4801From Benjamin Franklin to Dumas, 26 July 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Library of Congress; transcript: National Archives I wrote to Mrs: De Neuville by the last Post in answer to theirs of the 14th. I hope they received my Letter. It signified that I would accept the Bills drawn on M. Laurens. I find by a Vote of Congress on the 4th of March, that they then stopt drawing, and I am informed no more Bills have been issued...
4802From Benjamin Franklin to William Vassall, 29 May 1746 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Harvard College Library I have your Favour of the 19th Instant, with some Queries relating to the Small Pox; in Answer to which I am to acquaint you, That by the best Informations I have been able to procure, and which I believe are pretty near the Truth, between 150 and 160 Persons (mostly Children, the Small Pox having gone thro’ this Place twice within these 15 Years) have been...
4803Certificate Condemning a Prize, 18 September 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Printed by Benjamin Franklin, Passy, 1779. Printed form with MS insertions in blanks: Archives Départementales du Morbihan By the time Franklin received Francis Coffyn’s letter of September 18, below, enclosing a copy of the French government’s regulations concerning American prizes, he had already seen those regulations and had finally understood that he bore responsibility for judging the...
4804Franklin’s Public Statement about the Hutchinson Letters, 25 December 1773 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The London Chronicle , Dec. 23–25, 1773 By the late summer of 1773 the furor aroused by the Hutchinson letters had spread from Boston to London. Franklin’s role in the affair was still unknown; attention focused on who had obtained the correspondence from Thomas Whately’s papers, and a long controversy on this point began in the pages of the Public Advertiser . On September 4 an...
4805From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Shipley, 14 December 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library Hearing that your Lordship had called in Cravenstreet during my Absence, I went next Day to your House hoping to find the Family there, but was mortified with the Information of your being still at Twyford. I should have thank’d you before for your kind Letters in my favour to the Primate and Mr. Jackson. The Primate was at Armagh, and did not come to Dublin ’till...
4806From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Ward, 13 January 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): American Philosophical Society I thank you for recommending Mr. Marchant to me. I have had the Pleasure of a good deal of his Company in Scotland, and shall do every thing in my Power to serve him. I condole with you on the Loss of your amiable Partner. It must be a heavy one and hard to bear. I hope you will find Comfort in your Children. With great Esteem, I am, Dear...
B. Franklin’s Observations on Mr Jay’s Draft of a Letter to Mr Livingston, which occasioned the foregoing Part to be left out.— M r . F. aubmits it to the Consideration of M r . Jay whether it may not be adviseable to forbear, at present, the Justification of ourselves, respecting the Signature of the Preliminaries, because That matter is, at present, quiet here; No Letter sent to the Congress...
4808From Benjamin Franklin to Arthur Lee, 3 April 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Historical Society of Pennsylvania As I had no Knowledge of the Gentleman, & he said he had lived in Virginia, I referr’d him to you, imagining you might know something of his Character, and whether it would be proper to give him the Pass he desires. If upon conversing with him you apprehend it may be safely done, I would do it on your...
4809From Benjamin Franklin to [Samuel Cooper], 27 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: University of California Library, Berkeley; transcript: Massachusetts Historical Society At length our Treaties of Commerce and Alliance with France are Compleated, and signed. They go over to Congress by this Conveyance. Their great Principle declared in the Preamble, is perfect Equality and Reciprocity of Conditions, the advantages mutual, Commerce free &c. France guarantees the...
4810From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Barclay, 22 February 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received the honour of yours respecting Your Return to Paris before you have finish’d the Affairs you have in hand at Amsterdam; & desiring my Advice thereupon. On consideration that the Government here are endeavouring to procure the Vessels wanted for our Supplies, and in Case they can be procured will agree for them on the Terms alwed [allowed] for the Service of...