91[Diary entry: 10 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
10. Dined at Mr. Thos. Mifflins & spent the Eveng. at my lodgings. my lodgings : GW’s cash memorandum lists a payment of £17 13s. 3d. in Pennsylvania currency “By Mr. Randolph Bd. &ca.” on 22 June, the day before he left Philadelphia (Cash Memoranda, DLC:GW ). Benjamin Randolph was a cabinetmaker who lived on Chestnut Street between Third and Fourth streets. Thomas Jefferson also lodged with...
92[Diary entry: 10 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
10. Clear and pleasant not being very warm.
93[Diary entry: 11 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
11. Dined at Young Doctr. Shippens—spent the Eveng. at my Lodgings. In Congress the credentials of the delegates were read and the decision was again made to keep the proceedings secret. A letter was read from colonial agents in London reporting the rejection of the colonists’ petition to the king, the failure of the earl of Chatham’s plan for reconciliation, and the embarkation of more...
94[Diary entry: 11 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
11. Clear but rather Cool wind being Westerly.
95[Diary entry: 12 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
12. Dined and Supped at the City Tavern. GW’s expenses on this day include 6s. 7d. in Pennsylvania currency for “Club at Smith’s” (Cash Memoranda, DLC:GW ). George Read, Delaware delegate, wrote his wife a description of these dinners at Daniel Smith’s City Tavern: “I then dine at the City Tavern, where a few of us have established a table for each day in the week, save Saturday, when there is...
96[Diary entry: 12 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
12. Clear & pleasant, but rather Cool.
97To George Washington from James Cleveland, 12 May 1775 (Washington Papers)
These Fue lines Comes to let you know that we are all Well & & & And on April 5 I Got to Gilbert Sympsons Whear I Found all the hands; & Nothing Ready but What I Gave you & Account of but the Articles hear after menched; one Cannae Made by your one [own] hands, two Do Made last year; 9 Axes so I bought one Cannae of Sympson at 20/ And one more I Got Which Made Five With my one after I had got...
98[Daniel Smith’s Bill for Entertainment.] (Adams Papers)
Jno. Adams Esqr. To Daniel Smith Dr. 1775 £ s d May 13th. To Bottle Brandy 2 6 26. To Bottle do. 2 6 July 10. To Quart Spirits 2
99Abigail Adams to Joseph Warren, 13 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
A Brother of Mr. Adams’es who has been a Captain of a Company in this Town, is desirous of joining the Army provided he can obtain a Birth; he would prefer a Majors to any other. As he has not any acquaintance with any Gentleman in the Army, except Coll. Palmer, he requested me to write you a line, in his behalf; he is a person both of steadiness and probity, and if there should be any place...
100[Diary entry: 13 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
13. Dined at the City Tavern with the Congress. Spent the Eveng. at my Lodgings. This was Saturday, the day all members of Congress met together for dinner at the City Tavern.
101[Diary entry: 13 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
13. Lowering with a little Rain in the forenoon. Clear afterwards.
102Eunice Paine to Abigail Adams, 14 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
I am indeed the Silvia, the once favored correspondent of Diana; But I am Silvia without my Beloved flock, my former sheepfolds are Laid waste, my Lambs are scatter’d, and I mourn here among other congregations the loss of my former companions.—I thank you for the testimony you have given me of your remembrance. Should have Certifyd my grateful reception by the first Conveyance but...
103To Benjamin Franklin from Catharine Greene, [14 May 1775] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library Welcom a Hundred times Welcom to our once happy Land. Are you in Health and allow me to ask you the old question over again if you are the Same good old Soul you used to be? Your arrival gives New Spring to all have heard mention it. When Shall We See you here? Do let it be as Soon as the Congress is adjournd or dont know but your good Sister and Self Shall mount...
104To Benjamin Franklin from Jane Mecom, 14 May 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library God be Praised for bring you Saif back to America and soporting you throw such fatuges as I know you have sufered while the minestry have been distresing Poor New England in such a Cruil maner. Your last by Poor Quensey Advises me to keep up my Cuiridg and that foul wither does not last allways in any country. But I beleve you did not then Imagin the storm would...
