1From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 18 September 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society I shall be very happy to see my dear Friend if it may be without Inconvenience to him; and the sooner the happier. The Duke de Chaulnes, who was with me last Night, has ask’d me to dine with him on Sunday, when he expected you: But that is a long time for me to wait; And I cannot think of another Place where a Meeting with me would not occasion Speculation....
2From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 5 May 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress I received my very dear Friend’s Letter of the 9th April, with the Pacquet accompanying it. I leave the whole Management of that Edition in your Hands with great Confidence, as I am sure my Pieces will be improv’d by your Attention to the Matters you mention.— I have sent a little Paper to Dr Ingenhauss, which I have desired him to give to you, or to Dr Priestly...
3From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 9 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft) and two copies: Library of Congress I have received several kind Letters from you which I have not regularly answered. They gave me however great Pleasure, as they acquainted me with your Welfare, and that of your Family & other Friends: and I hope you will continue writing to me as often as you can do it conveniently. I thank you much for the great Care & Pains you have taken in...
4From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 8 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received your favour of Nov. 2. in which I see you have started a good deal of philosophical Game; let me know from time to time your success and send me some of the Venison. Mr. fabrony call’d to see me, but express’d no desire of altering his Voyage, and proceeded immediately to Italy. I received also yours of Jan. 4. with the Sheets of the appendix but I have not...
5From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 15 June 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received duly the large Parcel of Letters and Papers you favoured me with by Mr. Austin, to which I shall when I can get a little time, answer particularly. I received also a Box, containing 12 of the 4tos. and 4 of the 8vos. in boards, with the spanish Dictionary and Grammar, and I think some Pamphlets. A bound 4to. is also come to hand, I know not whether from you...
6From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 22 November 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I received your late Favour without date, and immediately ordered 100 £ Sterling in the Hands of Mr Hodgson to be at the Disposition of Mr President Laurens. Please to inform me how he does. My last Informations which came from the Lieut of the Tower thro’ Sir Grey Cooper, were that he was very well, & that he was perfectly satisfied with the Treatment...
7From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 10 July 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Press copy of ALS : Kaller’s Historical Documents, Inc., New Jersey (2002) I have before me your several Favours of June 7, June 17, & July 9. The Box sent to Mr. Bowens at Ostend is also come to hand. It contain’d a Dozen 4to Vols. of my Writings, and a Number of Pamphlets which you have been so good as to chuse for me; but the Remembrancers, & Registers bought for me by Mr Young, and left by...
8From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 11 July 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : partially reproduced in Christie’s auction catalogue, “Important Autograph Letters from the Historical Archives at Bowood House” (London, Oct. 12, 1994), p. 34; William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), II , 388–9. In mine of yesterday, which went by Mr Young, I made no mention of yours of May 11. it not being...
9From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 19 January 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : William L. Clements Library I should have been at Versailles this Morning as you desired, tho’ I had no clear Conception, from what you said to me, how my going could be of Use; but late last Night I received a Note from M. de V. [Vergennes] which postpones the Interview till tomorrow at 10 aClock. Your Brother tells me that you would have come out here to day if you had not imagined I...
10From John Adams to Benjamin Vaughan, 14 February 1783 (Adams Papers)
M r Charles Storer, of Boston who has for Sometime past made one of my Family, will have the Honour to deliver you this. On Account of his amiable Qualities and his Discretion, I have presumed to introduce him to you, relying at the Sametime on your Goodness to excuse me for taking Such a Freedom. We expect every hour, and with not a little of Impatience, an Account of the Debates upon the...
11From John Adams to Benjamin Vaughan, 12 March 1783 (Adams Papers)
M r. Storer arrived yesterday with your favor of 25 th. Ult o. — I thank You for the Pamphlets, which are an Amusement in this place, how little soever there is in them of Sense or Candor. The Refugees however seem to judge right in their own Affair— Sensible that they have no Claim at all upon America for Compensation, they demand it of Great Britain, upon whom the pretensions of some of them...
12From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, [c. 21 March 1783] (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), II , 227–8. You mention that I may now see verified all you said about binding down England to so hard a peace. I suppose you do not mean by the American treaty; for we were exceeding favourable in not insisting on the reparations so justly due for the wanton...
13From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 23 March 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote to you a few Days since by Mr Williams, but I omitted some Newspapers which I had intended to send by him: I now inclose them. They contain sundry Articles relating to the Barbarities exercis’d by the British in America; and as you had borrow’d of me a Paper containing an Account of those committed by Lord Cornwallis, and thought there might be some...
14From John Jay to Benjamin Vaughan, 28 March 1783 (Jay Papers)
Whence came the Idea that the moment a Minister loses a Question in Parli ^ a ^ ment, he must be disp ^ l ^ aced? That Kings should adopt such a maxim is it not very unnatural, but that a free Parliam t . should think an influential Dictator over them necessary to the Governm t . of the kingdom seems rather a new opinion. Parhaps it arose gradually from the Practices of the Court, and the...
