From Benjamin Franklin to Ferdinand Grand: Two Letters, 15 January 1782
To Ferdinand Grand: Two Letters
(I) and (II) Copy: Library of Congress
I.
Passy, Jany. 15. 1782
Sir,
Having written to M. Le Comte de Vergennes the 27. of last month, demanding a Million out of the Dutch Loan, & acquainting him that I was fully authorised to apply it for the Service of Congress, I make no Doubt but he has written for it Mr. Joly de Fleury according to his Promise and that you may receive it, when you call for it.2 I have the Honour to be, Sir,
Mr. Grand.
II.
Passy 15. Feb. [i.e., January] 1782.3
Sir,
I send you inclosed thirty two Coupons of the Caisse d’Escompte4 for the 6 last Months, the Amount of which I request you to receive for me & credit my private Account with the Same. I beg of you likewise to inform me, what I am to do with the 32. Actions that remain in my Hands, there being no more Coupons to them?
Please to send by the Bearer the Amount of Gold of the inclosed Order;5 likewise all the Orders I have drawn on you in favr. of Prisoners, in the Months of Septr. Octr. Novr. & Decr. last.6 They shall be returned to you immediately.
I have the honour to be, Sir, Your &c—
M. Grand.
2. Apparently operating on this assumption, Grand on the following day remitted on BF’s orders 398,555 l.t., 14 s. to Fizeaux, Grand, & Cie. in Amsterdam to acquit JA’s acceptances: Account XXVII (XXXII, 4).
3. Misdated by L’Air de Lamotte, who copied the letter into the letterbook a month after it was written. Our dating is based on BF’s subsequent letter of Jan. 18, below, written in answer to a now-missing response of Jan. 17.
4. Account XXII (XXVIII, 4) lists 32 coupons worth a total of 3,520 l.t. under the date of Jan. 19. BF had been purchasing shares for several years: XXX, 4. See also Account XVII (XXVI, 3).
5. Not found, but BF drew on Grand for 14,583 l.t., 6 s., 8 d. on Jan. 16: Account XXVII.
6. According to Account XXVII, BF provided 1,958 l.t. to fourteen prisoners during those four months. He discovered an accounting error, however; see the Editorial Note on Promissory Notes, and his next letter to Grand, Jan. 18.