301From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 12 September 1773 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Duane, ed., The Works of Benjamin Franklin … (6 vols., Philadelphia, 1808–18), VI , 331–2. The above is a copy of my last, per packet. Inclosed is the original letter therein mentioned. His lordship continues in the country, but is expected (secretary Pownall tells me) the beginning of next month. To avoid repealing the American tea duty, and yet find a vent for tea, a...
302From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 6 October 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library Since my last to you, which went per Capt. Foulger, the Parliament, by a sudden and unexpected Resolution in the Cabinet, has been dissolved. Various are the Conjectures as to the Motives; among which one is, that some Advices from Boston, importing the Impossibility of carrying on Government there under the late Acts of Parliament, have made it appear necessary...
303From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 7 July 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office; ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress I am favoured with yours of April 20, and May 6. The Letters communicated to you were not merely to “satisfy the Curiosity” of any, but it was thought there might be a Use in showing them to some Friends of the Province, and even to some of the Governor’s Party, for their more certain Information concerning his Conduct and...
304From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 23 September 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office Nothing of Importance has occurr’d here since my last. This serves chiefly to cover a Newspaper, in which I have stated a few of the American Grievances that were omitted in my Receipt for diminishing a great Empire. These odd ways of presenting Matters to the publick View, sometimes occasion them to be more read, more talk’d of, and more attended to. With great...
305From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 6 May 1773 (Franklin Papers)
LS (duplicate): Public Record Office; letterbook draft: Library of Congress Franklin’s account in this letter of his interview with Lord Dartmouth indicates how little scope was left to either of them, two years before Lexington, to further reconciliation between Massachusetts and the mother country. Both the Englishman and the American wanted an end to the quarrel, yet neither could find a...
306From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 13 April 1772 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Jared Sparks, ed., The Works of Benjamin Franklin … (10 vols., Boston, 1836–40), VIII , 7–8. I wrote to you in January last a long letter, by Meyrick, and at the same time wrote to the Committee, since which I have received no line from any one in Boston, nor has Mr. Bollan yet received the answer we wait for, respecting the eastern settlements on the crown land. The Parliament...
307From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 22 March 1774 (Franklin Papers)
AL (copy): Public Record Office I received your Favour of Jan. 23. I suppose we never had since we were a People, so few Friends in Britain. The violent Destruction of the Tea seems to have united all Parties here against our Province, so that the Bill now brought into Parliament for shutting up Boston as a Port till Satisfaction is made, meets with no Opposition. An Alteration in our Charter...
308From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 15[–19]? February 1774 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society , first series, III (1794), 109–16. I Wrote a line to you by the last packet, just to acquaint you there had been a hearing on our petition. I shall now give you the history of it as succinctly as I can. We had long imagined that the king would have considered that petition as he had done the preceding one in his cabinet, and...
309From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 13 January 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office; incomplete draft: American Philosophical Society I am now return’d again to London from a Journey of some Months in Ireland and Scotland. Though my Constitution, and too great Confinement to Business during the Winter, seem to require the Air and Exercise of a long Journey once a Year, which I have now practiced for more than 20 Years past, yet I should not have...
310From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 28 January 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society I have been favour’d with yours of Sept. 24. and Oct. 26. from Philada. Nov. 14. and Dec. 5. from Boston, and thank you for the Information communicated. It gives my Mind some Ease to learn that such good Care is taken both by the General and the Town to prevent Mischief. I hope that Care will continue and be effectual. And that People will be...
311From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 24 August 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress I received duly your several Favours of June 25, 26, and 30. with the Papers enclosed. My Lord Dartmouth being at his Country Seat, in Staffordshire, I transmitted to him the Address for the Removal of the Govr. and Lieut. Govr. and Mr. Bollan and I jointly transmitted the Letter to his Lordship from both Houses. I delivered to Mr. Bollan one Set of...
312From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 5 January 1774 (Franklin Papers)
Extract reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), II , 209–10. I received the honour of yours dated October 28 with the Journals of the house and Mr. Turner’s Election Sermon. I waited on Lord Dartmouth on his return to town, and learnt that he had presented to his majesty our petition for the removal...
313From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 9 March 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress I did myself the Honour of Writing to you the 2d of December, and the 5th of January past. Since which I have received your Favour of Nov 28. inclosing the Votes and Proceedings of the Town of Boston, which I have reprinted here with a Preface. Herewith I send you a few Copies. Governor Hutchinson’s Speech at the Opening of your Jany. Session, has...
314From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 4 June 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office; letterbook draft: Library of Congress In the paragraph of this letter that deals with the Tea Act, Franklin implies that the purpose of the statute was “to keep up the Exercise of the Right” to tax the colonies. This idea was sure to be a red rag to the Bostonian bull. All that is known about the passage of the act, however, indicates that the ministry avoided the...