105[Diary entry: 14 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
14. Dined at Mr. Willings, & Spent the Evening at my Lodgings.
106[Diary entry: 14 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
14. Clear & pleasant—rather warm.
107Mercy Otis Warren to Abigail Adams, 15 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
Though I am very unwell scarce able to set up long Enough to write, yet I must let my dear Friend Mrs. Adams know it gave me great pleasure to have but a Line or too from her after her very long silence. I lament with you the infatuation of Britain, the Commotions of America and the Dangers to Which the Best of men and the truest Friends to Virtue, Liberty and the British Constitution are...
108From Benjamin Franklin to Edmund Burke, 15 May 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Central Library, Sheffield The background of this letter was conversations between the two men during Franklin’s last months in London. Burke’s record of their final meeting, even though not committed to paper until years later, is revealing enough to be worth extensive quotation. “As far as a man, so locked up as Dr. Franklin, could be expected to communicate his ideas, I believe he...
109From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Shipley, 15 May 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I arrived here well the 5th. after a pleasant Passage of 6 Weeks. I met with a most cordial Reception, I should say from all Parties, but that all Parties are now extinguish’d here. Britain has found means to unite us. I had not been here a Day before I was unanimously elected by our Assembly a Delegate to the Congress, which met the 10th and is now sitting. All...
110[Diary entry: 15 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
15. Dined at Burns’s & Spent the Evening at my Lodgings. In Congress a question was raised by the New York delegates on how the colony was to conduct itself in regard to the British troops expected there. Recommendations were made in Congress and a resolution passed for appointing a committee to consider what posts in that colony should be occupied and how many troops should be necessary to...
111[Diary entry: 15 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
15. Clear in the afternoon. A little lowering in the forenoon.
112From Benjamin Franklin to [William?] Bradford, 16 May 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania; draft: American Philosophical Society I have just now been urged to apply to you in behalf of a Stranger who is suppos’d to have spoken some disrespectful Words of you, and who is apprehensive of the Resentment of your Company, as he is told they are exceedingly exasperated against him. He declares that the Words ascrib’d to him, are much...
113From Benjamin Franklin to [Joseph Priestley], 16 May 1775 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Benjamin Vaughan, ed., Political, Miscellaneous, and Philosophical Pieces . . . Written by Benj. Franklin . . . (London, 1779), pp. 550–1. You will have heard before this reaches you, of a march stolen by the regulars into the country by night, and of their expedition back again. They retreated 20 miles in [6] hours. The Governor had called the Assembly to propose Lord North’s...
114To Benjamin Franklin from Noble Wimberly Jones, 16 May 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Duke University Library The frequent accounts of your Intentions of leaving England, also unwilling to intrude on time taken up with Matters of Consiquence prevented my Writing as often as I otherwise should have done, however constrained by a real Esteem for a Gentleman so great a friend [of] Mankind in general and of American in particular will I trust plead my Excuse for thus...
115[Diary entry: 16 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
16. Dined at the City Tavern & Spent the Evening at Doctr. Shippens.
116[Diary entry: 16 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
16. Clear & pleasant. Evening a little Cool.
117From George Washington to Fairfax County Committee, 16 May 1775 (Washington Papers)
If I could have communicated any thing by the last Post certain and satisfactory, I should most assuredly have done it agreeable to my premise, but the only articles of Intelligence which came to my hands were containd in the Gazette, & went regularly to you—This is pretty much the case at present, and leaves me little to add as the Congress are again under the Tye of Secrecy in respect to...
118To Benjamin Franklin from Charles-Guillaume-Frédéric Dumas, 17 May 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): Library of Congress En attendant que j’aie l’avantage de répondre plus au long à la Lettre dont vous m’avez honoré de Londres par Mr. Rey en date du 24 fevr. 1774, Celle-ci vous sera présentée par Messieurs Giraud et Planier et leurs Epouses, quatre braves et honnêtes gens, qui pour l’amour du plus précieux de tous les biens de l’homme, pour l’amour de la liberté, ont quitté leur...
119[Diary entry: 17 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
17. Went to the Commencemt. at the College and dined at Mr. Saml. Griffins—after wch. attended a Comm[itt]ee at the Conistoga Waggon. GW attended the ceremony at the College of Philadelphia in his role as a member of the Continental Congress, which attended as a group. For a description of the commencement, see Pa. Packet , 15, 22, 29 May 1775. The Conestoga Wagon was a small inn on Market, or...
120[Diary entry: 17 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
17. Clear and pleasant in the forenoon but Cloudy & dropping of Rain afterwds.