1From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 6 December 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your Favour of the 29th June, with the curious astronomical Piece, for which please to accept my Thanks. Our Vessel fitted out for the Discovery of a Northwest Passage, is return’d without entring Hudson’s Bay, being prevented by unusual Quantities of Ice. She has, however, made some Discoveries of the Harbours on the Labrador Coast, that may be...
2From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 12 December 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received here your Favour of the 9th of Augt. and have forwarded that directed to our Friend Mr. Elliot. I thank you for your Remarks on the French Maps: We have a new Map going forward in Pensilvania, of the Western Country, or back Parts of our Province, and Virginia, and the Ohio and Lakes, &c. by Lewis Evans, who is for that purpose furnished with all...
3From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 7 October 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I receiv’d your Favour of the 17th June per Mr. Winslow, with a Paper inclos’d, that has given me very great Pleasure. I thank you for it sincerely, which is all I can now do, being just setting out on a Journey to Virginia. I fear I cannot at present be impartial enough to give you a just State of our Provincial Disputes. I am perhaps too much engag’d in...
4From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 2 December 1762 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I arrived here well on the 1st. ultimo and had the Pleasure to find all false that Dr. Smith had reported about the Diminution of my Friends. My House has been fill’d with a Succession of them from Morning to Night almost ever since I landed to congratulate me on my Return; and I never experienc’d greater Cordiality among them. The new Assembly had met and...
5From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 6 December 1762 (Franklin Papers)
ALS , duplicate LS , and (incomplete) draft: American Philosophical Society I have already wrote to you via New York, but hear my Letter did not reach the Pacquet; so this may come first to hand. I arrived the 1st. of November, after a long but pleasant Passage, having in general fair Winds and good Weather; but being in a Convoy could sail no faster than the slowest. I had the Happiness to...
6From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 8 March 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The enclos’d is a Copy of my last. The Preliminaries of Peace, on which I congratulate you, are since come to hand, and are universally approved of in these Parts. While we retain our Superiority at Sea, and are suffer’d to grow numerous and strong in North America, I cannot but look on the Places left or restor’d to our Enemies on this Side the Ocean, as...
7From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 11 April 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am now to acquaint you that the Assembly of this Province have unanimously made Choice of you as their sole Agent, and have united the two Salaries of £100, which they formerly paid to Mr. Partridge and Mr. Charles, by voting £200 Sterling as your Salary. I hope this Appointment will not be disagreable to you, as I think I had your Permission to name you...
8From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 17 April 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote you a long Letter of the 8th and 29th of March on various Subjects, too long to copy unless it should be lost. But as Messrs. Coxe are sending Copies of their Request and Power to you, I must repeat so much of my Letter as related thereto. [Here Franklin copied verbatim the long paragraph which formed the largest part of the postscript dated March...
9From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 6 June 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Supposing the Catalogue of our American Ores and Minerals collected by the late Mr. Hazard, might afford you some Amusement, I send my Letter to Mr. Tissington open to you, and give you the Trouble of forwarding it to him when you have perus’d it. The Bearer of this is Mr. James Logan Son of my Learned Friend of that Name. I beg Leave to recommend him to...
10From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 10 June 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have your Favours of Mar. 10. and April 4. Your being in Parliament gives me great Pleasure; it will afford you many Opportunities of patronizing effectually the important Interests of your America. I rejoice to hear your Work is finished: and feel already the Obligations we shall all be under to you for it. You mention a Proposal to charge us here with...
11From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 27 June 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Since my Arrival here, News is brought from all Quarters of the Indians having suddenly and pretty generally commenc’d Hostilities, without having first made any Complaint, or alledging any Reason. I find the General is of Opinion, that it is the Effect of a large Belt sent last Year among them by the French Commander in the Ilinois Country, which was stopt...
12From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 8 August 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Being here on the Business of the Post-Office, I have received your obliging Favour of May 19. which I shall answer by the next Pacquet. At present I have only time to introduce to you Col. Dyer, the Bearer of this Letter, a Gentleman of Character and Reputation in your Colony of Connecticut. He goes to England to lay the Affair of their Purchase on...
13From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 22 September 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society As I write in pain with a lately dislocated Arm, I can do little more than acknowledge the Receipt of you several Favours of Apr. 7. May 19. and June 18. all which I shall answer more fully when I get home, where I hope to be in about three Weeks; at the Meeting of our new Assembly; when I shall procure the Change you desire to be made in the Vote of...
14From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 19 December 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I must not let these Ships go without a Line to you, tho’ I have but little to say. I have been from home all Summer, and am but lately return’d, so know but little of our province Affairs; I suppose Mr. Moore or some of the Committee of Correspondence have communicated to you what was necessary. The present Assembly at their first Meeting renew’d their...
15From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 24 December 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Since my last of the 19th Inst. which went per Budden, our Assembly have voted a Compliance with General Amherst’s Requisition of 1000 Men from this Province, to act offensively in the Spring against the Indians. This is the more remarkable, as this Province us’d to be reckon’d backward in such Measures, and New York and the Jersies, have just set us but an...
