We have received the letter you did us the honour to write us on the 10 th day of December last. We supposed that the principles contained in the project of a Treaty, which we had the honour to transmit you, were a virtual answer to the requisition in the last lines of your letter of the eighteenth of October. By the second & third Articles, the citizens & subjects of each power may frequent...
62From Benjamin Franklin to Ferdinand Grand, 9 January 1785 (Franklin Papers)
Press copy of LS and AL (draft): American Philosophical Society; copy: National Archives I received your Letter of the 29th. past with the State of the Interest Money claimed by the Department of Finance as due the 1st. Inst, the Account of your Advances for the United States, and a Copy of the Letter of Messrs. Willink & Staphorst offering you by Order of Mr. Morris 400,000 Livres the Sum due...
63From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 3 January 1785 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin … (2nd ed., 2 vols., London, 1817), II , 455–7. I received your kind letter of December 1, from Bath. I am glad to hear that your good sister is in a fair way towards recovery; my respects and best wishes attend her. I communicated your letter to Mr. Jefferson, to remind him of his promise to...
64From Benjamin Franklin to Mayer, 3 January 1785 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Biblioteche Civiche e Raccolte Storiche, Turin I have just receiv’d the Piece, entitled, Asgill, &c. which you have been so good as to send me. Please to accept my Thanks, together with the Book of our Constitutions, which I send herewith. I am, Sir, Your most obedient & most humble Servant Mayer was one of the several writers producing fictional renditions of the Charles Asgill story...
65From Benjamin Franklin to Bedtinger, 2 January 1785 (Franklin Papers)
Press copy of LS , American Philosophical Society J’ai reçu, Monsieur, la Lettre que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’ecrire pour solliciter la Place de Vice Consul des E.U. de l’Amerique au Havre, pour le sr. Dupuis.— Il m’auroit èté infiniment agréable de remplir vos Vues à cet égard s’il avoit dependu de Moi; mais Je n’y puis rien. M. Barclay notre Consul Général est seul autorisé a faire...
66From Benjamin Franklin to Glier, 2 January 1785 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Galerie Frédéric Castaing, Paris (2016); L (draft): Library of Congress J’ai reçu, Monsieur, la Lettre que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’ecrire au sujet d’un nommé Thomas Dunlop, se disant Americain:— Et Je vous dois des Remerciements pour le soin que vous en avez pris le supposant tel.— Mais par le Compte qu’il a rendu de lui meme, Je soupçonne très fort, qu’il est ou Anglois, ou...
67Drawing and Description of a Boat for Fishing Parties on the Delaware River, [1784?] (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society The person who inspired Franklin to think about the design of small craft for use on rivers was, it seems, Julien-David Le Roy. By the early 1780s, when the architect began discussing his ideas with Franklin—including improvements to hot-air balloons—he was deeply absorbed in trying to design boats with sails, masts, and hulls that would allow for more...
68Certificate for Captain Beaulieu, [17 December 1784] (Franklin Papers)
DS : Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, Florence I do hereby certify whom it may concern, that Capt. Lewis Joseph de Beaulieu, late of General Count Pulaski’s Corps, is still living, being with me here at Passy, while this Certificate is writing, December 17. 1784. This certificat de vie was prepared in anticipation of the application of Louis Joseph (Joseph-Louis) d’Escudier de Beaulieu ( XXXII ,...
In our letter of Nov r 11 th. we had the honour of laying before Congress a state of our proceedings till that date. As from that it would appear that the last communications had in every instance passed from us to the other parties we can now only add the answers of such of them as have yet answered, & our replies; these are the courts of Portugal, Tuscany & Great Britain. N o. 1. is a copy...
70The American Commissioners to the Duke of Dorset, 9 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
We have received the Letter which your grace did us the honour of writing us on the 24 th. day of Last month, and we received with much Satisfaction the assurances on the part of his Britannic Majesty’s Ministers of their readiness to take into consideration any proposals coming from the United States of america that Can tend to the establishing a System of mutual & permanent advantage, to the...