15From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 22 August 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library This Line will be presented to you by a very ingenious Gentleman, M. Kempel, inventor of the Automaton that plays at Chess. He has other Inventions in Mechanics of a more useful Nature, which he has Thoughts of communicating in England, if he can meet with Encouragement. I beg leave to recommend him to your Civilities & Counsels, and am ever, with sincere Esteem &...
16From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 8 October 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Mrs. Frances V. Finletter, Philadelphia (1956) I cannot let this Opportunity of Mr. Jay’s going to London, pass without Dropping a Line to you, to say that I am tolerably well and love you as much as ever; and that I wish to hear from you oftner, tho’ I am so bad a Correspondent as not to deserve it. I find I have, left, four of my Vols. on Electricity, and none of your Collection. If Mr...
17From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 17 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: American Philosophical Society Since I wrote to you respecting Dr. Withering, I have received a very satisfactory Letter from him. So this Affair need not give you father [farther] Trouble.— I am sorry to hear you are hurt by a Fall from your Horse. I hope the Effects will not be lasting; and that by this time you are recover’d. It will give me great Pleasure to hear that our...
18From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 29 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), III , 466. I received your kind letters of the 16th and 20th instant. I thank you for your philosophical news. We have none here. I see your philosophers are in the way of finding out at last what fire is. I have long been of opinion that it exists every where...
19From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, July 26[–c. 15 August 1784] (Franklin Papers)
LS , copy, and transcript: Library of Congress I have received several Letters from you lately, dated June 16th. June 30, & July 13. I thank you for the Information respecting the Proceedings of your West India Merchants, or rather Planters: The Restraints whatever they may be upon our Commerce with your Islands, will prejudice their Inhabitants, I apprehend, more than us. It is wonderful how...
20From John Jay to Benjamin Vaughan, 2 September 1784 (Jay Papers)
The far greater part of our ^ my ^ Time since our ^ my ^ arrival has been passed in the Country so that several Vessels have lately gone to Europe without Letters from us ^ me ^ to our Friends there. During my Absence your Family passed thro here on their way to Albany—they carried ^
21From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 7 September 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Library of Congress This will be delivered to you by Count Mirabeau Son of the Marquis of that Name; Author of LAmi des Hommes. This Gentleman is esteemed here, and I recommend him to your Civilities and Counsels, particularly with respect to the Printing of a Piece he has written on the subject of hereditary Nobility, on occasion of the Order of Cincinnati lately attempted to be...
22From John Jay to Benjamin Vaughan, 30 November 1784 (Jay Papers)
A sufficient N o . of members to form a Congress not having arrived at Trenton, I passed on to this place ten Days ago to visit my old Friends. I found your Family well and am happy in this opportunity of cultivating their acquaintance. They seem not yet to have concluded on entirely on the Place of their Residence, and therefore I have ob there is still Room for me to hope it may be not be...
23From George Washington to Benjamin Vaughan, 5 February 1785 (Washington Papers)
I pray you to accept my acknowledgement of your polite letter of 31st of October; & thanks for the flattering expressions of it. These are also due in a very particular manner to Doctr Price, For the honorable mention he has made of the American General, in his excellent observations on the importance of the American revolution—“Addressed to the free and united States of America” which I have...
24From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 5 March 1785 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received yesterday your kind Letter of the 23d past, with a Pacquet of Books and Pamphlets. I am much oblig’d by your friendly Attention in sending them. I have as yet only had time to run over the Thoughts on Executive Justice. They have given Rise to some Thoughts in my Mind on the same Subject, which perhaps I may communicate to you in my next. I am...
25From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 14 March 1785 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft), press copy of L , and transcript: Library of Congress Among the Pamphlets you lately sent me, was one intitled Thoughts on Executive Justice. In return for that I send you a French one on the same Subject, Observations concernant l’Execution de l’Article II de la Declaration sur le Vol. They are both address’d to the Judges, but written as you will see in a very different Spirit....
26From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Vaughan, 29 December 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
When I had the honour of seeing you in London, you were so kind as to permit me to trouble you sometimes with my letters and particularly on the subject of Mathematical or philosophical instruments. Such a correspondence will be too agreeable to me, and at the same time too useful, not to avail myself of your permission. It has been an opinion pretty generally received among philosophers that...
27From John Adams to Benjamin Vaughan, [ante 2 April 1787] (Adams Papers)
I am very much mortified to loose the Pleasure and Advantage of an Excursion to Windsor, to see M r Herschell in Such Company: but the State of my Family is such that I cannot justify leaving it.— M rs Smith is in Travel and the Anxiety occasioned by this Event has made M rs Adams so much worse, that I should be very bad Company at Windsor, and what is more decisive, it becomes my Duty to stay...
