1To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis de Saint-Lambert, [after 1 March 1779] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Vous n’aurés peutetre pas connu sous le nom de mäer, L’officier dont je Vous ai parlé, ce nom est celui de la famille, mais il porte chès Vous le nom du chevalier de Villepré, il est lieutenant colonel au service des etats unis il est actuellement a nante ou il doit s’embarquer incessamment pour boston. La grace que Mr. de Tressan Vous demande c’est que le...
2To Benjamin Franklin from Chaumont, [after 11 February 1779?] (Franklin Papers)
AL : National Archives On vient de m’apprendre qu’un Banquier de Paris a reçu samedy une lettre de son correspondant de Londres qui lui marque qu’il s’est formé dans cette ville un parti contre le Roi et le Parlement. Ils s’appellent Kepellistes du nom de Kepel, ou les Blancs parcequ’ils portent une grande cocarde blanche aux quatre coins de laquelle sont écrits ces mots: vive Louis XVI...
3To Benjamin Franklin from ——— Mercier, [before 10 February 1779] (Franklin Papers)
D : University of Pennsylvania Library In the spring of 1777, the commissioners had contracted with Mercier to repair the arms which they had purchased from Montieu. By the summer of 1778, Jonathan Williams, Jr. had become so suspicious of Mercier’s bills that he ordered the work stopped and refused further payments. Mercier, unable to justify his accounts to Williams, then turned to the...
4To Benjamin Franklin from Félix Vicq d’Azyr, [before 20 July 1781] (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society La Société Royale de Medecine m’a chargé de vous adresser un certain nombre des Pieces qui ont été distribuées dans sa derniere séance publique, avec un Rapport concernant les sepultures de l’Ile de Malthe, et imprimé aux fraix de L’Ordre. S’il vous est possible de faire parvenir quelques-unes de ces Pieces en Amérique, Nous vous en aurons beaucoup...
5Memorandum on Chatham’s Plan of Conciliation, [on or after 1 February 1775] (Franklin Papers)
AD : Library of Congress On January 29 Chatham left with Franklin the conciliatory plan that he introduced as a bill in the House of Lords three days later, and the American studied and copied it. At the end of his copy is the following memorandum on the rejection of the bill. The above Plan was offered by the Earl of Chatham to the House of Lords, on Wednesday Feb. 1. 1775, under the Title of...
6Marginalia in a Pamphlet by Josiah Tucker, [on or after 22 December 1776] (Franklin Papers)
MS notations in the margins of a copy in the Library of Congress of [Josiah Tucker,] A Series of Answers to Certain Popular Objections, against Separating from the Rebellious Colonies, and Discarding Them Entirely; Being the Concluding Tract of the Dean of Gloucester, on the Subject of American Affairs (Gloucester, 1776). These are the first marginalia by Franklin that deserve extensive...
7Extract from Two Purported Letters by Franklin, 27 July [i.e., after 11 August] 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Samuel Hazard, ed., Hazard’s Register of Pennsylvania ... (16 vols., Philadelphia, [1828–35]), VI , 37. We are extremely skeptical about both these extracts. The date of the first is certainly wrong, because Hodge was not arrested until August 11. Although Hayfield Conyngham, Gustavus’ cousin, may have received advice from Franklin, we have no other evidence of contact between...
8To Benjamin Franklin from Joseph Berington, [after 13 December 1777] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I feel myself much disappointed in not having found you in Paris, as I had expected. Business, which brought me hither, renders it impossible for me to call on you at present. If I can steal a few hours before my return, I shall with pleasure wait on you. Our friend Dr. Priestley was so obliging as to recommend me to you. I send you his letter with his two...
9Franklin’s Notes for Replying to Two Letters from Ralph Izard, [on or after 1 February 1778] (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society This is a rare example of Franklin’s thinking on paper for his eye alone. Some of the notes are now beyond understanding and the meaning of others can only be conjectured; but what he is thinking about is clear: how to answer Izard’s letters above of January 28 and 30. All of his few identifiable references, down to the word “Personals,” are to the first...
10From Benjamin Franklin to R. Parsons, [on or after 12 August 1778] (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society I did truly tell Capt. Hickey as you mention that I had never given Mr. Parsons the least Encouragement to go to America. Your good Opinion of your Husband, which is very natural and laudable, induces you to think there is some Mistake in this, and you express your Doubt in these Words, “ If IN REALITY he has never had any Countenance from you ,” &c....