2101From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Bache, 30 September 1774 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Jared Sparks, ed., The Works of Benjamin Franklin … (10 vols., Boston, 1836–40), VIII , 137–8. This brief note throws no light on its background. Franklin was introducing a “young man” (he was thirty-seven), recommended to him as ingenious and worthy, who at the time was completely unknown and a year and a half later was famous throughout the colonies. Thomas Paine explained...
2102From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 6 October 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library Since my last to you, which went per Capt. Foulger, the Parliament, by a sudden and unexpected Resolution in the Cabinet, has been dissolved. Various are the Conjectures as to the Motives; among which one is, that some Advices from Boston, importing the Impossibility of carrying on Government there under the late Acts of Parliament, have made it appear necessary...
2103From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 10 October 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library I wrote to you a few Days since, and have little to add. The Election for Lord Mayor ended on Saturday, when Wilkes was chosen by a great Majority both of the Livery and of the Aldermen; and ’tis thought he will carry the Elections of 4 Members for the City, 2 for the Borough of Southwark, 2 for Westminster, and 2 for the County of Middlesex, himself one of the...
2104From Benjamin Franklin to [William Franklin, 12 October 1774] (Franklin Papers)
AL (incomplete letterbook draft): American Philosophical Society [ Page or pages missing ] on their Virtue, Wisdom and Magnanimity: Lord C——n says he would give half his Worth in the World to be present at the Debates of such an uncorrupted Body on so important an Occasion; and I often regret that I did not leave this Country in time to have been there myself. Your Omission of Remittances to...
2105From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 12 October 1774 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society I wrote to you on the 1st Inst. per Capt. Cook; acquainting you with the Dissolution of the Parliament since which the Elections are going on briskly every where for a new one. The Electors of London, Westminster, the Borough of Southwark, and the County of Middlesex, have obliged their Candidates to sign a written Engagement, that they will endeavour...
2106From Benjamin Franklin to the New Jersey Assembly Committees of Correspondence, 12 October 1774 (Franklin Papers)
AL (incomplete letterbook draft): American Philosophical Society I did my self the honour of writing to you the 7th of last Month acknowledging the Receipt of your Favours of July 26. and promising my Care of your late Acts. I have not yet heard that they are arriv’d here, tho’ possibly they may; but the Officers of the Plantation Board, as well as its Members, being still out of town, no...
2107From Benjamin Franklin to John Almon, 7 November 1774 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Harvard University Library Dr. Franklin presents his Compliments to Mr. Almon, and sends him a M.S. which he has perus’d and thinks well written so as probably to be acceptable to the Publick at this time. If Mr. Almon should be of the same Opinion, it is at his Service. Addressed: Mr Almon This note and the one from Almon below, Dec. 6, are the only extant communications between BF and...
2108The Question Discussed, [19 November 1774] (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Verner W. Crane, Benjamin Franklin’s Letters to the Press, 1758–1775 (Chapel Hill, N.C., [1950]), pp. 270–6. Verner Crane attributed this letter, printed in an issue of the Public Ledger that is apparently unavailable in the United States, to Franklin on the basis of abundant analogues with his known writings. But the content and style, although they sound like his, do not...
2109Franklin’s “Hints” or Terms for a Durable Union, [between 4 and 6 December 1774] (Franklin Papers)
AD and copy: Library of Congress On the evening of December 4, in response to Barclay’s and Fothergill’s invitation the day before, Franklin met with them to discuss the situation. Fothergill assured him that some in the Cabinet were disposed to compromise, and urged him to draw up terms on which the three of them might agree; if they did, their proposals would receive attention in Whitehall....
2110From Benjamin Franklin to Jacques Barbeu-Dubourg, 5 December 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library With this I send you a new Pamphlet just published here, written by a Friend of mine. The Subject of it grows every hour more and more serious. No Advice is yet received of the Result of the Congress, which during its whole Sitting has kept all its Deliberations a profound Secret. Mr. Bennet, who will deliver this to you, is a Gentleman of Distinction here, and my...
