101To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 14 August 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I writ to you as long ago as the 14th of the last month to tell you that the administration here had given their consent to the exchange of prisoners at Calais, and that they would agree to give any ship on your part a free passport from Brest to Calais, upon your sending me a similar assurance that any British ship going to Calais for the purpose of the...
You may with great Truth assure the American Ministers of our ready and friendly disposition to receive any proposals from the United States for the forming such regulations as may tend to the mutual and reciprocal advantage of both Countries.— That his Majesty’s govern t w d at all times be ready to concur in the forming such a System as may fully answer every purpose of commercial as well as...
103To John Adams from David Hartley, 17 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
Enclosed I send you a copy of a conciliatory bill which I moved in Parliament on the 27th of the last month. You will perceive by the tenor of it that it is drawn up in very general terms, containing a general power to treat, with something like a sketch of a line of negotiation. As the bill was not accepted by the Ministers in this Country, I have nothing further to say relating to it. As to...
104To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 29 October 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress I am very sorry to hear of your illness, but I hope that one of your Complaints the Gout will after you have paid off the Score give you a renewed lease of health and strength. As to the Gravel I presume you know very well that the Sope boiler’s ley (wch must be nearly the same in all Countries) is a specific. It is so likewise for the Stone but that is a very...
105David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners, 14 June 1783 (Jay Papers)
Permit me to address the enclosed Memorial to your Excellencies, and to explain to you my reasons for so doing. It is because many consequences, now at a great distance, and unforeseen by us, may arise between our two Countries, perhaps from very minute & incidental transactions, which in their beginnings may be imperceptible & unsuspected as to their future effects. Our respective territories...
106To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 3 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress The Duke of Manchester is come. I have seen Mr Adams & Mr Jay this Morning. They both intend to pay their respects to his Grace I believe this evening or tomorrow morning— I have not seen Mr Jay but I presume he will do the same. I take the liberty to inform you of this. Yours ever affecly Addressed: To Dr Franklin / &c &c &c / Passy Endorsed: Mr Hartley May 3. 1783...
107To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 24 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : William L. Clements Library I am at present at Bath with my Dearest Sister, whom I have found as well as I cd have expected, and I hope with reasonable hope of recovery in time. I have seen in London the ministry and hope things will go well with them. I am sure all is right & firm. The chief part of the cabinet ministers are out of town, but there will be a full cabinet held in a few...
108David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners, 4 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copy and press copy of copy: National Archives; copies: William L. Clements Library, Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, Public Record Office It is with the sincerest Pleasure that I congratulate you on the happy Event which took Place Yesterday, viz., the Signature of the Definitive Treaty between our two Countries. I consider it as the auspicious Presage of returning...
109David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners, [19 June 1783] (Adams Papers)
1. That Lands belonging to Persons of any description which have not actually been sold shall be restored to the old Possessors without Price. 2. That an equal and free Participation of the different carrying Places, and the Navigation of all the Lakes and Rivers of that Country thro’ which the Water Line of Division passes between Canada and the United States shall be enjoyed fully and...
110To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 28 February 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), II , 282–3. I have not as yet any thing to communicate to you. I have upon many occasions recommended the road to peace in the most earnest way. I am not without hopes. I think I may venture to say that the arguments which I have stated have made an impression....
111To Benjamin Franklin from [David Hartley?], 13 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Library of Congress This document is baffling. Other transcripts of Hartley’s letters, in the same hand and the same repository, have attributions to him; this one has not. But attributing it to any one else seems out of the question. The opinions expressed, when intelligible, are certainly Hartley’s; and who except him would have made the reference to Thornton? The difficulty is...
112To Thomas Jefferson from David Hartley, 5 March 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I beg leave to introduce to you my relations Mr. Saml. Hartley and his Brother Col. James Hartley. They are come with a daughter of Mr. S. Hartley, partly upon a tour of pleasure for the Col. and Miss Hartley; but most principally on the part of Mr. Sam Hartley to obtain restitution of a sloop and Cargo which were taken by a french and American frigate, entering a french port and under both...
