Benjamin Franklin Papers

To Benjamin Franklin from Edmund Jenings, 6 December 1779

From Edmund Jenings

ALS: American Philosophical Society

Brussels Decr. 6th. 1779.

Sir

As I Know not, whether your Excellency has received a Copy of the King of Great Britains Speech to his Houses of Parliament, and as it will be at least a Matter of Curiosity, I take the Liberty of inclosing One herewith.—4 It was brought to Ostend by a Pilot of Dover.

Give me leave to inform your Excellency, that I have been in this City about two months,5 and that I shall be proud to receive whatever Commands your Excellency shall be pleased to Lay on me, being most Ambitious of Serving my Country and Manifesting that Respect, with which I am Sir your Excellencies Most Faithful and Obedient Humble Servant

Edm: Jenings
Chez Monsr Capelle
Rue des petits Carmes Bruxelle

Notations: Dec 6. 79 / Emle Jennings. Bruxells— Dec 5. 1779—

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

4Among BF’s papers is a copy of George III’s Nov. 25 speech opening the current session of Parliament, bearing the notations “Intelligence from London Nov. 25. 79.” and “Sent by B. Vaughan” (APS). Digges had also sent a copy of the address: above, Nov. 26.

5Jenings had left Paris on a long-delayed “Tour” just before BF’s Independence Day party: XXVIII, 513; XXIX, 734. He resided in Brussels until the winter of 1783: James H. Hutson, ed., Letters from a Distinguished American: Twelve Essays by John Adams on American Foreign Policy, 1780 (Washington, 1978), p. XV.

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