1From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 6 December 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your Favour of the 29th June, with the curious astronomical Piece, for which please to accept my Thanks. Our Vessel fitted out for the Discovery of a Northwest Passage, is return’d without entring Hudson’s Bay, being prevented by unusual Quantities of Ice. She has, however, made some Discoveries of the Harbours on the Labrador Coast, that may be...
2To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Jackson, 17 March 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and AD : American Philosophical Society I would fain merit a Correspondence, I have so much Pleasure in, and have therefore ventured to digest and commit to paper the Thoughts I have before mentioned to you, on the Subject of a Medium of Commerce, including a Plan of a Provincial Bank, which if any way Eligible, you will be able to adapt to the Circumstances of the Province of...
3From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 12 December 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received here your Favour of the 9th of Augt. and have forwarded that directed to our Friend Mr. Elliot. I thank you for your Remarks on the French Maps: We have a new Map going forward in Pensilvania, of the Western Country, or back Parts of our Province, and Virginia, and the Ohio and Lakes, &c. by Lewis Evans, who is for that purpose furnished with all...
4To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Jackson, [17 June 1755] (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Benjamin Franklin, Experiments and Observations on Electricity (London, 1769), pp. 329–41; also copy (incomplete): American Philosophical Society. It is now near three years since I received your excellent Observations on the Increase of Mankind, &c . in which you have with so much sagacity and accuracy shewn in what manner, and by what causes, that principal means of political...
5From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 7 October 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I receiv’d your Favour of the 17th June per Mr. Winslow, with a Paper inclos’d, that has given me very great Pleasure. I thank you for it sincerely, which is all I can now do, being just setting out on a Journey to Virginia. I fear I cannot at present be impartial enough to give you a just State of our Provincial Disputes. I am perhaps too much engag’d in...
6Robert Charles: Rights and Privileges of the Pennsylvania Assembly; and Richard Jackson: Answers to Questions Asked, 24 … (Franklin Papers)
MS : American Philosophical Society Perhaps stimulated by the sweeping attack on the privileges of the Pennsylvania Assembly made by proprietary lawyers at the April 20th hearing on William Smith’s petition, Franklin requested Robert Charles to prepare extracts from the charters and laws of Pennsylvania setting forth the powers and privileges of its Assembly, to summarize the usages and rights...
7To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Jackson: Private Sentiments and Advice on Pennsylvania Affairs, [24 April 1758] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Yale University Library Copy, of private Sentiments and Advice on Pensilvania Affairs from R. J. Esqr. to B F. I have considered the Royal Grant of Charles the 2d. to William Penn, the Charter of Privileges granted by him to the Province of Pennsylvania, and the present Constitution of that Province as it actually subsists, as well as the particular Disputes between the Proprietary and...
8Benjamin Franklin and Richard Jackson: Opinion on the Expedition to Fort Duquesne, [November–December 1758] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Public Record Office, London This undated document was probably written in the latter part of November or in December 1758, or possibly as late as the first two weeks or so of January 1759, although it has previously been assigned to the last half of 1757. No “Winter Expedition” against Fort Duquesne had been undertaken, or even definitely planned, for late 1757 or the first months of...
9From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 2 December 1762 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I arrived here well on the 1st. ultimo and had the Pleasure to find all false that Dr. Smith had reported about the Diminution of my Friends. My House has been fill’d with a Succession of them from Morning to Night almost ever since I landed to congratulate me on my Return; and I never experienc’d greater Cordiality among them. The new Assembly had met and...
10From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 6 December 1762 (Franklin Papers)
ALS , duplicate LS , and (incomplete) draft: American Philosophical Society I have already wrote to you via New York, but hear my Letter did not reach the Pacquet; so this may come first to hand. I arrived the 1st. of November, after a long but pleasant Passage, having in general fair Winds and good Weather; but being in a Convoy could sail no faster than the slowest. I had the Happiness to...