To Benjamin Franklin from Isaac Norris, 19 August 1761
From Isaac Norris
ALS: American Philosophical Society; letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Fairhill, Augt. 19th. 1761
Dear Friend B Franklin
Your Wife has very kindly sent me Notice that if I write by this Post it will reach the Packet from N. York6 and that She will take care of the conveyance. I write therefore to acknowledge the receipt of yours 9th May and the 13th of June last7 which came to my Hands the 12th. Instant. I am well pleased with the Additional purchase of Stock on Account of the Province8 and hope the whole may be invested in them as I believe no part of that Mony will be drawn out ’till they Rise as must certainly be the Case upon a Peace.
As the Lords of the Treasury have apportioned the Parliamentary Grant for 1759 I presume the House at their next Meeting will by a Law impower some Persons to receive it,9 and take care that it shall be appropriated to the lessning our Taxes and Sinking the Bills of Credit already issued in due time.1 It is unfortunate for the Province that a suitable provision had not been made in the Law passed by Govr. Denny2 which might have been done by a few Words, but that cannot now be amended.
The Assembly immediatly on hearing the accession of his present Majesty to the Throne of G. Britain addressed, and I know the Address and a Copy have been transmitted by different Conveyances but I do not know by what Vessels they were sent.3 I hope, however they may have escaped the Enemy. I have already mentioned my Letter of Credit to Colo. Lloyd which he asked of me and I gave him after my Letter by him was sealed up. I now approve of that payment to him and shall Credit it in your Account with me.4 I have already sent Two Bills of Exchange the first and Second by way of Cork. I now inclose the third Bills John Hunter on Messrs. Thomlinson &c. No 37 and No 38 for a Hundred Pounds Sterling each.5 Captain Hammet will sail in a few Days6 as I am informed and by him I propose to add Duplicates of what I have written by way of Corke. I am your Assured Friend
Isaac Norris
Please to purchase for me to make my Stock an even Sum in Hundred Pounds.7
6. DF erred. The Earl of Halifax packet, Capt. Bolderson, sailed from N.Y. the day this letter was written and arrived in Falmouth Sept. 14. London Chron., Sept. 17–19, 1761.
7. Neither of these letters has been found.
8. A reference to BF’s purchase, May 5, 1761, of £5000 of the “3 per Cent Consolidated at 87 ½ per Cent.” See above, p. 313.
9. See above, p. 223 n.
1. For the arrangements made by the Assembly in its September session for the management of the parliamentary grant for 1759, see below, p. 359 n.
2. The Agency Act of Sept. 29, 1759; see above, VIII, 442 n.
3. George III succeeded to the throne on Oct. 25, 1760. The Pa. Assembly adopted an “Address of Condolence to his present Majesty, on the late Death of his Royal Grandfather, and of Congratulation, on his own happy Accession to the Crown of Great Britain” on Feb. 3, 1761, and ordered that copies be sent to its agents for presentation to the King. 8 Pa. Arch., VI, 5176, 5185–6.
4. For BF’s payments to Col. Thomas Lloyd, see above, p. 337 n.
5. For these bills, see above, p. 332.
6. Pa. Gaz., Aug. 27, 1761, reported the clearance of the Dragon, Capt. Francis Hammett.
7. The letterbook copy bears the notation: “B Franklin received this Letter and the Bills which were paid See his Letter Novr 25, 1761.” BF’s reply (not found) probably also reported that two days earlier he had complied with Norris’ request about investments. BF’s account with Norris (above, VIII, 147–8) shows that up to this time he had purchased for the speaker £4525 par value of stock and that on Nov. 23, 1761, he assigned to Norris “£375 of my Stock at 71⅛,” making himself thereby creditor in the amount of £266 14s. 4½d. sterling. He recorded this transfer in “Account of Expences,” p. 62; PMHB, LV (1931), 131.