have been very busy about the Paper Money Affair. The Merchants are to wait on Lord Clare with their Opinion in Favour of it in a Day or two. After receiving Dr. F’s Remarks on the Report of the Board of Trade, they have drawn up a new Representation on the Subject, which they have signed, and Dr. F’s Paper...
16From Benjamin Franklin to ——, 3 April 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society Yesterday we tapp’d the Porter, and found it excellent. To prevent its being wasted, we have bottled it off, having a safer Place for Bottles, and imagining that in our slow Draught it might not keep so fresh. So we are enabled Herewith to return the Cask. How bountiful a Gratuity for half a Sheet of Paper! I can only say, that ’tis pity you are not...
17[Benjamin Franklin?] to ——, 20 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
Extract printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , January 29, 1756. We have been here since Sunday Afternoon: That Day we had only Time to get up some Shelter from the Weather and the Enemy. Yesterday all Day it rained, with so thick a Fog, that we could not see round us, so as either to chuse a Place for a Fort, or find Materials to build it. In the Night it cleared up, and this Morning we...
18From Benjamin Franklin to ———, 28 November 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in part in The Gentleman’s Magazine , XLIX (supplement, 1779), pp. 647–8; printed in full in William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D., F.R.S., &c. (quarto edition, 3 vols., London, 1817–18), II , 169–70. I received your obliging favour of the 12th instant. Your sentiments of the importance of the present dispute between Great-Britain...
19From Benjamin Franklin to ———, 26 July 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society Les affaires dont je suis chargé, Monsieur, ne me permettent pas de quitter paris et par consequent d’accepter vostre invitation; je vous prie de croire cependant que j’y suis tres sensible, et que c’est avéc reconnoissance que je suis, Monsieur, vostre tres humble et tres obeissant serviteur. Notation: Le Veillard Possibly to Richelet who had invited BF...
20From Benjamin Franklin to ———, [1757–1775] (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society I have perus’d the Letters and Papers you put into my Hands, and shall, as you desire, say what occurs to me on the considering them. I do not know Mr. Murdoch personally, but have heard that he is a Person of Credit and some Note in that Country, and esteemed by the People there. I imagine that little is to be expected from a Suit of Law, to be carried on...
21Franklin et al.: Report to the Académie Royale des Sciences, 24 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
D : Académie des sciences, Procès-verbaux, CIII (1784), 90–5. M.M. Franklin, Le Roy, Coulomb, Delaplace et l’abbé Rochon, ont fait le rapport suivant. M. le Marêchal de ségur ayant envoyé à l’Acade. deux projets, pour armer de paratonnerres, les magasins à poudre de la ville de Marseille et mandé dans la Lettre qui les accompagnoit, que le Roi desiroit que la compagnie les fit examiner et en...
22From Benjamin Franklin to the Académie Royale des Sciences, 16 November 1772 (Franklin Papers)
Photograph of ALS : Académie des sciences, Paris A Place among your foreign Members is justly esteemed, by all Europe, the greatest Honour a Man can arrive at in the Republick of Letters: It was therefore with equal Surprize and Satisfaction that I learnt you had condescended to confer that Honour upon me. Be pleased to accept my grateful Acknowledgements, and believe me with the greatest...
23From Benjamin Franklin to Jean-Pierre d’Açarq, 24 February 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress J’ai reçu, Monsieur, et lu avec beaucoup d’intérêt l’ode au peuple Anglois et l’ode adressée à la Hollande que vous avez eu la bonté de m’envoyer. On ne sauroit faire un plus bel usage de la Poësie que de la ramener à ce qu’elle fut dans son origine, c’est a dire de la consacrer à chanter les choses utiles à l’humanité et les hommes qui les executent, je vous remercie...
24From Benjamin Franklin to Adamoli, 29 January 1780 [i.e., 1779] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received the Letter you did me the honour of writing to me the 22. Instant, with a Copy of the Vessels in which I find myself mention’d but too advantageously.— Please to accept my thankful Acknowledgements.— I do not perfectly comprehend your Plan of finding the different Relations of Weights, Measures, &c. by means of Compass. But I believe the English Society of...
25From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 12 February 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Massachusetts Historical Society; Copy: Library of Congress I received the honour of yours dated the 7th. Inst. acquainting me with the Presentation of several more Bills drawn on Mr. Laurens. I think you will do well to accept them, and I shall endeavour to enable you to pay them. I should be glad to see a compleat List of those you have already accepted. Perhaps from the Series of...
26To John Adams from Benjamin Franklin, 26 November 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am honour’d with yours of the 19th. Inst. I received a Letter from Capt. Jackson dated at Bilbao the 12th. in which he mentions nothing of his departing thence for America, so that I should have continued to expect him here, if he had not written positively to you of that Intention. Mr: Barclay, the Consul, too, I thought would have been here before this time, and I know not what detains him...
27From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 10 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Massachusetts Historical Society I have received a Letter from a very respectable Person in America, containing the following Words, Viz “It is confidently reported, propagated, and believed by some among us, that the Court of France was at bottom against our obtaining the Fishery and Territory in that great Extent in which both are secured to us by the Treaty; that our Minister at that...
