1To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 8 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I make No doubt but you Exelency have heard of the Ill treatment I met with. I was arrasted by A Mr Dotun Le sage At Paris for a sum of money wich he pretents I owe him And it is Very Clear that I have sufred and lost Near 72 thousand Livers and do Not owe him A Sheling. I was arrested in the most Cruel manner my arms tyed and Put in to a dunjen for Near 24...
2To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 21 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I am Now in a Strang Country & 4000 Miles from home. No frends to Vindicate me in my unhappy setuation Not with standing theire is Every Proof of my Inosance I am now fully Perswaded that without the Asestance of your Exelency will Not be releved of Preson. I Hope your Exelency will do Every thing that Lais in your Power to releve me of my Destrest...
3To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 26 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania My Interpreter & Attorney has Just Left me he Sais it is absolutly nessesry to Offir Securety Alltho he is Sure it will Not be Asked— I am Sure and Evry Body Agrees that I can ruin Dotun the moment the seals are broke & bring him in for Great Damadgus Besedes Recovering the 15200 Livers I Lost on the sale of the luggar— I have No other Securaty to offer...
4To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 27 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I recved your favour where you Desire to see the Dee [Deed] of my land my Attorney has made A report to Parlement that I left the Deed in the Notarys Hands for Securety of Dotuns therefore it is out of my power my Attorney Sais to withdraw my deed untill the warrent is broke But if your Exelency will do your self the Pain to send Some Person to see the...
5From Benjamin Franklin to John Shaffer, 27 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress My Grandson is ill and I have nobody to send to see your Deed that understands such Things. I am obliged to go out of Town this Morning & cannot go myself to look at it till to morrow. But if you have already made it over to Mr. D’Autun, my seeing it will be of no Use. I imagin’d that having that Land as a Counter Security some of your Friends on my Recommendation...
6To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 27 September 1781 [i.e., 28 September 1781] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I recved your favour of yesterday and am very much in dsposed at Present you menchen in your letter that you would go to the Notary but as I have allready Geving it to Dotun for Securety it would be of No us as I only put it in to the hand of the Notary to Convince Dotun that it was my Intenshion to Deal Honourably with him it is Not menchened in the...
7To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 29 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania Mr Fox Called on me he Sais in behalf of your Exelency to Inform me that you thought it much the best to sittle with Dotun, this is what I proposed to him As soon As he Arested me, On the same terms you Menchen—But He Knowing the profit he has gained on the Purchas will Not— my Attorney Informs me that He is Very Sure that Dotun will sittle with me for...
8To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 1 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania In consequence of the report of my Interpreter I found my self under the Nesesity to make A propesetion to Dotun wich is to Give him the tract of land for his securety untill he can Asertain the defecancy if there be Aney. Your Exelency will be So Oblidging to Inform Mr Dotun about the Land As you Know the tittle is Good for wich I shall Greatfully...
9To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 4 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania Mr Dotun calld upon me and has made a propesetion—that He would buy the Hole trackt of land On condetions that Your Exelency will Give him a Certefacte that he bought the land of me At Paris That in case of deth he May Not meet with Aney deficcultes in Obtainning it in America After proving his deed— I Hope your Exelency will Not refuse him the...
10To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 7 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania Mr DAutun Call’d upon me to settle this Afair with me but Has Ocation for some money As he has Expended a large sum— it is imposible to finnish if I do Not Give him some Money or bills for one half Of the Defesinsis & Expences Attending this Matter— Thererfore I hope your Exelency will Not refuse to indorse my bills in Order to finnish this unhappy...
11To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 9 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania This will be handed to you by Mr Dotun Who has declared that it was in consequence of the declearaton of Benard that in dused him to Prosacute me in the manner in wich he did, but Now is convenced of my inosance & looks upon Benard As the Villin— in consequence of this declaration I Have made this propesetion— wich is to Give him my land for securety...
12To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 20 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have the honour to in form your Exelency that I am At libirty And have Arranged with DAutun to A great advantage there is A ballance due me by him of 30,000 Livers wich I Hope he will pay me in A few days then will have it in my power to remet to your Exelency the 12 Louis you was Kind Enough to lend me When in destress for wich I Ever shall Greatfully...
13To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 12 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society Je pris hier la liberté de vous écrire pour reclamer l’honneur de Votre protection, quoique je Sente bien que je ne l’a mérite plus. Je vous ai instruit Sur le Sujet de ma Détention, c’est une circonstance malheureuse qui m’a entrainé dans l’etat triste et déplorable ou je me trouve réduit, circonstance d’autant Malheureuse qu’on m’a depouillé de mon...
