1To John Adams from Benjamin Vaughan, 25 February 1783 (Adams Papers)
I have to return you many thanks for your favor of the 14 th: . The renewal of my acquaintance with M r Storer, was a pleasure which I did not so soon expect; and you will find, upon his return, that we did not forget that you have expressed so much interest in him, as an additional motive for our attentions to him in every shape. I have in return to ask the favor of a couple of letters in...
2To John Adams from Benjamin Vaughan, 11 March 1783 (Adams Papers)
I have to apologize to you for having omitted to recollect to put up your two Volumes of Maps, which I beg permission to have the honor to present to you. If possible, they shall go by this opportunity. I do not learn that we have yet fixed our ministry, which does not at all concern me, provided we could fix our principles. I am happy however to find, notwithstanding the factions in...
3To John Adams from Benjamin Vaughan, 20 April 1786 (Adams Papers)
M r B Vaughan presents his respectful comp ts. to M r Adams, and having waited for the inclosed, wishes for the favor of an answer upon the subject of it. D r. Gray makes a private party for M r V:, and of course will be happy to see M rs & Miss Adams, with Col Jefferson & Col smith. M r V: is endeavoring to procure M r Bolton’s permission to see the immense machinery at Blackfriars Bridge
4To John Adams from Benjamin Vaughan, 4 July 1791 (Adams Papers)
It would have given me considerable pleasure to have thought that my correspondence could have been at all agreeable to you; as in that case, I should have done myself the honor frequently to write to you. At present, I seize with satisfaction the opportunity of addressing you, furnished by the visit which the Earl of Wycombe is about to pay to your continent. You will have great pleasure in...
5To John Adams from Benjamin Vaughan, 20 February 1794 (Adams Papers)
Public men naturally take an interest in each other, which heightened in favor of unmerited misfortune. This double motive leads me to be assured of your friendship to M. Talleyrand (late Bishop of Autun), whom it is only necessary that I should name to you, & assure you of his private character being as interesting as his public one. I am, dear sir, with respectful compliments to yourself &...
6To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 29 December 1776 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Library of Congress B. Vaughan presents his best respects to Dr: Franklin and incloses him some papers for perusal at his leisure . He sends them for several reasons. To shew, first, that neither his head nor his heart have been unoccupied upon the subject of America; to prove in the next place, under what disadvantages every man enters upon the subject, without information from thence;...
7To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 27 January 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Having a convenient opportunity I have sent you the publications you desired. The maps I hope you will do me the favor to accept of. Upon a reconsideration of the matter I shall cancel the whole impression of your political works, and wait for the additional pieces. I shall then have it my power to give a new arrangement, with a total omission of all notes,...
8To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, [17 or 18 September 1777] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am arrived once more in this town, and wish to be blessed with one hour’s conversation concerning myself and a brother. You know from my friend Williams that I am obliged to leave my name at Lord Stormonts in consequence of the note I before wrote to him; and if you could give me an interview at a neutral place till I have gone through the ceremony of...
9To Benjamin Franklin from [Benjamin Vaughan], [18 September 1777] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am ashamed my dear sir at the littleness of my heart or rather that of my friends: as soon as I have passed the opportunity for conversing with this man it will be over, and I shall see you as publicly as at Xmas. Yes my dear sir I will meet you at 5, in the middle of the Seine; any where, so that I do but meet you, and tell you how much I revere you. In...
10To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, [19 September 1777?] (Franklin Papers)
Incomplete ALS : Library of Congress We have debated at length whether this letter, which lacks an opening, continues Vaughan’s note to Franklin in December, 1776, or was written immediately after their meeting at the Bains de Poitevin the following September. There is some evidence for guessing each way, but nothing conclusive. As for the first way, the opening sentence here seems to follow...
11To Benjamin Franklin from [Benjamin Vaughan], 5 March 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society I beg to recommend the bearer to your best patronage, friendship, and advice. I shall say nothing more of him, than that to warm benevolence and good parts, there have been joined a virtuous education and public principles. In these times and upon the plan on which he goes, his success is fundamentally important to his family. Particulars he will explain;...
12To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 28 April 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society I am sure I shall tell you something which you will have no pleasure in repeating again, when I inform you that Lord Chatham is very ill indeed. Alarming symptoms have appeared, and no likelyhood of his getting rid of them, as he grows weaker every day. This intelligence is fresh from Hayes, where he now is. As I am afraid this great man is dying, I think it...
13To Benjamin Franklin from [Benjamin Vaughan], 29 May 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society I received your little scrap of paper, and found it more acceptable than volumes from other people. I am sorry however to find that so little can at this moment be recovered, that is suitable to our purpose. But be that as it may, we shall be content to go on with what you have got; and the sooner it comes the better, on account of the season, when the press...
14To Benjamin Franklin from [Benjamin Vaughan], 3 July 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society You will be a little out of humor with a set of your friends here, though secretly but little so, as you must understand the history of their pompous language. For my own part, I think it right to keep up the characters of the men into whose hands the country is likely to fall; for the sake of the people here and in America, and of our enemies; for their...
