1451From Benjamin Franklin to Pierre du Pont de Nemours, 2 October 1770 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Henry Francis DuPont Wintherthur Museum I received with great Pleasure the Assurances of your kind Remembrance of me, and the Continuance of your Goodwill towards me, in your Letter by M. le Comte Chreptowitz. I should have been happy to have rendred him every Civility and Mark of Respect in my Power (as the Friend of those I so much respect and honour) if he had given me the...
1452From Benjamin Franklin to Jean-Baptiste LeRoy, 2 October 1770 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I always think it too much to put you to the Expence of Postage for any Letters of mine; and one so seldom meets with private Hands that one can trouble with a Letter, that our Correspondence must suffer long Interruptions. Your last Favour was dated July 4. recommending to me, and to Sir John Pringle, your Friend the Baron Darcy; to whom we should have gladly...
1453From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 3 October 1770 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your kind Letter of Aug. 16. which gave me a great deal of Satisfaction. I am glad your little Grandson recovered so soon of his Illness, as I see you are quite in Love with him, and your Happiness wrapt up in his; since your whole long Letter is made up of the History of his pretty Actions. It was very prudently done of you not to interfere when...
1454From Benjamin Franklin to Noble Wimberly Jones, 10 October 1770 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Blumhaven Library and Art Gallery, Philadelphia The within is a Copy of mine that went with the Gowns and Mace, which I hope got safe to hand. One of the Bills, (that for the Mace) contain’d, by the Silversmith’s Mistake, an Article of Buckles that should not have been in it. The true Amount of that Bill, on Account of your Province, is only - - - - - - - - - - £88 8 s. 1 d. That for the...
1455From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, [November 1770] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This is just to let you know I am well, but so busy that I cannot now write more than to acknowledge the Receipt of your kind Letter of Oct. 14. with Sally’s and Mr. Bache’s, which I shall answer per next Opportunity. Thanks for the Cranberrys. I am as ever Your affectionate Husband Endorsed: D Franklin The letters that BF is acknowledging were carried by...
1456An Expostulation, 3 November 1770 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Public Advertiser , Nov. 3, 1770 For the Public Advertiser An American , to those Englishmen who virulently write and talk against his Countrymen , sends this Expostulation: If it be true, as some of you say it is, that our Non-Importation Agreements are not observed, but that we clandestinely import and consume as much British Goods as ever, why are you so angry with us, and...
1457The Rise and Present State of Our Misunderstanding, 6–8 November 1770 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The London Chronicle , November 6–8, 1770 Much abuse has lately been thrown out against the Colonies, by the Writers for the American part of our Administration. Our Fellow Subjects there are continually represented as Rebels to their Sovereign, and inimical to the British nation; in order to create a dislike of them here, that the harsh measures which have been taken, and are...
1458From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 7–9 November 1770 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your kind Letter of July 6. and was glad to hear (since you chose to return) that you were got so well home. I hope the Hurt you receiv’d will be attended with no bad Consequences. My Arm, that had given me no Uneasiness for several Years, has lately began again to pain me, from a slight Strain, and I am now afraid will continue to do so as long...
1459From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 24 December 1770 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Jared Sparks, ed., The Works of Benjamin Franklin … (10 vols., Boston, 1836–40) VII , 492–4. In his letter to Samuel Cooper six months before, Franklin had put more emphasis on loyalty to the King than was perhaps welcome to leaders of the Massachusetts House. During the debate over the agency he had been criticized for being, as a postal official and the father of a colonial...
1460From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Cooper, 30 December 1770 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : British Museum The letter below belongs with those above to Cooper of June 8 and to Cushing of December 24, for in each Franklin discusses a different aspect of the constitution as he sees it. In the earliest he stresses the colonists’ recourse of petitioning their sovereign for protection against an arbitrary and corrupt Parliament. In the second he argues that Parliament has no right...