11From Benjamin Franklin to Lafayette, 12 February 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress Accept my hearty Thanks for the Pains you have taken, and for your fully informing Letter of this Day. I will endeavour to see M. de Veimerange to Morrow, and will acquaint you with what I learn from him. I pray God to bless & prosper you being ever, Dear Sir, with the greatest Esteem, Your Affectionate &c.
12From Benjamin Franklin to Lafayette, 13 September 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Press copy of ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I am oblig’d to you for communicating M. de Viemerange’s Letter, which I return. I wish you would continue your Application to the Marquis de Castries to provide Means for the Embarkation of the Goods: It is impossible for me to do it.— I believe Mr Jay did not suspect your knowing of Mr Rayneval’s Departure; he only wonder’d that you did...
13From Benjamin Franklin to Lafayette, 8 December 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Biblioteka Czartoryskich, Cracow I am much oblig’d by what you have said at Vs. Enclos’d is the Speech. We just now hear, that a Vessel is arriv’d at Nantes which left Philade. the 26th. Octr.— The Frigate Confederacy sail’d with her, but parted the first Night, M. Gerard was on board the Confederacy, and Mr Jay with his Family appointed for Spain as Minister.— Count D’Estaing was at...
14From Benjamin Franklin to the Marquis de Lafayette, 2 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I receiv’d with Pleasure the Letter you honour’d me with of the 29th. past, and am infinitely obliged by the zeal and Assiduity with which you have forwarded our affairs at Versailles. The 15000. Arms and Accoutrements are a great article. I had written to Capt. Jones that Besides the 122. Bales of Cloth, we hoped for that quantity Arms which it was suppos’d he might...
15From Benjamin Franklin to the Marquis de Lafayette, 19 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress Nothing of the Proposals you mention has been communicated to me, and I therefore question their Existance. But should Such a thing be, there is certainly no one whom I should more wish to see concern’d in the management than the Person you mention, as he is Throughly acquainted with the Subject, and a hearty friend to Those concerned. Accordingly I should immediatly...
16From Benjamin Franklin to Lafayette, 10 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress My Answer to the Questions, contain’d in the Letter You have honour’d me with, must be very short. I can only Say, that I know nothing before [ about ] the Order you mention, and I now know nothing of the Reasons.— I can therefore give no Opinion having no Materials on which to form it. A Vessel from North America arrived at Cadiz reports that Count d’Estaing’s fleet...
17From Benjamin Franklin to the Marquis de Lafayette, 28 March 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have considered the Proposal of getting the American Prisoners out of Forton Goal & bringing them over in Companies to France in smuggling Vessels; but as to effect this there must be some Place found on the Coast where the Prisoners may assemble to wait for the Vessel may lye to wait for the Prisoners, as the Case may happen, without Danger of being discovered and...
18From Benjamin Franklin to the Marquis de Lafayette, 14 May 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and incomplete copy: Library of Congress You are a very good Correspondent, which I do not deserve, as I am a bad one. The Truth is, I have too much Business upon my hands, a great deal of it foreign to my Function as a Minister, which interferes with my writing regularly to my Friends. But I am nevertheless extreamly sensible of your Kindness in sending me such frequent and full...
19From Benjamin Franklin to the Marquis de Lafayette, 1 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress It is a long time since I did myself the honour of writing to you: But I have frequently had the Pleasure of hearing of your Welfare. Your kindness to my Grandson in offering to take him under your Wing in the Expedition is exceedingly obliging to me. Had the Expedition gone on it would have been an infinite advantage to him to have been present with you so early in...
20From Benjamin Franklin to Lafayette: Extract, 24 July 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), II , 390–1. … In answer to your questions, Mr. Oswald is doing nothing, having neither powers nor instructions; and being tired of doing nothing, has dispatched a courier requesting leave to return. He has I believe received no letters since I saw you, from Lord...