1To Benjamin Franklin from Lord Dartmouth to Franklin, William Bollan, and Arthur Lee, 23 December 1774: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Public Record Office <St. James’s Square, Friday, December 23, 1774: A note in the third person asking them to meet him at his house at ten the following morning. > To learn how the King had received the petition from the Continental Congress; see the following document.
2From Benjamin Franklin to Arthur Lee, 12 September 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Harvard University Library Mr Franklin presents his Compliments to Mr Lee, and sends all the Journals he has; but, as he has not yet had time to read them, he prays Mr Lee to return them when he has perus’d them.— Addressed: The honble A Lee Esqr / Paris. Notation: Sepr. 12. 1779 Lee did so later that day with a note saying, “Mr. Lee presents his Compts. to Dr. Franklin & returns the...
3From Benjamin Franklin to Arthur Lee, 9 July 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress The Merchants alluded to in my Letter to your Brother, were Mr. Bayard, Mr. Monthieu, and M. Chaumont. The Terms I understood to be those proposed by Virginia. I have the honour to be with great respect, Sir Your most obedient and most humble servant An obvious mistranscription by the copyist.
Bordeaux, 14 April 1778. RC ( PPAmP : Franklin Papers). Bondfield, still unaware that JA was at Paris, gave general shipping information, noted Capt. Tucker’s exertions to prepare the Boston for sea, and commented on the stagnation of Franco-American trade that would continue “until War is declared or Peace is establish’d.” RC ( PPAmP : Franklin Papers).
5From Benjamin Franklin to Arthur Lee, 9 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have received no Answer relative to the Proposition you mention. Perhaps without waiting longer for an Answer, thro’ Versailles it might be as well for you to apply directly to the Spanish ambassador for the Information you desire. With much Respect I have the honour to be Sir, Your most obedt. humble servant In response to Lee’s of the previous day.
6From Benjamin Franklin to Arthur Lee, 3 April 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society It is true I have omitted answering some of your Letters. I do not like to answer angry Letters. I hate Disputes. I am old, cannot have long to live, have much to do and no time for Altercation. If I have often receiv’d and borne your Magisterial Snubbings and Rebukes without Reply, ascribe it to the right Causes, my Concern for the Honour and Success...
7From Benjamin Franklin to William and Arthur Lee, 27 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Pierpont Morgan Library; copy: University of Virginia Library Mr. Franklin presents his Compliments to Messrs. W. and A. Lee, and has the honour to acquaint them, that Mr. Deane is return’d from Versailles, where the Ministers have agreed to dispatch another and stronger Fregate from Brest, to carry the Dispatches of the Commissioners: They have accordingly sent an Express thither, to day...
8From Benjamin Franklin to Arthur Lee, 31 December 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Amherst College Library I have not at present any Public Money in my hands; and all that I can expect will be necessary to pay Congress Drafts, and other indispensible Orders and Engagements. I have the honour to be, with very great Respect Sir, Your most obedient and most humble Servant Addressed: To / The honourable Arthur Lee Esqe. / Paris. / [ in another hand: ] a lhotel notre Dame /...
9From Benjamin Franklin to Arthur Lee, 19 March 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Harvard University Library I leave Directions with Mrs. Stevenson to deliver you all the Massachusetts Papers, when you please to call for them. I am sorry that the Hurry of Preparing for my Voyage and the many Hindrances I have met with, prevented my meeting you and Mr. Bollan, and conversing a little more on our Affairs before my Departure. I wish to both of you Health and Happiness,...
10From Benjamin Franklin to Arthur Lee, 5 March 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : The late Arthur Bloch The interview to which this brief note is a summons was the one that the commissioners had requested the day before, to discuss making the treaty public. Gérard met them on schedule, and opened the conversation by taking Lee to task for misquoting him to Aranda about another matter; Lee put the blame on Deane, who refused to take it. Franklin then recalled them to...