71The American Commissioners to Francesco Favi, 9 December 1784 (Adams Papers)
We have received your letter of the 16 th. of Nov r. wherein you are pleased to inform us that you had communicated to His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Tuscany the overtures we had the honour of making for the establishment of a treaty of Amity & Commerce between the Subjects of His Royal Highness & the Citizens of the United States of America; that these were agreeable to him, and that...
72From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 2 December 1784 (Franklin Papers)
AL : New York Public Library Mr Franklin presents his respectful Compliments to Mr Adams, with Thanks for his obliging Invitation, which he should accept with Pleasure, but that he finds himself oblig’d to renounce dining abroad, his Malady rendring it on many accounts extreamly inconvenient to him. Mr F. has receiv’d a Letter & some Papers from Mr Grand, on which he wishes to confer with Mr...
We have received the Extract of the letter from Monsieur de Sa of the 24 th Oct r 1784 which your Excellency was pleased to send us by the hand of the Secretary of your legation. “That in consequence of our letter your Excellency might assure us that Her Most faithful Majesty will be very glad to have the best correspondence with the United States, and that we may explain to your Excellency...
74From Benjamin Franklin to Anne-Louise Boivin d’Hardancourt Brillon de Jouy, 29 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University; press copy of ALS : American Philosophical Society Je vous felicite trés cordialement, ma trés chere amie, de l’heureux Accouchement de notre Fille. Puisse l’Enfante être aussi bonne & aussi aimable que sa mere, sa grandemere, sa grandegrandemere, &c. Je me souviens d’avoir un jour rencontré chez vous quatre de vos Generations, quand vos Enfans etoient tres jeunes; & que...
75From Benjamin Franklin to Jean-Anne Lafont, 24 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Press copy of LS : American Philosophical Society J’ai reçu, Monsieur, la Lettre sans datte que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’écrire. Votre Situation est embarrassante et J’en suis touché; mais, outre que Je ne puis donner de Recommandation à quelqu’un qui m’est absolument inconnu, il seroit mal’avisé de vous conseiller d’entreprendre un Voyage long est dispendieux pour aller vous établir...
76From Benjamin Franklin to ——— Desfours, 23 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Press copy of LS : American Philosophical Society Je n’ai point reçu, Monsieur, le Projet dont vous faitez mention dans la Lettre que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’écrire le 15 du mois dernier; et Je serois bien aise de le voir. Quant à la Commn que vous desirez, Je n’ai aucune autorité pour l’accorder ou la refuser; tout ce que Je puis faire c’est d’envoyer votre Requete au Congrès, et de...
77From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Jefferson, 23 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
LS and press copy of LS : American Philosophical Society These People are so accustomed to see every thing done by Sollicitation of Interest, or what they call Protection, and nothing without it, that they hardly conceive it possible to obtain the Payment even of a just Debt but by means of Persons whom they suppose to have Influence enough to support and enforce their Pretensions. We should...
78From Benjamin Franklin to J.-B. Marioge, 23 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Press copy of LS : American Philosophical Society J’ai reçu, Monsieur, la Lettre dont vous m’avez honoré le 16 du mois dernier. Je n’ai Jamais été chargé de faire passer personne en Amérique pour y établir des manufactures. Le Pays est ouvert a tout le monde et le Congres ne cherche point à y attirer les Etrangers par des avantages particuliers. Chargé d’une Famille et à l’âge où vous étez,...
79To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Franklin, 23 November 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
These People are so accustomed to see every thing done by Sollicitation of Interest, or what they call Protection, and nothing without it, that they hardly conceive it possible to obtain the Payment even of a just Debt but by means of Persons whom they suppose to have Influence enough to support and enforce their Pretensions. We should naturally suppose that the proper time for asking such Aid...