15To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 1 August 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Your letter, my dearest sir, was heavenly to me and filled me with the utmost transports. I dare not tell you what I had feared; but I thought your mind must see into every little corner and expectation of my heart, and would acquit me of every thing but the true motive. It has done so, and has only if possible raised you higher in my conceptions. As I know...
16To Benjamin Franklin from [Benjamin Vaughan], 6 September 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society I waited three days for an opportunity of sending the leaves you wrote for by a private hand; but not meeting with one, I sent them by post, directed to Mr. Chaumont. The remaining leaves, with a letter, I gave to Mr. Williams , upon his promising to convey them; but you know the man, and there they rest. He is a good natured, well disposed character; but I...
17To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 9 April 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society After two and one-half years of false starts, editorial anguish, and printer’s delays, Benjamin Vaughan was finally sending Franklin the first set of sheets for Political, Miscellaneous and Philosophical Pieces . The editor’s work was far from finished. He had not yet collected all the pieces he was hoping to include, and he continued to make editorial...
18To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 30 April 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I sent you a pacquet with a number of sheets of your printed papers; which I suppose you have received, though as yet I have not had it signified to me. I send you more sheets which now lie by me; and have still another or two finished, which I believe are with the printer. I send you also all that I have written out of my remarks on motion &c &c: it...
19To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 31 May 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have no pretensions to trouble the person affording me this conveyance with a large pacquet, otherwise I might send you more sheets. We are indeed just finished; only that I have expectations of procuring your preface to Mr Galway’s speech, and in consequence the epitaph; all which can very easily be inserted. Indeed it was through great carelessness that...
20To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 17 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society In about 3 weeks time I hope to send you every thing complete, relative to a certain collection. There will be an engraving of the head of the party, taken from the larger medallion, of which you sent a miniature-size to Miss G: S.— The motto, given by her father at my request, is “His country’s friend, but more of humankind.” I wanted something that should...
21To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 6 July 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society I have this instant heard of this opportunity. I can put up nothing; scarcely this letter. Every thing appears to me huddled and uncertain; we were a little up, but the apparent imbecillity of those to act against us, has let the spirit cool again very much. And danger made a cry for unanimity that did us mischief. Your paper about the aurora has been a good...
22To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 30 July 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society I have not been able to bring our business to a conclusion within a sheet , and I choose to send the whole together: It cannot now be more than a week. The Bp. of St. A. has given another motto for a head that is engraved;— “ Non sordidus auctor naturœ verique .” I hope I am not usually presumptuous or sanguine; but I guess you will not be displeased with...
23To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 20 September 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society There was some little tumult when I sent you the last printed pacquet, (which however missed two opportunities of going) and therefore you had no letter.— By the present opportunity I wish to inquire your opinion as to the time of appearance. I am for the present moment; the bookseller for deferring: But as my opinion will rule, I wish without giving...
24To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 21 September 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I beg the favor very particularly of you to give a letter of recommendation for Langford Lovell Esqr. (who gives the inclosed account of himself) addressed to the Govr. of Dominica. I should esteem it an addition to the favor, if you would yourself inclose a duplicate of such letter to Mr Lovel in Dominica, by some safe conveyance; as in such case, by means...
25To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 8 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mr Oliver has written me a letter from Barbadoes, desiring me to procure from my connections letters to the French Governors of Grenada & St. Vincents; in both which islands he has property, more particularly in the former. As I take for granted this hint was intended for you , and will be such as your opinion of him will induce to comply with; I take the...
26To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 10 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mr Thos. Oliver of Lowlayton, Mr Richd. Oliver’s Cousin & the partner of Mr Lovel, thinks it adviseable to send the inclosed; & as he seemed anxious about it, I did not prevent his satisfying his own mind & being also satisfied about my good wishes to the Alderman. Being told that the Grenada people who went on Sunday, would take no letters I deferred...
27To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, [before 7 December 1779] (Franklin Papers)
AL (incomplete): Library of Congress This letter is one of the many fragmentary or undated Vaughan manuscripts which have challenged our editorial skill. Although we include it here, as belonging to the general period before Political, Miscellaneous, and Philosophical Pieces was published, it was most likely written just after Christmastime, 1776, when Vaughan arrived in Paris bearing an early...
28To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 23 April 1780 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Library of Congress I write this simply to inform you that I sent you no less than three pacquets and a letter by Mr. Austin, to forward from Amsterdam. I hope they will safely arrive.— Your book is translating in two places in Germany; & Dr. Forster’s son would have translated it himself, had not the advertisements from other quarters prevented him. This letter may perhaps be delivered...
29To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 12 May 1780 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Library of Congress Dr. Hamilton had a letter for you some weeks ago; but I find him still in Holland. The bearer of this is of his party, & as Dr. Crawford gives him a character, I inclose the Drs. letter in case you should meet with him. By the present opportunity you have two packets from Dr. Jebb. The MS. he had prepared for another conveyance which he missed; and as I thought you...
30To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 26 June 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Dr. Priestley & Lord Shelburne have parted, as far as I can understand, amicably. The truth is, the two characters were such as did not understand the one the other: The one did not comprehend enough the nature & merit of a speculative scholar, nor the other the situation and difficulties of a political actor. I labored, as you did, to prevent it; but...