315From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 30 June 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office; draft: American Philosophical Society I receiv’d your Favour of April 30. By the next Boston Ship I shall send you all the perfected Acts lately pass’d relating to our Province, of which I sent you Copies while in the State of Bills: ’Till then I defer any Remarks on them. At present I only send Copies of two more Letters of Mr. Hutchinson’s. The Chancery Suit goes...
316From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 1 September 1773 (Franklin Papers)
Extract reprinted from Jared Sparks, ed., The Works of Benjamin Franklin … (10 vols., Boston, 1836–40), VIII , 83 n. In my last I informed you, that the address to the King, and the letter from the General Court to Lord Dartmouth, are both transmitted to his Lordship. Enclosed are copies of his answers to Mr. Bollan and myself. There are some expressions in the close of his Lordship’s letter...
317From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 28 April 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office I have written several Letters to you lately by different Conveyances, and sent you the Bills pass’d and about to be pass’d relating to our Province. I now send the Report of the Committee of the Lords, which seems hard upon us, as every thing written by any Officer of Government is taken for undoubted Truth. I can now only add, that I am, as ever, with great...
318From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 10 June 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office During Franklin’s correspondence with leading Bostonians over the past year, the gap between his views and theirs had been gradually narrowing; but this letter shows that it had not yet closed. He deplored the exercise of the King’s prerogative through instructions to governors, he denied that Parliament might bind the colonies without their consent, he believed that...
319From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 24 December 1770 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Jared Sparks, ed., The Works of Benjamin Franklin … (10 vols., Boston, 1836–40) VII , 492–4. In his letter to Samuel Cooper six months before, Franklin had put more emphasis on loyalty to the King than was perhaps welcome to leaders of the Massachusetts House. During the debate over the agency he had been criticized for being, as a postal official and the father of a colonial...
320From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 27 September 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office I wrote to you lately by the Boston Packet, Capt. Shepherd, and by several preceding Conveyances. I should be glad to hear from you what Letters of mine came to your hands, as I suspect they are often intercepted. The Ministers have for some time been out of town, as well as those of both Houses who are Friends of America. But the latter have frequent Communications,...
321From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 5 January 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and copy: Public Record Office; letterbook draft: Library of Congress I did myself the Honour of Writing to you on the 2d of December past inclosing some news papers to 30th november last which I hope got safe to hand. I have since received your Favour of Oct. 27. which containing in a small Compass so full an Enumeration of our Grievances, the Steps necessary to a Removal of them, and the...
322From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 5 February 1771 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Jared Sparks, ed., The Works of Benjamin Franklin ... (10 vols., Boston, 1836–40), VII , 501–6. In 1770 Franklin, in a series of letters to American friends, began a commentary on various aspects of the imperial constitution. The letter below is part of this series. It discusses the current state of the American controversy and prospects for the future, and in the process...
323From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 10 October 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library I wrote to you a few Days since, and have little to add. The Election for Lord Mayor ended on Saturday, when Wilkes was chosen by a great Majority both of the Livery and of the Aldermen; and ’tis thought he will carry the Elections of 4 Members for the City, 2 for the Borough of Southwark, 2 for Westminster, and 2 for the County of Middlesex, himself one of the...
324From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 3 April 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office; letterbook draft: Library of Congress My last was of the 9th past, since which nothing material has occurr’d relating to the Colonies. The Assembly’s Answer to Gov. Hutchinson’s Speech is not yet come over; but I find that even his Friends here are apprehensive of some ill Consequences from his forcing the Assembly into that Dispute, and begin to say it was not...
325From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 27 July 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office The last Line I have been favour’d with from you, is of the 30th of April. I have since written to you several times. I hope our Correspondence is not intercepted. This serves to cover a Pamphlet or two just published here; of which I shall send you a Number, as I think it may be of Use in America to see what Sentiments are entertain’d here: And believing they maybe...
326From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 3 September 1772 (Franklin Papers)
AL (letterbook draft): Library of Congress I write this Line just to acknowledge the Receipt of your several Favours of July 15 and 16, enclosing the Resolves of the House relating to the Governor’s Salary, and the Petition to the King. Lord Dartmouth, now our American Minister, will probably not be in Town till the Season of Business comes on, I shall then immediately put the Petition into...
327From Benjamin Franklin to John Cuthbert, 28 August 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society Your Favour of July 30. came duly to hand, and I have since received and sent to France the Drawings brought to Town by Lady Bewick. I hope they were not too late to be of Use, tho’ I had a Letter from M. Morand about three Months before, that he then despair’d of receiving them, and thought of publishing his Work without them. I have not heard from...