2111From Benjamin Franklin to Jean-Baptiste LeRoy, 5 December 1774: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Extracts and paraphrase: Sothebys & Co. sale catalogue, April 8–9, 1974, p. 93 <London, December 5, 1774: Introduces Mr. Bennet, “one of your Confreres of the Royal Society, a Gentleman of the most amiable Character, and my particular Friend,” who wishes to see the Académie royale des sciences. Adds that the Royal Society “met on Wednesday last, and rechose our Friend Sir John Pringle to be...
2112From Benjamin Franklin to Edmund Burke, 19 December 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Central Library, Sheffield The Congress had told the seven active colonial agents to deliver its petition into the King’s hands. This instruction raised a delicate question of protocol, for the method of direct presentation, although not entirely unprecedented, was contrary to the normal one of delivering a petition to the American Secretary to be forwarded. The meeting that was the...
2113From Benjamin Franklin to William and Robert Molleson, 21 December 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft ): Library of Congress I am much obliged by your friendly Offer of accompanying me in presenting the Petition. It is committed to the Care of sundry Gentlemen who meet this Day to consider the Mode of presenting it. What they will agree on is uncertain. If it were a Petition from Merchants in America on the Subject of Commerce there might be more Propriety in its being accompanied...
2114From Benjamin Franklin to the Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly: a Circular Letter from Franklin, William Bollan, and … (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Princeton University Library; draft: Library of Congress When four of the seven agents to whom the Congress had entrusted its petition refused to have anything to do with it, the three representatives of Massachusetts faced the problem of how to deliver it; and they decided to depart from their instructions and not put it directly into the hands of the King. The “regular Official...
2115Queries for a Conversation with Lord Camden, [27 December 1774?] (Franklin Papers)
AD : Library of Congress Qu. What were the original Ideas upon which the Colonies were settled? What was the State of their Government during the first Reigns? Were they established at the Expence of Govt here? Did the Parliament make any Grants to defray or aid the first Charge, or for Protecting the Settlers? Was the Parliament advis’d with by the Crown concerning the Terms of Settlement?...
2116Franklin’s Proposals to Lord Howe for Resolving the Crisis, [between 28 and 31 December 1774] (Franklin Papers)
AD : Library of Congress On December 4 Franklin called on Mrs. Howe for their second session at chess. After they finished playing, their talk turned to politics and the chance of settling the American quarrel. He could do it himself, she was confident, if he were authorized. He agreed, provided that both sides wanted to settle; in that case two or three people could resolve the issues in half...
2117Tract Relative to the Affair of Hutchinson’s Letters, [1774] (Franklin Papers)
AD (draft) and two copies, one complete and one mutilated and lacking the initial pages: Library of Congress This narrative opens quietly. Franklin explains why he has hitherto suffered in silence the political slings and arrows that have come his way, and why he is now breaking silence. Next he summarizes, more fully than anywhere else, the principles on which he has acted during the past...
2118From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Rush, 7 January 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia This letter of introduction is the initial appearance in Franklin’s correspondence of a young man who later became important to him, first as his editor and then as Shelburne’s emissary during the peace negotiations of 1782. Benjamin Vaughan (1751–1835) was the eldest son of Samuel Vaughan, a wealthy English merchant with interests in...
2119From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Shipley, 7 January 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I find it impossible to visit my dear Friend at Twyford as I promis’d myself. My Time is totally engross’d by Business. The Petition from the Congress has been presented to the King by Lord Dartmouth to whom we delivered it for that purpose. The Answer we receiv’d was, that his Majesty had been pleased to receive it very graciously, and had commanded him to tell...
2120Replies to Questions from Lord Howe, [7 January? 1775] (Franklin Papers)
AD : Library of Congress Franklin, in reply to Mrs. Howe’s request in the preceding document, called upon her immediately. She showed him a letter from her brother that asked for the American’s answers to two questions. First, would his constituents approve his agreeing to pay for the tea, on condition that they were promised redress of their grievances when their assembly petitioned for it?...
