From Benjamin Franklin to Barbeu-Dubourg, 19 June 1778
To Barbeu-Dubourg9
ALS: Library of Congress
Passy, June 19. 1778
Dear Sir
The great Point is to obtain the Consent of this Government to the making such an Equipment as is proposed. We apply’d yesterday for that Consent, and hope to have an Answer today. If favourable, your friend shall be gratified with a Commission immediately, on giving the necessary Security to observe our naval Regulations, and not to commit hostilities against any Nation but the English. I am ever, my dear Friend, Yours most affectionately
B Franklin
Mr Dubourg
Notations in different hands:1 To M. Dubourg 19 June 78. from B. Franklin / M. Franklin est bien faché de le malheureux Evenement qu’empeche
9. In answer, we are virtually certain, to his of the day before. Dubourg had not asked there that any particular friend be commissioned, but may have done so orally. He had asked for official co-operation, the subject of BF’s opening sentences.
1. The first notation is probably WTF’s. The second is almost certainly BF’s (the French is his beyond a doubt), and sounds less like a notation than like the beginning of a quite different letter. In that case the one we print is either a draft, which it shows no sign of being, or was not sent.