80From Benjamin Franklin to Bra[iez?], 22 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Press copy of ALS : American Philosophical Society Je suis trop étranger, Monsieur, à toute Dispute sur le Mesmerisme, pour consentir que mon nom paroisse ni directement ni indirectement ailleurs que dans le Rapport des Commissaires au Nombre desquels Sa Majesté m’avoit nommé. J’ai l’honneur d’être, Monsieur, Votre trés humble & trés obeissant Serviteur In response to his letter of the...
81Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 15 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
M r Franklin presents his respectful Compliments to M r Adams, and enclosos a Paper left with him by the Secretary of the Portuguese Ambassador last Night, being an Extract of a Letter from the First Minister of that Court. No Notice is taken in it of the preceding Plan of a Treaty, and M r. F. mentions for Consideration, whether it would not be right to send a Copy of the new Plan immediately...
82From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 15 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Massachusetts Historical Society Mr Franklin presents his respectful Compliments to Mr Adams, and encloses a Paper left with him by the Secretary of the Portuguese Ambassador last Night, being an Extract of a Letter from the First Minister of that Court. No Notice is taken in it of the preceding Plan of a Treaty, and Mr. F. mentions for Consideration, whether it would not be right to send...
83From Benjamin Franklin to Witel & Fauche, 15 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
LS , AL (draft), and incomplete press copy of LS : American Philosophical Society I have attentively considered your Project communicated to me in yours of the 24th. past, & of which you desire my Opinion. I have some Doubts whether you will find your Bookselling and Printing Business sufficiently profitable at first for the Support of three Families; because the French Language, in which I...
Having assembled together at this place about the latter end of August we proceeded in obedience to the commands of Congress to notify our appointment and its objects to such Powers as we thought it adviseable at that time to address. We wrote a circular letter in the form N o. 1. to the Ambassadors or other Ministers residing here from the courts of Saxony; the two Sicilies, Sardinia, Venice,...
85Outline of an Unsent Letter to Charles Thomson, [before 11 November 1784] (Franklin Papers)
AD (draft): American Philosophical Society These notes for a letter that was never written display a sense of bitterness and disappointment rarely seen in Franklin’s papers. That he even contemplated sending such a letter, albeit a private one—admitting to Thomson that he felt unappreciated and was “sorry and asham’d” for having asked a personal favor of Congress (a favor not granted)—betrays...
86From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Bache, 11 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : British Library I received your Letters of the 28th. of August, and 10th of September, with the Newspapers by M. Sailly, but they were very incompleat and broken Sets, many being omitted perhaps the most material, which is disagreable to me who wish to be well inform’d of what is doing among you. I was glad to receive the good Account B & S have given of their good Treatment of those...
87From Benjamin Franklin to Charles Thomson, 11 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: National Archives I received your kind Letter of August 13th: with the Papers annexed, relative to the Affair of Longchamps. I hope Satisfaction will be given to Mr: Marbois. The Commissioners have written a joint Letter to Congress. This serves to cover a few Papers relative to Matters with which I was particularly charged in the Instructions. I shall write to you fully by the...
We received the Letter your Excellency did us the honour of writing to us the 8 th Ult o. together with the copy of your full powers to treat with us. M r Adams had as you suppose, preserved a copy of the project of a Treaty that had been concerted between your Excellency & him; but having by instruction from the Congress our Sovereign certain new articles to propose in all our Treaties with...
89Proposal for a Prussian-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce: Articles 13, 23, and 24, [before 10 November 1784] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: National Archives The twenty-seven-article treaty proposal that the American commissioners sent to Thulemeier on November 10 was copied, with the appropriate adjustments, from the one they had prepared for use with Denmark; see the headnote and documents immediately above. Jefferson’s final draft of the proposal for Denmark is published in The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, with all...
90From Benjamin Franklin to Anisson fils, 10 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Bibliothèque nationale I send you enclos’d the Characters you desire to see, cast in the new manner lately invented in England. They are first cast separately, and after being compos’d into Words or Parts of Words, those are united by a second Casting of additional Metal. This Operation doubles the Price of the Fount. I have directed my Grandson who is now in London, to visit the...