14To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, [9 October 1783?] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society As an unfortunate Countryman I take the liberty onst more to adress my Self to you Knowing That you have a heart that Sincerly feals the Sorrow of anothers boosom, the Judges of my affair Demands that I prove that I am a Native of Amerique if your Exelency will be Kind Enough as you Know I am Realy a Native of Philadelphia to Certify that I am from Philaa....
15To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 10 October 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Your answer to my letter of yesterday has threwn me in the most unhappe Situation,—if you will Not do aney thing for me to Relive me from my Pain—for god Sake have Pitte upon my unhappe Situation I have No bread Even to Eat and Not a farthing in my Pocket if you will Lend me Ever so Small a Sum it will confer the greatest obligations upon me if you Refuse...
16To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 14 October 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The few lines that your Exelency was Kind Enough to honour me with you Reproch me in Saing that if I had my liberty I would do Somthing that would bring me to the weelle or gallos— No Sir Notwith Standing my unhappy Situation I Niver diviated from the presinplas of honour. No doubt but your Exelency has bean informed that I have Contracted a Numbre of Depts...
17To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer: Two Letters, 18 October 1783 (Franklin Papers)
(I) and (II) LS : American Philosophical Society Mr. L’avocat qui a eu la bonté d’aller voir votre Excellence pour moi, m’a dit que vous vouliez bien avoir la bonté de m’avancer quelques secours pour mes alimens en attendant l’arrivée de Monsieur Barkely. Les obligations que je vous ai deja pour pareil service que vous avez bien voulu me rendre précedement, me fait espérer que vous ne me...
18To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 30 October 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society My avocat informed me that you have the Goodness for me, to imploy Mr Barclay to do what will be Nessesary to Render me justis. When I was arrested the inspecter of the Polize Put a gardien in to my house to garde my goods and gard de Robe, two days ago I was informed that the Person Stole all that was left in to his Care but Very fortunate we have got him...
19To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 5 November 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mr Beaumont avocat whas Kind Enough to inform me that you are disposed to make me a Small Advane from time to time for my Subsistance during My Confingment, Blive me what Ever Advance your Exelency Should be Kind Enough to make me will be Returned with Gratitude before my departure from this Country, If I have Justis Rendered me and the Only Return to me...
20To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 9 November 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society As my avocat has Just informed me affter the information He has made that in Justis to my Self it will be the Shortest way to bring my Cause to a Conclution. The Partis has Even made a Proposition to arange the affair but Knowing my inosance am determend to bring on my trial as Soon as Possible in order to Convince to the world of my inosance. Theirfore as...
21To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 19 November 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society My Avocat has informed me that it is Nessesary that your Son Wm Temple, Should Right a line to the Letn Creminel, to Convince him that he has Not Said that I am a bad Subject &&&, If he Realy has Not Said what I am acused of he Canot Refuse me my Request, My trial Comes On to morrow without fail. Thierefore you Canot Consistant with Reason Refuse me what I...
22To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 4 January 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania Was theire ever an Example of aney person in Life to be abandoned as I am, you may be asured it is with great Reluctance that I persist in adressing my Self to you, in my last I took the liberty of asking you what Mr Barclay had Concluded to do for me, as Mr Barclay before his departure Refered me to you for an Answer of what you had Concluded upon at...
23To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 12 January 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society You was Kind Enough to honour me with your Protection in Righting to Monr Breteuel to have me sent to america wich has made an Impretion upon my gratitude wich I canot Express, the last line you honoured me with you Say you will Not medle aney farther with my affairs, to Whom Sir Can I adress my self to but you who is our Protecteur Natural, Monr. Beaumont...
24To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 1 February 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have the honour to inform you that the house of Parlement has Rendered Me Justis on thursday Last, I was Judged at liberty and Discharged of Every accusation, And Conducted to With all the honours of war to the Grand Stairs of Parlement, in order to have the Right to persue those who have bean the Ocation of my Disgrace. My inosance is Now proved...
25To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 28 February 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This moment I have Obtained the Expetion of the Arrest of Parlement Rendered in my feavour, wich will Prove to you my inosance and the Cruel Maner in wich I have bean Treated, Theirefore I hope you will be Kind Enough to Comunicate The inclosed arrest, to all my Countryman before my Departure and ingage them to assist me, So that I may Return to my Native...
26To Benjamin Franklin from John Shaffer, 8 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society As the Marquis de la fayette is Kind Enough to Suply me with Every Nessary to Return to my Native Country, and as I intend to Leave paris in a day or two I beg you will Kind Enough to send me a Pasport for LOrent. As to the small Sum of Money you was Kind Enough to lend me you may be assured that as Soon As I arrive in America I will Reimburce you with...