21James Parker: Valuation of the Printing Office, 27 January 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ADS : Columbia University Library The partnership agreement between Franklin and Hall provided that at its termination Hall should “have the Preference of purchasing the said Printing-Presses, Types and Materials (if he shall be so disposed . . .) at their present Value, allowing for the Wear thereof what shall be judged a reasonable Abatement, considering the Time they shall have been used”...
22“N.N.”: Reply to Vindex Patriae on American Representation in Parliament, 29 January 1766 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser , January 29, 1766 This letter was not reprinted in the Pennsylvania Chronicle among those attributed to Franklin, but the signature “N.N.” is the same as that he had used in two earlier replies to “Vindex Patriae” on political and legal aspects of their controversy the authorship of which appears well established. The style is...
23Magna Britannia: Her Colonies Reduc’d, [January–February 1766] (Franklin Papers)
“Explanation” and “Moral” reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D. F.R.S. &c. (quarto edition, London, 1817–18), i, 219–20. Philadelphia “Explanation” reprinted from print in American Philosophical Society Library. Among the methods Franklin used during the winter of 1765–66 to gain support for the repeal of the Stamp Act was the...
24Fragments of a Pamphlet on the Stamp Act, [January 1766] (Franklin Papers)
Plan, notes, rough draft, and fair copy: American Philosophical Society During the period of agitation and discussion before the repeal of the Stamp Act Franklin began to prepare a pamphlet to supplement his letters to the newspapers. No published pamphlet that he might have written has been found, and it is probable that, well before he had finished writing, the movement for repeal had gained...
25To Benjamin Franklin from William Dunlap, 1 February 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society It is now upwards of a Twelve month since I sail’d from Philadelphia for Barbados, in order to inspect into the State of my Affairs there, and if possible procure some Kind of Subsistance on the Spot that might Support my Family: When I arriv’d, I found my little Interest on the Island badly regulated, and the Partnership Accounts in worse Order; the...
26James Parker: Final Report on the Franklin and Hall Accounts, 1 February 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ADS : Haverford College Library (2 copies), Historical Society of Pennsylvania (1 copy) According to the agreement between Franklin and David Hall, Jan. 1, 1748 (above, III , 263–7), their printing partnership was to commence on Jan. 21, 1748 (new style), and continue for eighteen years. The agreement provided that Franklin was to furnish the presses, type, and other printing equipment; Hall...
27[William Hall]: Account of Benjamin Franklin with the Estate of David Hall, [1 February 1766] (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society After the partnership of Franklin and Hall had come to an end and James Parker had completed his examination of the books, as reported in the document immediately above, David Hall opened an account of his financial relations with his former partner. From time to time he sent Franklin a statement of the transactions shown in his records, but neither man...
28To Benjamin Franklin from James Parker, 3 February 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (first and longer version): Columbia University Library; ALS (second and shorter version): New York Public Library After completing his examination of the Franklin and Hall accounts and drawing up a report, James Parker wrote this letter to accompany one copy of the report he planned to send to Franklin by the New York packet. He then copied the first long paragraph that deals with the...
29Observations on Mr. Parker’s State of the Account, [undated] (Franklin Papers)
AD : Haverford College Library This undated document is placed here for convenience because it relates so closely to Parker’s final report on the accounts between Franklin and Hall, Feb. 1, 1766 (above, pp. 87–99), and his letter of February 3 about that report (immediately above). Franklin could hardly have received the report and letter before the middle of March 1766, but they had reached...
30To Benjamin Franklin from Deborah Franklin, [5–8 February? 1766] (Franklin Papers)
AL (incomplete) : American Philosophical Society [ First part missing ] as I am a lone [ torn ] down to Chat a littel with you all thow I have not aney thing extray[ordinary to say. I] have had Parker hear for 3 weeks under a viloant fitt of the Goute in [the limbs] and the Stumack he ses his harte I say it was the stamp ackte or the illnes of his Son but be it as it will he is better and went...