1From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Franklin, [before 1765] (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Benjamin Franklin, Experiments ana Observations on Electricity , 1769 edition, pp. 473–8. In its surviving printed form this letter is headed “To Mr. P. F. Newport, New England,” and since it begins “Dear Brother,” the person addressed could only have been Franklin’s brother, for many years a merchant and shipmaster in that town. Comparatively little is known of...
2From Benjamin Franklin to [Grey Cooper], [1764?–1775] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Frank Glenn, Kansas City, Missouri (1955) I used to put two Ounces of Bark finely powdered into a Bottle of Wine, and let it stand 24 Hours, in which time it will have given to the Wine a sufficient Quantity of its Virtue, and the Powder itself will be pretty well subsided. When I had drank two or three Glasses out of the Bottle, I used to fill it up with fresh Wine, because the Bark...
3To Benjamin Franklin from John Greenwood, [1764–1775] (Franklin Papers)
Printed card with MS insertions: Historical Society of Pennsylvania Takes the Liberty to inform Dr. Franklin and friends that he has Three very large and Capital Pictures just arrived, and to be seen at an empty House, almost opposite the Cocoa Tree, Pall Mall , from Ten in the Morning till Three o’Clock. On John Greenwood, Boston-born painter and art dealer, who moved from Amsterdam to London...
4To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, [1764–1765] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Pennsylvania Library I think you[r] Vindication is admirably well drawn up You make Mee Smile now and then with a keen back Stroke and then with a Home Thrust. It must Mortifie Allen for it cuts Him to the Quick. He has poisoned the Barclay Family. I wish you had one to spare to send my penny post Directed to Mr. David Barclay Junior in Cheapside. If you have them not to...
5Table of Revised Postal Rates, [1764] (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society On Sept. 21, 1764, Franklin and Foxcroft recommended that the proposed new postal act change the schedule of rates between colonial offices from one based chiefly on a few specified places to one stated in general terms of mileage alone, thereby eliminating several inconsistencies resulting from the earlier method. The postmasters general adopted this...
Printed forms (two) with MS insertions in blanks: Theodore Sheldon, Chicago (1954) The commission given by Franklin and William Hunter to Thomas Vernon as deputy postmaster at Newport, R.I., Dec. 24, 1754, is printed above, V , 451–2. With the text of that earliest known post-office commission signed by Franklin as deputy postmaster general appears a note listing five similar commissions known...
7From Benjamin Franklin to Francis Bernard, 11 January 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : The British Museum Having heard nothing from Virginia concerning your Son, I have at length thought the best and surest Way of bringing him safely here, will be to send from hence a sober trusty Person to conduct him up, who will attend him on the Road, &c. I have accordingly this Day agreed with Mr. Ennis, a very discreet Man, to make the Journey, who sets out to-morrow Morning. I shall...
8Argument for Making the Bills of Credit Bear Interest, [13–14 January? 1764] (Franklin Papers)
MS : American Philosophical Society On Dec. 20, 1763, the day Franklin resumed his seat in the Assembly after his long trip to New England, Governor John Penn transmitted to it letters from General Amherst and his successor as commander-in-chief, General Thomas Gage, demanding that the province raise and clothe one thousand men to act in concert with the regular troops against the Indians. In...
9From 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...
10From Benjamin Franklin to Anthony Todd, 16 January 1764 (Franklin Papers)
Extract: Public Record Office In my last I wrote you that Mr. Foxcroft, my Colleague, was gone to Virginia where and in Maryland some offices are yet unsettled. We are to meet again in April at Annapolis, and then shall send you a full Account of our Doings. I will now only just mention, that we hope in the Spring to expedite the Communication between Boston and New York, as we have already...
11To Benjamin Franklin from James Bowdoin, 18 January 1764 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Massachusetts Historical Society I am very glad to hear you got home Safe with your Daughter and Mr. Foxcroft without any further accident; and hope your arm has recovered it’s former Strength. I here enclose, open for your perusal, a Letter to Mr. Canton on the Subject I spoke to you about. If any thing should occur to you to improve the Telescope further than what is noticed...
12Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, 20 January 1764 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1763–1764 (Philadelphia, 1764), pp. 33–4. During the summer and early autumn of 1763 hostile Indians repeatedly attacked isolated settlements and farms on the Pennsylvania frontier, killing many whites, carrying others off into captivity, and driving the rest in terror from their homes to the relatively few garrisoned forts or...
13To Benjamin Franklin from Francis Bernard, 23 January 1764 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Harvard College Library I am favoured with yours of the 11th inst. and am much obliged to you for the trouble you have given yourself of sending a Messenger to Alexandria. I should have proposed this Measure long ago, if I had any Notion that the conveyance of letters to that Town had been so precarious: for tho’ I have had sevral letters from him, yet I cannot find that any...
14To Benjamin Franklin from Solomon Williams, 25 January 1764 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: Lyme Historical Society-Florence Griswold Association, Inc., Old Lyme, Conn. You Will Pardon this Trouble and My Freedom In using your Name When I inform you that Mr. Webster for Whom is the Enclosed Desired me thus to Make use of your Name to Carry a Letter to him with the Assurance that he had your Favorable permission for it. Since I have this Occasion to Speak to you Allow me sir in...