2121Three Public Notices Concerning the Petition from the Continental Congress, 17–18 January 1775 (Franklin Papers)
I and II: printed in The Whitehall Evening Post , respectively January 19–21 and 14–17, 1775; III: printed in The Public Advertiser , January 20, 1775. Once Dartmouth informed the Massachusetts agents on December 24 that the King had received the petition from the Congress and would lay it before Parliament, they had to decide when it might properly be published. As soon as it had been...
2122From Benjamin Franklin to Granville Sharp, 21 January 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Miss T. Olive Lloyd-Baker, Hardwicke Court, Glos. (1956) Dr. Franklin presents his respectful Compliments to Mr. Sharp, with many Thanks for the Copy of his excellent Work, of which he desires 50 may be sent him; with a Bill of what he is indebted. Addressed: Granville Sharp Esqr BF had long known Sharp’s work against slavery, and had made his acquaintance by early 1773. Above, XVII , 38...
2123From Benjamin Franklin to Lord Stanhope, 23 January 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Chevening Estate, Sevenoaks, Kent (1958); copy: Library of Congress Dr. Franklin presents his best Respects to Lord Stanhope, with many Thanks to his Lordship and Lord Chatham for the Communication of so authentic a Copy of the Motion. Dr. F. is fill’d with Admiration of that truly great Man. He has seen in the Course of Life, sometimes Eloquence without Wisdom, and often Wisdom...
2124From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 28 January 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society I have been favour’d with yours of Sept. 24. and Oct. 26. from Philada. Nov. 14. and Dec. 5. from Boston, and thank you for the Information communicated. It gives my Mind some Ease to learn that such good Care is taken both by the General and the Town to prevent Mischief. I hope that Care will continue and be effectual. And that People will be...
2125Franklin’s Notes for a Conversation with Lord Chatham, 31 January 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AD and copy: Library of Congress In the debate in the House of Lords on January 20 Lord Chatham, in response to a challenge from the ministerial benches, promised to offer a plan of reconciliation. Franklin was most curious to know what it was, and the Earl had assured him in December that he would be consulted. His curiosity was satisfied when he was summoned to a conference at Hayes on...
2126Memorandum 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...
2127From Benjamin Franklin to a Committee of the Library Company of Philadelphia, 5 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
Minutebook copy: Library Company of Philadelphia I received your Favour of Decr: 16. with the Bills Barclay & Mitchell on Harvey & Co: for sixty Pounds which is carried to your Credit. I am glad my little Services have been acceptable and every future Opportunity of continuing them will be a Pleasure to, Gentlemen, Your and the Company’s assured Friend, and most obedient Servant For Matthew...
2128From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 5–7 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Clements Library, University of Michigan I received duly your respected Favours of Oct. 27 and Nov. 1 with Bills for five hundred Pounds Bulkeley on Whitmore; I thank you much for your Care in so speedy a Remittance. I hope you will excuse the Trouble I have given you in previously drawing for that Sum: and be assured that the Bills which I provisionaly desired you to draw on me (or in...
2129From Benjamin Franklin to Charles Moore, 5 February 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Pennsylvania Hospital I duly received your Favour of Dec. 7. with a Copy of the Resolution of the House appointing me Agent for the current Year; and the printed Votes. I am oblig’d by your Care in sending them so expeditiously. A Friend of mine, Lord Le Despencer, has lately erected at Wyecomb his fine Country Seat, a noble Statue of William Penn, our Founder; holding in its hand a...
2130From Benjamin Franklin to the Speakers of the Colonial Assemblies: a Circular Letter from Franklin, William Bollan, and … (Franklin Papers)
LS : Library of Congress Our last Letter informed you, that the King had declared his Intention of laying the Petition before his two Houses of Parliament. It has accordingly been laid before each House, but undistinguished among a Variety of Letters and other Papers from America. A Motion made by Lord Chatham, to withdraw the Troops from Boston, as the first Step towards a conciliating Plan,...