To Benjamin Franklin from John Laurens, [before 24 April 1781?]
From John Laurens
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Hotel d’Orleans. [before April 24, 1781?]2
Sir
With this your Excellency will receive the Book which I mention’d this morning; and a Letter which my Friend R. Izard of S. Carolina has cautiously sent to your Excellency without Signature or Direction—3 I set out for Bordeaux on Saturday next, my Desire to bear any Commands which Your Excellency may have for America follows of course, and between this and the time of my Departure if I could learn from You some Facts which those of our Friends to whom I shall write in England, and those whom I hope to see on the other side of the Atlantic are anxious to hear, it will give me singular Pleasure— Whatever Hour Your Excellency may please to appoint will be made convenient to Your most obedt. Hble Servt.
John Laurens.
Addressed: His Excellency Benjn Franklin
Notation: John Lawrens
2. On which date Laurens announced his impending return to America from Brest: Wharton, Diplomatic Correspondence, IV, 382–4. We assume that he had earlier planned to travel from Bordeaux, as he writes here.
3. We have found no trace of Izard’s letter or the book.