Benjamin Franklin Papers
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From Benjamin Franklin to Isaac Norris, [10 July 1762]

To Isaac Norris

MS not found; abstract reprinted from Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives, 1761–1762 (Philadelphia, 1762), p. 54.

[September 21, 1762]

Mr. Speaker brought in, and communicated to the House, two Letters of the Tenth of July last, one from Messieurs Sargent, Aufrere, and Company, Merchants, in London, to the Trustees of the General Loan-Office, concerning the Provincial Bills of Exchange;9 the other from Benjamin Franklin, Esq; to the Speaker, which were severally read by Order; the latter acquainting him that Mr. Franklin had taken his Passage for Philadelphia, in Captain Friend, then near ready to sail;1 that he had just received Copies of the last Year’s printed Votes, of our Supply Bill refused by the Governor, and of his Messages2—that, as he had heard of no new Agent yet appointed, he should leave the Affairs of the Province in Charge with Mr. Jackson, of the Temple,3 who is well acquainted with them, very able, and will appear for the Assembly, if there should be Occasion.

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

9See the document immediately above for Sargent Aufrere’s letter dated both July 9 and 10.

1The Carolina, Capt. James Friend, was reported at Portsmouth on August 12, awaiting a convoy. Pa. Gaz., Oct. 21, 1762. Although London Chron., Aug. 24–26, 1762, reported that H.M.S. Scarborough had sailed from Portsmouth convoying the North American trade “last Friday,” that is, August 20, this report seems to be in error; at least, the Carolina, with BF aboard, did not sail until the 23d at the earliest, as shown by his letter of that date to Strahan (below, p. 149). The convoy stopped for three days at Madeira and the Carolina reached Philadelphia only on November 1, after a voyage of ten weeks from Portsmouth. Pa. Gaz., Nov. 4, 1762. BF wrote Strahan, December 7, in praise of the care Captain Stott of the Scarborough had given the convoy; see below, pp. 166–7.

2In response to two letters from Pitt’s successor, the Earl of Egremont, both written on Dec. 12, 1761, and to three from General Amherst, Feb. 9, 21, 22, 1762, requesting Pa. to raise men for the campaign of 1762, the Assembly voted on March 11 to raise one thousand effectives and on March 19 passed a bill granting £70,000 to levy, pay, and clothe them. This supply bill produced the usual wrangle with the governor; Hamilton sent two long messages to the House about it, March 23 and 25, the Assembly dropped the measure and adjourned on the 26th. The Assembly did, however, pass a bill for £23,500 at a special session in May, and Hamilton approved it on the 14th. 8 Pa. Arch., VI, 5304–10, 5314–20, 5322, 5324–5, 5327–31, 5333–5, 5343, 5347.

3BF’s good friend and legal adviser, Richard Jackson (above, V, 148 n). The Assembly formally appointed Jackson agent on April 2, 1763. 8 Pa. Arch., VI, 5425.

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