28To John Adams from Benjamin Franklin, 24 April 1779 (Adams Papers)
By the enclosed Letter from M. De Sartine expressing his Majestys Desire that the Alliance should be retained here a little longer, you will see that I am under a kind of Necessity of disappointing you in your Intentions of making your Passage immediately in that Vessel; which would be more unpleasing to me but for these Considerations, that possibly it may be safer for you to go in a Ship...
29To John Adams from Benjamin Franklin, 22 February 1781 (Adams Papers)
I received the Letter your Excellency did me the honour of writing to me the 15th. Instant, respecting Bills presented to you for Acceptance, drawn by Congress in favour of N. Tracey for 10,000 £ Sterling, payable at 90 Days sight; and desiring to know if I can furnish Funds for the Payment. I have lately made a fresh and strong Application for more Money. I have not yet received a positive...
30From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 27 June 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society Inclosed I have the Honour of sending to your Excellency Copies of Papers contain’d in a Dispatch just receiv’d from Congress. The Affair of the Free Ports recommended to us, has been sometime settled: They are Dunkirk, L’Orient, Bayonne & Marseilles.— I wonder much that we hear nothing from Congress of their foreign Arrangements. This short Line from the...
31Franklin and John Jay to John Adams, 29 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Massachusetts Historical Society We received the Letter you did us the honour of writing to us the 10th. Inst, with the project of a Treaty that had been transmitted to you by the Baron de Thulemeier, which we have examined, & return herewith, having made a few small Additions or Changes of Words to be proposed, such as Citoyens for Sujets and the like, and intimated some Explanations as...
32Benjamin Franklin and John Jay to John Adams, 29 April 1784 (Adams Papers)
We received the Letter you did us the honour of writing to us the 10 th. Inst, with the project of a Treaty that had been transmitted to you by the Baron de Thulemeier, which we have examined, & return herewith, having made a few small Additions or Changes of Words to be proposed, such as Citoyens for Sujets and the like, and intimated some Explanations as wanted in particular Paragraphs. The...
33From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 20 April 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Massachusetts Historical Society; copy: Library of Congress; transcript: National Archives I hope your Excellency received the Copy of our Instructions which I sent by the Courier from Versailles some Weeks since. I wrote to you on the 13th. to go by Capt. Smedly and sent a Pacquet of Correspondence with Mr. Hartley. Smedly did not leave Paris so soon as I expected: but you should have it...
34To John Adams from Benjamin Franklin, 30 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
This is to request that you will accept no more Bills with an Expectation of my Paying them, till you have farther Advice from me: For I find that Mr. Laurens, who went away without informing me what he had done, has made so full a Disposition of the Six Millions granted at my Request before his Arrival, that unless the Specie he sent to Holland is stopt there, I shall not be in a Condition to...
35From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 22 January 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: American Philosophical Society Dr Franklin presents Compliments to Mr. Adams, and requests that all the Public Papers may be sent him by the Bearer. Dr. Franklin will undertake to keep them in order; and will at any time chearfully look for and furnish Mr Adams with any Paper he may have occasion for. Mr Adams on receit of this put all the Public Papers, then in his Possession, into the...
36From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 28 August 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society The Bearer, Mr Harrison, is a young Gentleman of good Fortune & Character, a Native of Philadelphia, and extremely well recommended to me by Persons of Distinction there. I beg leave to introduce him to your Excellency & to request for him your Protection and Counsels. He will explain to you his Views in going to Holland, where he purposes to reside some...
37To John Adams from Benjamin Franklin, 17 December 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have received the Packet, containing the Correspondence relating to the Goods. I suppose that Mr Barclay is there before this time, and the Affair in a way of Accomodation. Young Mr Neufville is here, but I have thought it best not to give him as yet any Hopes of my Paying the Bills unless the Goods are delivered. I shall write fully by next Post. This serves chiefly to acquaint you that I...
38To John Adams from Benjamin Franklin, 7 April 1781 (Adams Papers)
Among the late intercepted Letters from London, is one from the Army Agent there to the Traitor Arnold, by which it appears that his Bribe was 5000 £ Sterling, in Bills drawn on Harley & Drummond, who are the Contractors for furnishing the Army with Money. Inclos’d I send you a Copy of that Letter, and shall send you others by next Post. The English Papers tell us, that you have succeeded in...
39From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 28 August 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : National Archives The Bearer Mr. Measam was a Merchant of good Reputation at Montreal; but having engag’d warmly in the American Cause, has been oblig’d to abandon that Country, to the great Detriment of his Affairs. He was appointed by Gen. Wooster a Commissary of Stores there; and apprehending such an Officer to be at this time necessary in our Northern Army, he has apply’d to Congress...
40To John Adams from Benjamin Franklin, 6 August 1781 (Adams Papers)
I some time since gave Orders as you desired to Mr. Grand, to furnish you with a Credit in Holland for the Remainder of your Salary to November next. But I am now told that your Account having been mixt with Mr. Dana’s, he finds it difficult to know the Sum due to you. Be pleased therefore to State your Account for two Years, giving Credit for the Sums you have receiv’d, that an Order may be...