4831To Benjamin Franklin from Pierre Roussille with a Draft of Franklin’s Reply, 27 December 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Jose prendre la liberté de m’adresser a vous Comme L’armement de la frégate Le Boston ayant été fait a Bordx. le 22 mai 1778. me procura la Connoissance du Capne. Tucker me fit décider de tanter fortune Sur Son bord, pour cet effet jobteins de lui une place de volontaire aux appointmts de 28 l.t. 10 s par mois avec promesse part et portion aux prises S’il...
4832To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis de Saint-Auban, with Franklin’s Note for a Reply, 23 January 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Vous etes au comble de la gloire, veullie le ciel que vous jouissies long tems de votre triomphe, les dieux vous ont bien privilegié en vous acordant autant de superiorité de genie, puisque vous vous etes aquis la plus haute celebrité dans les sciences sublimes, et que vous les avès apliquées a la conservation de lhumanité; vos vues se sont ensuite tournées...
4833To Benjamin Franklin from Antoine-Nicholas Servin, with Franklin’s Note for a Reply, 16 September 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania Je viens de faire imprimer a Basle un ouvrage Sur La Législation Criminelle Auquel le Celebre Monsieur Iselin a joint des observations de Sa façon. Je Vous prie de permettre Que mon Libraire Vous en adresse un Exemplaire par la poste. C’est un hommage Que je dois a un des plus Grands hommes d’etat et des Scavans Les plus distingués de l’univers. J’ose...
4834Portuguese Counterproposal for a Treaty of Amity and Commerce, [c. 7 June 1783] (Franklin Papers)
Copy and transcript: National Archives The initial negotiations for a commercial treaty between the United States and Portugal, conducted between Franklin and the conde de Sousa Coutinho, took place without the knowledge of the other American commissioners and have left no written trace. Whether Sousa Coutinho had pressed for secrecy is not known; neither do we know when discussions began in...
4835To Benjamin Franklin from Charles Stamitz, with Franklin’s Note for a Reply, 2 October 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Pardonnez la liberté que je prends de vous Ecrire sans avoir l’honneur d’être Connû de vous; je viens d’apprendre trés positivement que Messieurs les Amériquains, voulant faire refleurir les beaux arts chez Eûx. Sont sur le point d’avoir une troupe française, dont Monsieur Clerval, ancien Comédien de Provinçe doit en être le Regiseur, qui pour cet Effect...
4836Articles of Agreement with Louis Timothée, 26 November 1733 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: Historical Society of Pennsylvania Articles of Agreement indented [and] made the 26th Day of November Ao. Di. 1733 Between Benjamin Franklin of the City of Philadelphia in the Province of Pensilvania Printer of the one Part and Lewis Timothée of the said City Printer (now bound on a Voyage to Charlestown in South Carolina) Of the other Part: Whereas the said BF and LT have determined to...
4837To Benjamin Franklin from Anthony Todd, with Franklin’s Note for a Reply, 3 October 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania This very morning I had the Pleasure to receive Your Letter of the 27th. past inclosing one for the President of Congress, which was so exactly in Time that I forwarded it along with Lord Norths Dispatches this Evening to Falmouth with Orders for the three several Packet Boats for New York Jamaica and the Lewards Islands to sail immediately. These Boats...
4838The Preliminary Hearing before the Privy Council Committee for Plantation Affairs on the Petition from the Massachusetts … (Franklin Papers)
I: printed in [Israel Mauduit,] The Letters of Governor Thomas Hutchinson and Lieut. Governor Oliver … with the Assembly’s Address, and the Proceedings of the Lords Committee of Council … ([1st issue of 1st ed., Yale University Library;] London, 1774), pp. *77–*80 of first pagination. II: copy, Privy Council register, Public Record Office. The record of the hearing survives in two parts. One...
4839Articles of Agreement with Thomas Whitmarsh, 13 September 1731 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Land Office, Department of Internal Affairs, Harrisburg, Pa. Articles of Agreement made and indented the Thirteenth Day of September Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and thirty one Between Benjamin Franklin of Philadelphia in the Province of Pennsylvania Printer of the one Part and Thomas Whitemarsh of the same place Printer of the other Part, viz. Whereas the said Benjamin...