328From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas-François Dalibard, 31 January 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society I sent you sometime since, Priestly’s History of Electricity, under the Care of Mr. Molini, Bookseller on the Quay des Augustins; I hope it got safe to Paris, and that you have receiv’d it. [I w]ish the Reading of it may renew your Taste for that Branch of Philosophy, which is already so greatly indebted to you, as being the first of [Man?] kind that had...
329From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas-François Dalibard, 22 September 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society Having this Opportunity by M. Le Roy, I embrace it to thank you most heartily for the many Civilities and Marks of Friendship I received from you and Madame Dalibard while in Paris; and to express my sincere and cordial Wishes for your Health and Prosperity: in which I am join’d by my Friend Sir John Pringle. As I cannot soon again enjoy the...
330From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas-François Dalibard, 20 March 1762 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; translation of extract reprinted from Gazette d’Epidaure, ou recueil de nouvelles de médecine , III , no. XXXII (April 21, 1762), 256. (Bibliothèque Nationale) Je vous rends graces de la peine que vous avez bien voulu prendre pour la traduction et la publication de la Lettre de M. Kinnersley, à Paris. oyez notre Feuille Tom. III. no. vii, page 49 et suiv. On m’a envoyé d’une...
331From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas-François Dalibard, 29 June 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Copy (extract): The Royal Society; printed (in full) in Benjamin Franklin, Expériences et Observations sur l’Electricité faites à Philadelphie en Amérique , Thomas-François Dalibard, trans. (2d edit., 2 vols., Paris, 1756), II , 307–19. Peter Collinson presented the scientific portions of this letter to the Royal Society on Dec. 18, 1755; it was printed in the Philosophical Transactions, and...
332From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas-François Dalibard, 9 December 1761 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; translation of extract reprinted from Gazette d’Epidaure, ou Recueil de Nouvelles de Médecine , III , no. XI (Feb. 6, 1762), 81. (Bibliothèque Nationale) Il y a quelques années que la guerre a interrompu notre correspondance. Mon ami le Docteur Shippen partant pour voir Paris, j’ai profité de cette occasion pour vous communiquer l’extrait ci-joint d’une Lettre que j’ai reçûe de...
333From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Danforth, 25 July 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft) and copy: Library of Congress It gave me great Pleasure to receive so chearful an Epistle from a Friend of half a Century’s Standing, and to see him commencing Life anew in so valuable a Son. I hope the young Gentleman’s Patent will be as [beneficial] to him as his Invention must be to the Publick. I see by the Papers that you continue to afford her your [services,]...
334From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Darling, 10 February 1747 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Miss S. Berenice Baldwin, Woodbridge, Conn. (1959) I wrote a Line to you per last Post, which I hope came to hand. The Ingredients of Common Window and Bottle Glass are only Sand and Ashes. The Proportions of each I do not exactly know. The Heat must be very great. Our Glasshouse consumes Twenty-four Hundred Cords of Wood per Annum tho’ it works but Seven Months in the Year. (But the...
335From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Darling and Nathan Whiting, 25 November 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I hoped to have had the Pleasure of seeing you at New Haven long before this time, but the Sickness of my Fellow Traveller Mr. Hunter, and various Accidents have hitherto prevented: I hope however to be there in three or four Weeks at farthest. I suppose you long since received the Press, Types and Stationary I ordered into your Care. My Nephews that are Printers...
336From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Darling, 27 January 1747 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I receiv’d yours of the 26th past, which I shall endeavour to answer fully per next Post. In the mean time please to tender my best Respects and Service to good Mr. and Madam Noyes, and the most agreable Ladies their Daughters, with Thanks for the Civility they were pleased to shew me when at Newhaven. We have printed nothing new here lately, except the Enclos’d...
337From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Darling and Nathan Whiting, 1 January 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Huntington Library I received your Money of Mr. Willing, and will remit it to London as soon as I have your Orders to whom. I expect the Printing Materials for Newhaven early in the Spring; they are to come in to New York, unless there be a Vessel bound to Newhaven or Middletown. As soon as I hear of their Arrival, I purpose a Journey into Connecticut. But reflecting on the Sum you...
338From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Darling, 27 March 1747 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Noël J. Cortés, Philadelphia (1954) There are, I am informed, Six Hands employed in blowing Glass; at first there were but two, who instructed the Rest. The two first Workmen were taken in as Partners by the Person who found Stock, and set up the Business, the others are Servants, therefore there are no Workmen to be engag’d here for you. They work seven Months in the Year, and ’tis said...