28From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Vaughan, 2 July 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Feb. 16. came to my hands in the moment I was setting out on a tour through the Southern parts of France and Northern of Italy, from which I am but just now returned. I avail myself of the earliest moment to acknolege it’s receipt and to thank you for the box of magnets which I find here. Tho I do not know certainly by or from whom they come, I presume they came by Colo. Smith...
29From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Vaughan, 23 July 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of April 5. 1788. covering that also of Jan. 26.–87 did not miscarry; but I have been prevented answering it by a long journey through Holland and Germany, and by a necessary attention to some pressing matters in the first moments after my return. In fact, I was occupied on the subject of Hygrometers and preparing to write to you, when I received your favor of the 11th. inst. This...
30From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Vaughan, 11 March 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Knowing how ready you are to interest yourself in whatever may promote the happiness of mankind I take the liberty of addressing you on a subject very interesting to a part of the United states. You know that the several species of rice cultivated in Piedmont, Egypt and Carolina require to be laid under water during a certain season of the year, and therefore occasion pestilential fevers which...
31From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Vaughan, 17 May 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I am to acknolege, all together, the receipt of your favors of Mar. 17. 26. and May 7. and to return you abundant thanks for your attention to the article of Dry rice, and the parcel of seeds you sent me. This is interesting, because even should it not take place of the wet rice in S. Carolina, it will enable us to cultivate this grain in Virginia, where we have not lands disposed for the wet...
32From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Vaughan, 13 September 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I am still to thank you for the grains of dry rice, the copy of the corn report, and the Number of the repository. The latter I gave to Mr. Stuart according to your desire, as I had one before. Should the age of the rice have destroyed it’s vegetative principle, I shall still hope, from the other resources you have been so good as to apply to, as well as the measures I have taken and shall...
33From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Vaughan, 27 June 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of March 27. came duly to hand on the 12th.inst. as did your very valuable present of the dry rice brought from the Moluccas by Lieut. Bligh. I immediately sent a few seeds to Virginia where I am in hopes there would still be force of summer sufficient to mature it. I reserve a little for next spring besides sowing some in pots, from which I have now 23. young plants just come up. I...
34From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Vaughan, 11 May 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
It is rare that my public occupations will permit me to take up the pen for my private correspondencies however desireable to me. This must be my apology for being so late in acknowleging the reciept of your favors of Sep. 21 Oct. 21. Dec. 2. and 16. and Jan. 6. The parcels of Mountain rice from Timor came to hand too late in the last season to produce seed. I have sowed this spring some of...
35From John Adams to Benjamin Vaughan, 20 November 1791 (Adams Papers)
I am very much obliged to you for your kind letter by the Earl of Wycombe, a Nobleman who in his short visit to America, has acquired much esteem, and excited no regret but that his residence was no longer. Mr. Hammond too has been publickly received, and will be much respected in his public, and greatly esteemed in his private character. Your letters Sir would have allways given me pleasure;...
36From John Jay to Benjamin Vaughan, 31 August 1797 (Jay Papers)
I had this afternoon the pleasure of recieving your favor of the 18 Inst.— M rs . Jay joins with me in sincerely congratulating you & your amiable Family on your arrival in this Country— May your Expectations of Happiness in it be perfectly realized. The Reasons which have determined you to settle on the Kennebeck, I can easily concieve are cogent; but I flatter myself you will sometimes find...
37From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Vaughan, 31 August 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
I have to acknolege the reciept of your favor of July 20. and have read with great pleasure the piece it contained. I have just heard too of the publication of a pamphlet which I had expected with impatience, as I am sure it will convey to the world some truths which require some caution in their conveyance. The mind of the people is not prepared to recieve them abruptly. Your manner is well...
38From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Vaughan, 31 March 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 15th. is put into my hand, just as I am mounting my horse for Monticello, where I shall be about three weeks making some domestic arrangements for my final settlement here. I stop to thank you for your kind congratulations & still more for your judicious observations on the circumstances of my position. one counsel will be very difficult, to draw the veil of confidence over a...
39From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Vaughan, 7 June 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
I am favored by your letter of May 4. on the subject of Aliens, and edified by that as by all your letters. the right of declaring the condition of aliens, being divided between the general & particular governments it is not probable we shall ever see uniform laws on that subject. Congress may say who shall be citizens, and under what circumstances Aliens may hold offices under the General...
40Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Vaughan, 23 June 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
I am much indebted for your kind attentions to the confirmation of my health, as well as to D r Physic for the interest he has been so good as to take in it. of the value of the medical advice you have been so friendly as to give and to collect for me, no one can be more sensible than myself. these dispositions, so kindly manifested by you, assure me you will learn with satisfaction that since...