4840Journal, 1764–1776; Ledger, 1764–1776 (Franklin Papers)
MS account books: American Philosophical Society December 10, 1764 As Franklin had done when he went to England in 1757, he began a new record of his financial transactions when he started his second mission in 1764. Probably the new record consisted at first of a series of rather informal entries such as those in his “Account of Expences,” 1757–1762, described above, VII , 164–5, and cited...
4841On Sinecures, 28 September 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser , September 28, 1768 To the Printer of the Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser . Great complaints are every day made, that notwithstanding Great Britain has involved herself in a very heavy debt, for the defence of the American colonies in the late war, that now they refuse to pay any part of this debt. On this subject there has been a very...
4842From Benjamin Franklin to Cadwallader Colden, 14 July 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New-York Historical Society I am very sorry that our unexpected long Stay at Albany prevents my having the Pleasure of seeing you at this time. Mr. Peters, Mr. Norris and my self, with my Son, came ashore here about 3 aClock with Intent to get a Waggon or Horses to carry us to your House, and the Sloop was to wait for us till tomorrow Noon; but after many fruitless Attempts, Night coming...
4843Memorandum Book, 1757–1776 (Franklin Papers)
MS account book: American Philosophical Society [April 3, 1757] Before leaving for England Franklin provided his wife with a long, narrow account book in which she was to record her expenditures during his absence. She made the first entry on April 3, even before he had gone. But later, like many wives—and husbands too—she was far from meticulous in recording everything she spent. There are...
4844To Benjamin Franklin from Ferdinand Grand, with a Draft of Franklin’s Reply, [8 April 1782] (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society I just hear from Amsterdam that Bills accepted by Mr. J. Jay at Madrid are come back unpaid & protested to the Amount of 20000 Ducats. If you are desirous they should be paid you will be so Kind as to send me your Orders for that purpose & I shall pursuant thereto write by tomorrow’s Mail to the above friends to give notice to the holders of the Bills that...
4845Account of Money Received from David Hall, 1748–1757 (Franklin Papers)
MS Account Book: American Philosophical Society This little book contains in eight pages headed “Acct. of Money receiv’d at different Times from Mr. David Hall” Franklin’s record of his income from the partnership with Hall from Feb. 7, 1748, to March 28, 1757. It shows that Hall paid Franklin £45 a year in semi-annual installments as his share of the £55 rent due from Franklin to Robert Grace...
4846Franklin and Hall to Robert Hunter Morris, 20 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania; also copy: Public Record Office, London When he had received Governor Morris’ letter of March 19, Franklin begged Secretary Peters to have it withdrawn because, he explained, if he had to show it to the Assembly, they would order him nonetheless to publish the Votes including Sir Thomas Robinson’s letters, “and so the Differences would encrease between...
4847Franklin and Hall: Notice to Debtors, 25 April 1765 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , April 25, 1765. As the Partnership of Franklin and Hall , Printers of this Paper, is now near expired, a Settlement of the Accounts betwixt them is become absolutely necessary; and there being a very considerable Number of Sums, both great and small, due to said Partnership, and many of them of a long Standing, this serves earnestly to request all indebted...
4848To Benjamin Franklin from John Hughes with Franklin’s Receipt, [24 March 1757] (Franklin Papers)
I. MS not found; reprinted from Pennsylvania History , VI (1939), 15; II. ADS : Yale University Library The minutes of the Society of Arts (see above, VI , 186–9 n) for the meeting of Sept. 7, 1757, note that Franklin attended and read the extract of a letter from John Hughes printed as No. I below; that Franklin paid in the donation; and that the Society voted their thanks to Hughes for his...
4849William Hunter’s Stipulations in Regard to William Hewson, 23 August 1771 (Franklin Papers)
AD : extract from Franklin to William Hunter, October 30, 1772 , Royal College of Surgeons Dr. Hunter expects Mr. Hewson should go on with his Business as usual during the Remainder of the Term they are to continue together; and during that time should make Preparations, at Dr. Hunter’s Expence, such as the Dr. should direct to be made, and others, so that those directed are not neglected or...
