To James Madison from Richard Bache, 10 April 1818
From Richard Bache
Pha 10 Ap 1818
Dear Sir,
I have returned you the pamphlet1 which you had the goodness to send me, & for which I am much indebted to you; I hope it will arrive safe. The writing on the title page, is either that of my Father or Dr Franklin, they wrote very much alike, and it is rather too much defaced to decide. The piece,2 I have no doubt, was written by my Grand Father, it has given me much pleasure to reprint it, which has been encreased, by the recollection of the source from which it came to my hands. Accept my dear sir, my best wishes for the continued health & happiness of yourself & Mrs Madison; and believe me very truly & very respectfully yrs
Rich Bache
RC (DLC). Docketed by JM.
2. For “the piece,” see ibid., n. 2. Bache reprinted it in the 8 Apr. 1818 issue of the Philadelphia Franklin Gazette, prefaced by this note: “We are indebted to the kindness of a distinguished and valuable friend, for the following, who thinks it bears internal evidence of being from the pen of Dr. Franklin. He was in England at that period, and we know no other person who possessed similar sentiments, with the willingness to express them in the same boldness of style. We, however, can never regret being the means of saving from oblivion, so genuine a proof of national feeling, be its author whom it may.”