To Benjamin Franklin from Jean Zinner, 23 September 1783
From Jean Zinner1
ALS: Library of Congress
Vienne le 23 Sept 1783.
Monsieur
C’est eté ces jours ci que M. de Banck ci devant Major et Aide de Camp chez Mons. General Major de Gates2 m’inspiré tant de respect pour la nouvelle Republique de l’Amerique Septemtrionale, que je me suis resolu de dedier mon ouvrage latin, intitulé: Notitia Historica Coloniarum Americæ Septemtrionalis ab earum origine usque ad nostra tempora3 au tres Honorable Congrès des Etats Unis.
Monsieur, si Vous croyez, que cet ouvrage soit digne, de venir au publique, ayez la bonté d’envoyer ma petition en Amerique au Congrés, et de m’en instruir. C’est pour recommander la bravour, et le courage des Vos heros, et la dignité de vos Congrès. On n’a que m’en avertir, qu’on accepte ma bonne intention, je ferai avec plaisir tout a mes frais.4
Voila Monsieur des preuves de Veneration et d’atachement, avec lequel Je serai toute ma vie Monsieur Votre tres humble Serviteur
Jean Zinner
Professeur de l’Hist. Universel dans
l’Academie Royal a Cassau.
A l’ordinair je demeure a Cassau en Hongrie
1. When he last wrote to BF, in 1778, Zinner mentioned having written the history of the American colonies that is the subject of the present letter: XXVII, 646–8. See also XXXII, 146–7, where a compatriot referred to him as an abbé.
2. John Valentine Bancke left Europe in 1776 to join the American army but was taken prisoner the following year with the marquis de Brétigney. Gen. Gates described him to John Jay in March, 1779, as a “respectable German Officer.” On July 10 of that year, Congress resolved to pay Bancke $3,000 for his services and encouraged him to return home, as they found it “impracticable under our present circumstances to employ him in the Army”: Jay Papers, 1, 611–12; JCC, XIV, 811, 816, 847.
3. As we noted in XXVII, 646n, there is no evidence that this work was ever published.
4. Zinner’s petition, in Latin and still among BF’s papers, congratulated Congress on the victory of the new republic and expressed his wish to dedicate his work to them. Library of Congress.