To George Washington from John Hancock, 4 December 1776
From John Hancock
Philada Decr 4th 1776.
Sir,
The Congress apprehending that, in the present State of the Army, and Situation of our Affairs, an Exchange of Governor Franklin might be prejudicial, and attended with some bad Consequences, have been induced to come to the above Resolution, which I transmit by their Directions.1 I have the Honour to be, with the utmost Esteem & Respect, Sir your most obed. Sert
John Hancock Prest
Your favr of 3d Inst. just came to hand.
LS, DLC:GW. The postscript is in Hancock’s writing. Hancock also addressed the cover to GW “At Trenton” and signed it.
1. Above this letter on the manuscript page there are copies of two resolutions of 3 Dec., one directing GW, “in Case he has not entered into a Negotiation with General Howe for exchanging Govr Franklin for General Thompson, to suspend the Execution of that Matter, till further Orders” and the other one directing the Board of War “to have the Prisoners now at Bristol, removed from thence back into the Country” (DLC:GW; see also , 6:1002, 1004).