339From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Darling and Nathan Whiting, 12 March 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : William L. Clements Library I wrote to you about a Month since, and sent you a Set of Bills for £15. 11 s. 5 d. Sterling, which I hope you have receiv’d. Some Time in next Month I hope to have the Pleasure of seeing you at Newhaven, when any little Affairs between us may easily be settled. The Bearer, Mr. Bordley, is a Merchant of Maryland, deservedly esteem’d by all that know him. He is...
340From Benjamin Franklin to Lord Dartmouth, 21 August 1773 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in a broadside, Proceedings of His Majesty’s Privy-Council on the Address of the Assembly of Massachusetts-Bay, to Remove His Governor and Lieutenant-Governor … [Boston, 1774]: Massachusetts Historical Society. I have just received from the House of Representatives of the Massachusett’s-Bay, their Address to the King, which I now enclose, and send to your Lordship, with my humble...
341Proposed Memorial to Lord Dartmouth, 16 March 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ADS and copy: Library of Congress; draft and copy: American Philosophical Society Franklin’s patience was finite, and its limits had been reached. Failure of the negotiations he may have taken in stride, for British intractibility was too familiar to leave him much hope of compromise; but British arrogance was something else again. On March 16 he was in the gallery when the House of Lords...
342From Benjamin Franklin to Lord Dartmouth, 8 December 1772 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Dartmouth College Library Dr. Franklin presents his best Respects to Lord Dartmouth, and believing it may be agreable as well as useful to him, to receive other Information of the Sentiments and Disposition of Leading People in America, besides what Ministers are usually furnish’d with from the Officers of the Crown residing there, takes the Liberty of communicating to his Lordship...
343Franklin and William Bollan to Lord Dartmouth, 20 August 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : the William Salt Library, Stafford This letter to the American Secretary, and the one from Franklin alone on the following day, raise an interesting question about the agents’ timing. On the 20th they forwarded what had “this day come to our hands,” the letter to Dartmouth from the Massachusetts House and Council; on the 21st Franklin forwarded the petition from the House, “just...
344From Benjamin Franklin to Josiah Davenport, 14 February 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress Although Franklin’s nephew has often appeared in these volumes, he remains a shadowy figure; his only clear characteristic is that he drew financial troubles to him like his cousin, Benjamin Mecom. Davenport had been for a time a baker in Philadelphia, then a storekeeper and Indian agent in Pittsburgh. By 1766 he was back in Philadelphia, where he...
345From Benjamin Franklin to Sarah Davenport, [June 1730?] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Your kind and affectionate Letter of May the 15th, was extreamly agreeable to me; and the more so, because I had not for two Years before, receiv’d a Line from any Relation, my Father and Mother only excepted. I am glad to hear your Family are got well thro’ the Small Pox, and that you have your Health continu’d to you. I sold your Husbands Watches for...
346From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Dawson, 29 May 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : British Museum; French translation by Barbeu-Dubourg: American Philosophical Society This letter marked the start of an investigation that engaged Franklin’s attention intermittently for months to come, and embroiled him in one more dispute about the behavior of electricity. The problem was how best to protect the royal powder magazine at Purfleet against lightning. The magazine was new,...
347From Benjamin Franklin to William Deane, 11 April 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society Miss Martin that was, now Mrs. Blacker, being about to return to Dublin, I cannot omit the Opportunity it gives me of chatting a [little] with one, whose Conversation afforded me so much pleasure and Instruction while I was there. I know of nothing new here, worth communicating to you, unless perhaps the new Art of making Ca[rriage] W[heels,] the...
348From Benjamin Franklin to Dennys DeBerdt, 31 August 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society; printed in The Public Advertiser , August 31, 1768. In the Gazetteer of Friday, Aug. 26. you have been so obliging as to inform us, that the Report insinuating that the Earl of Hillsborough had neglected to deliver a Petition from the Assembly of the Massachusetts Bay to his Majesty, was groundless, his Lordship not having ever seen the Petition at the...
349Reply to a Defender of Lord Hillsborough, [after 7 September 1772] (Franklin Papers)
AD (incomplete draft): American Philosophical Society In your Paper of the 7th Instant, one M.S. attempts to defend Lord Hillsborough’s Conduct, attack’d it seems, by some preceding Piece which I have not seen. To defend a Friend is honourable but could not M.S. do this without abusing the New Englanders? If Calumny is so bad a thing when level’d at a single Man, that he ranks the Writer of it...
350Certificate of Nomination to the Royal Society, 17 May 1759 (Franklin Papers)
DS : The Royal Society, London Franklin was elected a fellow of the Royal Society on April 29, 1756, and was formally admitted on Nov. 24, 1757. He attended meetings regularly, was a frequent guest at dinners of the Royal Society Club, and took an active part in the Society’s business, being elected a member of the Council in 1760, 1766, 1767, 1772. Between 1759 and 1774 he joined in...