5171To John Jay from Benjamin Franklin, 10 September 1783 (Jay Papers)
I have received a Letter from a very respectable Person in America, containing the following Words viz. “It is confidently reported, propagated and believed ^ by some ^ among us, that the Court of France was at bottom against our Obtaining the Fishery and Territory in that great Extent in which both are secured to us by the Treaty; that our Minister at that Court favoured, or did not oppose...
5172From Benjamin Franklin to Mary Hewson, 26 December 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library In reading Mr Viny’s Letter when I receiv’d it, I miss’d seeing yours which was written behind it in a Corner. I thank you much for your kind Offer respecting my Grandson. I was fully resolv’d on sending him in September last, and engag’d Mr Jay, one of my Colleagues then going to England, to take him over in his Company: But when it came to be propos’d to him, he...
5173From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Price, 2 August 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Mrs. J. W. Williams, St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland (1955) I received your Favour of the 12th past with the Pamphlet of Advice to the Americans, for which I thank you much; it is excellent in itself, and will do us a great deal of Good. I communicated immediately to Mr Dupont the Letter of Mr Turgot, thinking him the properest Person to consult on the Subject, as he has the Care of the...
5174From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 15 December 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères I understand that the Bishop or Spiritual Person who superintends or governs the Roman Catholic Clergy in the United States of America, resides in London, and is supposed to be under Obligations to that Court, and subject to be influenced by its Ministers. This gives me some uneasiness, and I cannot but wish that one should be appointed to...
5175From Benjamin Franklin to La Condamine, 19 March 1784 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society; LS : Bakken Museum I receiv’d the very obliging Letter you did me honour of writing to me the 8th Inst. with the Epigram &c. for which please to accept my Thanks. You desire my Sentiments concerning the Cures perform’d by Comus, & Mesmer. I think that in general, Maladies caus’d by Obstructions may be treated by Electricity with Advantage. As to the...
5176From Benjamin Franklin to Ingenhousz, 16 January 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library; copy: Library of Congress I have this Day received your Favour of the 2d Instant. Every Information in my Power respecting the Balloons I sent you just before Christmas, contain’d in Copies of my Letters to Sir Joseph Banks. There is no Secret in the Affair, and I make no doubt that a Person coming from you would easily obtain a Sight of the different Balloons of...
5177From Benjamin Franklin to [John Calder], 21 August 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Press copy of ALS : Library of Congress Understanding that my Letter intended for you by General Melvill was lost at the Hotel d’Espagne I take this Opportunity by my Grandson to give you the purport of it, as well as I can recollect. I thank’d you for the Pleasure you had procur’d me of the General’s Conversation, whom I found a judicious, sensible, and amiable Man. I was glad to hear that...
5178Meteorological Imaginations and Conjectures, [May 1784] (Franklin Papers)
AD (draft): Library of Congress; press copy of copy: American Philosophical Society The “dry fog” that blanketed much of Europe during the summer of 1783 had occasioned much scientific speculation, but its cause was as yet unknown. In this paper, written nearly a year after the fog first appeared, Franklin was less concerned with its cause (though he did propose a theory that would turn out to...
5179From Benjamin Franklin to Lewis R. Morris, 14 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and transcript: National Archives I receiv’d by the Washington the Bills and Accounts mentioned in yours of the 5th of June, and shall soon send you an Account of the Disposition of the Money. My Account as stated by you appears to be right. With much Esteem I have the honour to be, Sir Your most obedient & most humble Servant
5180From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 22 October 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), 11, 439. I received my dear friend’s kind letter of the 4th instant from Bath, with your proposed temporary convention which you desire me to shew to my colleagues. They are both by this time in London, where you will undoubtedly see and converse with them on...