15To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Jackson, 26 January 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have wrote to you by every Packet that has sailed and one that has not, I mean that of the present Month, which not being in England at the time, has been detained for the next, in the mean time, I write a line or two, by a Merchant Vessel that sails tomorrow or next day. I got pretty early intelligence of Major Barker’s arrival in England, but at the...
16The Postmasters General to the Lords of the Treasury: Memorandum on the American Postal Service, 28 January 1764 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: General Post Office, London This document is preceded in the letterbook by a letter of the same date from Anthony Todd, secretary of the British Post Office, to Charles Jenkinson, secretary to the Treasury, indicating that the paper would be given to George Grenville “the beginning of next Week” and that Jenkinson might “depend on a Copy of it.” Todd probably prepared at least...
17A Narrative of the Late Massacres, [30 January? 1764] (Franklin Papers)
A Narrative of the Late Massacres, in Lancaster County, of a Number of Indians, Friends of this Province, By Persons Unknown. With some Observations on the same . Printed in the Year M , DCC , LXIV . (Yale University Library) News of the massacre of six Indians at Conestoga Manor by men from Paxton and Donegal, two communities on the Susquehanna, on December 14, 1763, reached Governor Penn on...
18Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, 11 February 1764 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1763–1764 (Philadelphia, 1764), p. 43. The plan of early January to send the Indians lodged on Province Island to Sir William Johnson for safety had failed because the New York authorities had refused to cooperate. Governor Penn received a letter on Saturday, January 21, from Capt. J. Schlosser of the Royal American Regiment...
19From 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...
20To Benjamin Franklin from Francis Bernard, 13 February 1764 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Harvard College Library I am favoured with yours of Jan 27. and have received one from my Son dated New York Feb 2 informing that being apprehensive of the badness of the Roads on the change of Weather, He had returned your Horse and intended to take his passage in the Newport packet boat with some other Gentlemen who were waiting for it. However He is not yet arrived. I am...
21From Benjamin Franklin to Catharine Greene, 15 February 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have before me your most acceptable Favour of Dec. 24. Publick Business and our public Confusions have so taken up my Attention, that I suspect I did not answer it when I receiv’d it, but am really not certain; so to make sure, I write this Line to acknowledge the Receiving it, and to thank you for it. I condole with you on the Death of the good old Lady...
22Pennsylvania Assembly Committee: Report, 21 February 1764 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1763–1764 (Philadelphia, 1764), pp. 50–1. When several clergymen and others went from Philadelphia to German-town on Monday, February 6, to talk with the Paxton Boys, they were given a “Declaration” of the frontiersmen’s grievances, which they brought back to the city and delivered to Governor Penn. Most of this paper is taken...
23From Benjamin Franklin to Francis Bernard, 21 February 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I ought sooner to have answered yours of the 23d past, but the dangerous Riots and Tumults we have lately had here, took up all our Attention. I hope Mr. Bernard is well with you before this Time. As our Navigation was stopt by the Ice, and it was uncertain when our River would be open, and a good Vessel offer for Boston, I thought it might be best for...
24From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, 24 February 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have taken the Liberty to trouble you with a Box put this Day on board the Sloop William Capt. Ephraim Jones, directed for you. In it is a Portmantle and Mail Pillon belonging to Mr. Bernard, your Governor’s Son, which please to send to the Governor’s as soon as it gets to hand: Also a Parcel for Sister Mecom; and some Books on Inoculation, which I should...
25To Benjamin Franklin from Francis Bernard, 1 March 1764 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Harvard College Library I am favoured with yours and shall immediately order the sum of £40 1 s . 10 d . (which I suppose is at 7 s . 6 d . per dollar) to be paid to Mr. Williams. There is still wanting the charge at Annapolis. I have heard that there has been a Dutch trading Ship seized at Anchor at Sandy hook. As the forfeiture arises from importing &c. Is it not worth...
26Pennsylvania Assembly Committee: Report, 6 March 1764 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1763–1764 (Philadelphia, 1764), pp. 57–8. On Feb. 25, 1764, a petition was read before the Assembly from a “Number” of inhabitants of Philadelphia, praying that debates in the House be henceforth open to the public and asking the House to adopt “a standing Order, that the Freemen of the Province shall have free Access, at all...
27To Benjamin Franklin from George Price, 7 March 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I would be wanting in Gratitude if I did not make some Acknowledgement for the honour of your Letters to Messrs: Timothy and Lemprie: My Name barely mentiond in them by you would have been sufficient but the Additional Compliment on my behaviour makes me as much at a loss how to Thank you as to restrain my Vanity. Mr: Timothy receiv’d me very kindly, but I...
28From 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....
29From Benjamin Franklin to John Canton, 14 March 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : The Royal Society When I left London, I promis’d myself the pleasure of a regular Correspondence with you and some others of the ingenious Gentlemen that compos’d our Club. But after so long an Absence from my Family and Affairs, I found, as you will easily conceive, so much Occupation, that philosophical Matters could not be attended to; and my last Summer was almost wholly taken up in...
30From Benjamin Franklin to John Fothergill, 14 March 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I received your Favour of the 10th. of Decemr. It was a great deal for one to write, whose Time is so little his own. By the way, When do you intend to live? i.e. to enjoy Life. When will you retire to your Villa, give your self Repose, delight in Viewing the Operations of Nature in the vegetable Creation, assist her in her Works, get your ingenious Friends at...