To Benjamin Franklin from Francis Bernard, 27 December 1763
From Francis Bernard
Letterbook copy: Harvard College Library
Boston, Dec 27. 1763
Sir
I have this day received a letter from my Son dated Alexandria Nov 27. in which he takes no notice of Any letter or orders from me. When I observe that your letter of Nov. 10.1 acknowledges the receipt of mine of mine of Oct 30,2 and expresses that you shall by that post write to some friend of yours to forward my Son to Philadelphia, I must conclude that your letters upon this occasion have miscarried. Whatever have been the cause of this disappointment, I must still renew my request to you as to get my Son from Alexandria to Philadelphia and forward him by the best means to Boston. He is at Mr. Johnsons in Alexandria.3 I wrote to you (13 inst.4) upon this Subject by Wyer an express sent to Philadelphia by the surveyor general. I am &c.
B. Franklin.
1. Not found.
2. See above, pp. 353–4.
3. George Johnston (d. 1766), an able lawyer whose estate of “Belvale” was near Alexandria. A burgess of Fairfax Co., 1758–66, he seconded Patrick Henry’s resolutions against the Stamp Act in the Va. House of Burgesses, 1765. John C. Fitzpatrick, ed., The Diaries of George Washington 1748–1799 (Boston and N.Y., 1925), I, 119 n. BF’s Memorandum Book, 1757–1776, p. 16, records, March 29, 1764: “Paid to Mr. G. Johnston’s Order £12 12s. 0d. for Mr. Bernard, and desired him [Bernard] to pay the same for me to Mr. Williams, Boston. [Added later:] It was paid accordingly.”
4. See above, pp. 389–91.