113To Benjamin Franklin from [David Hartley], 31 July 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am very glad to collect by a Phrase in the letter from the Congress to the Canadians, that they think once more of imploring the Attention of their Sovereign. I can give you no information of the State of the Ministry, I should be one of the last to be informed of their counsels. The great fear that I entertain, is, least they should make things desperate...
C , undated, DNA: PCC , item 85, 322–23. Endorsed: “M r Hartley’s / C Propositions / & our Ans rs ”. Additional texts listed in PJA Robert J. Taylor, Gregg L. Lint, et al., eds., Papers of John Adams (16 vols. to date; Cambridge, Mass., 1977–) , 15: 43–44. Enclosed in American Peace Commissioners to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, 27 July , below. JA ( Diary
115To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 12 March 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society It is a long while since I have heard from you or indeed since I writ to you. I heartily congratulate you upon those pacific events which have already happened and wish to see all other final Steps of Conciliation succeed speedily. I send you Copies of two Papers which I have already communicated to Mr. Laurens the one called conciliatory Propositions in...
116To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 7 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : William L. Clements Library I beg of you not to forget your letter to Mr Fox:— The purpose of my journey to England will be to do the best in my power for things & persons & particularly for my friends.— If you have any other private letters, send them to me. I will deliver them. I hope likewise be personally charged with the answers. I am better this morning and shall certainly set off...
117To Benjamin Franklin from [David Hartley], 24 February 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress It is so long since I have had the pleasure of hearing from you that I fear the administration has but too effectually stopt the Channel of Communication between this Country and its colonies. I have allways dreaded this event as fatal and final to the prospect of national reconciliation. When in any contention the parties...
118To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 10 July 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress Prisoner exchange was the focus of correspondence between Hartley and Franklin during the summer of 1778, and a major goal of Franklin’s activity. He systematically collected names of British captives from American sea captains to meet the terms of the Admiralty, and negotiated with the French for an appropriate port and...
119To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 3 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress It is so long since I have heard from you that I fear the communication is Stopped between us. It is between two & three months. As you know that Peace is the object of every view of mine, the present extremely anxious state of affairs, makes me wish for some communication with you. You know that my opinion & wish has always...
120Aide-Mémoire from David Hartley, 16 September 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
You may with great Truth assure the American Ministers of our ready and friendly disposition to receive any proposals from the United States for the forming such regulations as may tend to the mutual and reciprocal advantage of both Countries. That his Majesty’s government would at all times be ready to concur in the forming such a System as may fully answer every purpose of commercial as well...
121To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 25 May 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Library of Congress I was in hopes to have had something material to have communicated to you before this but I presume that matters of so much importance & difficulty require long & repeated consideration— In a very long conference of above two hours I enforced every argument for peace upon the terms wch I have explained to you, or nearly upon similar terms, but at all events for...
122To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 24 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Library of Congress Yours of Feb 12 received. I have called at Mr. Hutton’s door, but he was not at home, I shall deliver the letters to morrow. We are to have a very long day in the house today, so that I cannot enter into any matter at present. Suspend for a few hours, or days. Times seem to be mending. Let us take all possible chance of reconciliation. While there is life there...
123To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 29 August [i.e., May?] 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress Will you be so good as to send me Mr Maddison’s pamphlet, the time is come for me to return. Be so good as to send me the memorials of the merchants trading to Carolina & Georgia. I must take copies in case of any future correspondence upon the Subject— Can you & Mr Franklin do me the favour to dine with me on Saturday next at 3 o’clock Addressed: A Son Excellence /...
124To Benjamin Franklin from [David Hartley], 14 November 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office; copy: Clements Library Hartley’s cast of mind was similar to that of the peace negotiators with whom Franklin dealt during his last months in England. All of them regarded reconciliation as a problem to be analyzed, ordered, and reduced to rational terms from which a rational solution might emerge. Barclay and Fothergill pinned their hopes on negotiating by...