4850Benjamin Franklin and William Hunter: Commission to Thomas Vernon, 24 December 1754 (Franklin Papers)
Printed form with MS insertions in blanks: New York Public Library Benjamin Franklin , and William Hunter , Esquires, D. Post-Masters-General of all His Majesty’s Provinces and Dominions on the Continent of North-America . To All to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting, Know Ye , That We having received good Testimony of the Fidelity, and Loyalty to His Majesty, of Mr. Thomas Vernon of...
4851Franklin and John Jay to David Hartley, 31 March 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; copy: William L. Clements Library We have now the Pleasure of acquainting you, that the Ratification of the Definitive Treaty is arrived here by an Express from Congress. You have already been informed that the Severity of the Winter in America, which hindred Travelling, had occasion’d a Delay in the assembling of the States. As soon as a sufficient Number...
4852Benjamin Franklin and John Jay to David Hartley, 31 March 1784 (Jay Papers)
We have now the Pleasure of acquainting you, that the Ratification of the Definitive Treaty is arrived here by an Express from Congress. You have already been informed that the Severity of the Winter in America, which hindered Travelling had occasioned a delay in the assembling of the States. As soon as a sufficient Number were got together, the Treaty was taken into Consideration, and the...
4853Benjamin Franklin and John Jay to Vergennes, 28 June 1783 (Jay Papers)
M r Grand, Banker to the Congress, having laid before us the annexed State of their Affairs in his Hands, we conceive ourselves indispensably obliged to communicate the same to your Excellency, as some important Interests of both Countries are concerned. Before the Peace was known in America, and while M r . Morris had hopes of obtaining the Five per Cent Duty, and a larger Loan from his...
4854To John Adams from Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson with a Draft Anglo-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce, 8 … (Adams Papers)
We duly received your letter of the 20 th of June, and now in consequence thereof send you a draught of a treaty which we should be willing to have proposed to the court of London. We have taken for our groundwork the original draught proposed to Denmark, making such alterations & additions only as had occurred in the course of our negociations with Prussia & Tûscany and which we thought were...
4855Franklin and Jefferson to John Adams, 15 June 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
Among the instructions given to the Ministers of the United States for treating with foreign powers, was one of the 11th. of May 1784. relative to an individual of the name of John Baptist Pecquet. It contains an acknowlegement on the part of Congress of his merits and sufferings by friendly services rendered to great numbers of American seamen carried prisoners into Lisbon, and refers to us...
4856Franklin and Jefferson to Adams, with Proposed Treaty with Great Britain, 8 July 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
We duly received your letter of the 20th. of June and now in consequence thereof send you a draught of a treaty which we should be willing to have proposed to the court of London. We have taken for our ground work the original draught proposed to Denmark, making such alterations and additions only as had occurred in the course of our negociations with Prussia and Tuscany and which we thought...
4857To Benjamin Harrison, with Extract from Franklin’s Letter, 18 March 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of the 3d inst. I mentioned to you the gazette account of a change in the British ministry. Just in the moment of the departure of the post we received a letter from the Marquis Fayette confirming the account of the change and rectifying that of the vote of the Prince of Wales. The letter which had come here supposed the king a friend to the E. India bill and that the Prince voted...
4858Franklin on the Miracle of the Revolution, 25 October 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Richard Henry Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, LL.D., Joint Commissioner of the United States to the Court of France, and Sole Commissioner to the Courts of Spain and Prussia, during the Revolutionary War . . . (2 vols., Boston, 1829), I , 343–6. Having some conversation with Dr. F. upon the present state of things, he seemed to agree with me in thinking that France and Spain mistook...
4859William Lee’s Account of a Conversation with Franklin, 15 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AD : Virginia Historical Society Waited this day on the Honble. Doctor Benjamen Franklin Minister Plenipo. from the U. S. of America at the Court of Versailles, congratulated him on his apt.—gave him an account of the Political state of Germany & Hold.— of the danger there was of G. B. geting a considerable number of Troops in Germany as soon as the peace between the Emp. & K. of P. shd. take...
4860Franklin and Le Roy: Report on Lightning Rods at Strasbourg, 12 May 1780: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): Académie royale des sciences, Paris Started between 1015 and 1028 in Romanesque style, the magnificent cathedral of Strasbourg underwent many transformations over the centuries. Around 1320, the intersection of nave and transept was marked by a Gothic construction resembling a bishop’s miter, hence called the Mitre . By 1365 the twin towers of the façade had been erected, and were...