16From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 16 January 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have just now receiv’d your Favour of Nov. 12. and hear the Packet is to return directly from New York, while I have scarce time to write a Line before the Post goes. The House have past a Bill to pay the other Colonies what was over-receiv’d by us; which Bill is now before the Governor. We have lately had horrid Rioting on our Frontiers. The Inhabitants...
17From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 11 February 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have just received your Favour by the extra Packet of Nov. 26. and am pleas’d to find a just Resentment so general in your House against Mr. W.’s seditious Conduct, and to hear that the present Administration is like to continue. If Money must be raised from us to support 14 Batallions, as you mention, I think your Plan the most advantageous to both the...
18From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 8 March 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I hear our Money Bill is to come down this Day from the Governor with a Negative. It comply’d with four of the Stipulations made at the Council Board, viz. 1. The Proprietaries unappropriated Lands are explicitly exempted from Taxation. 2. Provincial Commissioners of Appeal are appointed. 3. The Paper Currency is made no legal Tender to the Proprietaries....
19From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 14 March 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote to you on the 8th Instant, intending that Letter via Bristol, but it goes with this. The Bill I mention’d is since come down with an absolute Refusal, as the Proprietary Instructions were not comply’d with, to have his Town Lots exempted, and his best located unimprov’d Lands rated no higher than the lowest of the People’s. The House, extreamly...
20From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 29 March 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society In my last I inform’d you that the Agreement between the Governor and Assembly was not likely long to continue. The enclos’d Paper will show you that the Breach is wider now than ever. And ’tis thought there will be a general Petition from the Inhabitants to the Crown, to take us under its immediate Government. I send you this early Notice of what is...
21From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 31 March 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote to you pretty largely on the 14th Instant, and yesterday a small Letter enclosing a Newspaper, with the late Proceedings of the House. In the former I acquainted you, that our first Money Bill was rejected by the Governor, and that the House would prepare another, which they accordingly did, and herewith you have a Copy of it. By that, and by the...
22From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 1 May 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have receiv’d your Favours of Dec. 27. Jan. 14. Jan. 26. and Feb. 11. I wrote to you Dec. 24. Jan. 16. Feb. 11. March 8. 14. and 31. I could wish your Letters would from time to time mention which of mine come to hand. Since my last I have had a Conversation with Mr. William Coxe, on the Subject of our being at any or no Expence in the Pursuit of their...
23From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 1 June 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society My last to you was of the 1st. of May, since which I am favour’d with yours of the 13th. of February and 10th. March. We are oblig’d to you for deferring the propos’d Stamp Act. I hope, for Reasons heretofore mention’d, it will never take Place. We see in the Papers that an Act is pass’d for granting certain Duties on Goods in the British Colonies, &c. but...
24From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 18 June 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received yours of the 13th. April, which I shall answer fully per Hammet, who is to sail in about 10 Days. By that Ship you will also receive a Letter from the Committee with the Petitions to the King, mention’d in my former Letters. I wrote you a long one via Bristol, of the 1st Instant, to which I refer, and beg you would per first Opportunity be very...
25From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 25 June 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We here esteem ourselves greatly oblig’d to you for your unwearied Endeavours in and out of Parliament to prevent Measures hurtful both to the Colonies and to the Mother Country. Several Letters from People at home to their American Friends, have been printed in the Papers of the different Provinces, mentioning in the strongest Terms your Zeal for the...
26From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 12 July 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society By Capt. Hammet, who lately sail’d from hence, the Committee wrote to you, and sent you the Petition to the King. By this Conveyance they send you some other Papers. The Proprietary Party are endeavouring to stir up the Presbyterians to join in a Petition against a Change of Government: what that [Endea] vour will produce I cannot say. I hope soon to...
27From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 9 August 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Two Packets successively are arriv’d without my having a Line from you: So I suppose you have been in the Country, or perhaps have wrote by the Ship Mr. Allen comes in, which is not yet arriv’d. I never more wanted to hear from you, as you must long since have heard of our Convulsions. I can now only acquaint you, that Counter Petitions to the Crown are...
28From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 1 September 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS American Philosophical Society I wrote a few Lines to you the 9th. of last Month, expressing some Impatience that I had miss’d hearing from you by two Packets. But soon after I had the Pleasure of receiving yours of June 4, and 14. the last by Mr. Allen. I am glad to learn that our Construction of the Article relating to the Proprietor’s located uncultivated Lands is not like to be...
29From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 20 September 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I receiv’d your Favour of June 30. but no Line by this Pacquet. Things are here as they have been for some time past: Except that the Proprietary Party begin to doubt the Success they promis’d themselves at the next Election. Mr. Allen has exerted himself in the House to persuade a Recall of the Petition, but as far as I can perceive, without the least...
30Pennsylvania Assembly: Instructions to Richard Jackson, 22 September 1764 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1763–1764 (Philadelphia, 1764), pp. 105–6. A quorum of the Assembly gathered on September 11 to begin the short final session before its dissolution. The next day Speaker Franklin laid before the House an extract from the journal of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, June 13, 1764, together with the letter to himself...