125To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 13[–17] May 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Transcripts: National Archives, Massachusetts Historical Society I wrote you a long Letter dated May 1st. 1782. by Mr. Laurens, who left London on Saturday last, but I will add a few Lines now by a Conveyance, which I believe will overtake him, just to tell you two or three Things, which, I believe, I omitted in my last. Perhaps they may not be of any Consequence; but, as they relate to my own...
126To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 2 March 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Two ALS : Library of Congress, William L. Clements Library; transcript: National Archives Will you be so good as to transmitt the enclosed to Mr Jay. I am sorry that we are going to loose him from this side of the atlantic. If your American ratification shd arrive speedily, I might hope to have the pleasure of seeing him again before his departure. As soon as I hear from you of the arrival of...
127To Benjamin Franklin from [David Hartley], 25 May 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), II , 349–50. Yours of the 13th instant I received by Mr. Oswald. I did not doubt but that the news of a general and absolute release of the American prisoners which Lord Shelburne was so good to communicate to me, in answer to that part of your letter of the 5th...
128To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 11 October 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress I beg leave to introduce to you by this letter the Revd Dr Scrope a Gentleman of a very respectable character & family in Wiltshire bordering upon Glo’stershire. He has likewise the honour of being one of his Majesty’s Chaplains. He is in an infirm state of health and is going in to France for change of climate. The State of his health makes it uncertain at what time...
129To Benjamin Franklin from [David Hartley], 2 May 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We have striven, to the utmost of our limited powers, for reconciliation between Great Britain and America. If that is become impossible, let us, at least, not relax our endeavours to obtain peace . Upon what ground wou’d it be possible to establish peace? By your letter to Lord Howe, which has been lately published here, as well as from all other accounts,...
130David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners: Memorandum, [before 27 April 1783] (Franklin Papers)
D : Massachusetts Historical Society; copy: Public Record Office David Hartley arrived in Paris on April 24. The following day he called on the individual American peace commissioners and found them eager to arrange for the opening of British and American ports to each other’s trade and to conclude as quickly as possible a definitive treaty of peace. On April 26 he went to Versailles,...
131To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 18 December 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; transcript: Library of Congress I hope the Exchange will now meet with no longer delay. I have been referred to a personal Conference and Consultation with the board of Commissioners of Sick and Hurt, wch is the Executive board for the Exchange. I there saw all the instructions from the admiralty to them, together with the Kings consent to the Exchange...
132To John Adams from David Hartley, 11 March 1782 (Adams Papers)
Having been long informed of your benevolent Sentiments towards peace I writt a letter to you on the 19th of last month thro the hands of Mr Laurens junr to renew that subject with you because I was aware at that time from conferences and correspondencies to wch I had been a party that the topic of peace wd soon become general. I understand that Mr Jay Dr Franklin Mr Laurens and yourself are...
133To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 21 March 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), II , 289–90. You will have heard before this can reach you, that Lord North declared yesterday in the House of Commons that his Majesty intended to change his ministers. The House is adjourned for a few days to give time for the formation of a new ministry. Upon...
134Proposals for an Anglo-American Commercial Agreement, June 1783 (Adams Papers)
[ Paris ], June 1783. LbC-Tr ’s in Jean L’Air de Lamotte’s hand ( Adams Papers ); APM Reel 103. The two proposals calendared here, one by David Hartley and the other by John Jay, are dated June in the Letterbook, but any effort to arrive at an exact date is problematical. They were likely done sometime after 21 May but prior to Hartley’s letter to the commissioners of 14 June , above, and...
135David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners: Memorial, 1 June 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: National Archives (two), Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, Public Record Office; transcript: National Archives The proposition which has been made for an universal & unlimited reciprocity of Intercourse & Commerce, between Great-Britain and the American United-States, requires a very serious Consideration on the part of Great-Britain, for the reasons already stated...
136To Benjamin Franklin from [David Hartley], 23 November 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office Some American friends have desired to have an account drawn out of Mr. Hartleys proposition for terms of accommodation, drawn up with a view to send it to some of their friends in America for their opinion, therefore an account of the plan of those motions which are to be actually moved in the house next week has been drawn up from part of the letter which was sent...