31From Benjamin Franklin to Josiah Tucker, 22 February 1774 (Franklin Papers)
Copy and transcript: Library of Congress I received your Favour of yesterday. If the Substance of what you have charged me with is right, I can have but little concern about any mistakes in the Circumstances: Whether they are rectified or not will be immaterial. But knowing the Substance to be wrong, and believing that you can have no desire of continuing in an Error, prejudicial to any Man’s...
32From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Cooper, 25 February 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : British Museum I thank you much for your respected Favours of Nov. 10. Dec. 17. and 20. and for the satisfactory Intelligence they contained. I condole with you most sincerely on your great Loss. I have written a pretty full Account to the Speaker of the Treatment their Petition and their Agent have received here. My Letter went in Symes, and probably you may have seen it before this can...
33Request for a Reprinting, 26 February 1774 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser , February 26, 1774. In a morning paper of Saturday last, there was a long letter of Dr. Franklin’s, in answer to a letter, containing very important queries respecting American affairs. These letters were written so long ago as the year 1769. But both the queries, and the answer to them, are so important, and so interesting at the present...
34From Benjamin Franklin to Josiah Tucker, 26 February 1774 (Franklin Papers)
Copy and transcript: Library of Congress I thank you for the Frankness with which you have communicated to me the Particulars of the Information you had received relating to my supposed Application to Mr. Grenville for a Place in the American Stamp-Office. As I deny that either your former or later Informations are true, it seems incumbent on me for your Satisfaction to relate all the...
35An Open Letter to Lord Buckinghamshire, [4 March 1774] (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Public Advertiser , March 9, 1774. You gave us Reason to expect some Weeks ago that you would move the House of Peers with a Subject of some Importance. The Public was amused, as the Custom is on such Occasions, with guessing what the Subject might be. It is now said that you intended to bring on the Affairs of North America, but the Motion is deferred till some further Accounts...
36From Benjamin Franklin to The Public Ledger, [after 9 March 1774] (Franklin Papers)
AD (draft): American Philosophical Society; copy: Library of Congress Nothing can equal the present Rage of our Ministerial Writers against our Brethren in America, who have the Misfortune to be Whigs in a Reign when Whiggism is out of Fashion, who are besides Protestant Dissenters and Lovers of Liberty. One may easily see from what Quarter comes the Abuse of those People in the Papers; their...
37From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Shipley, 10 March 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library In Page 26 and seq. of the oldest of these Pamphlets, and Page 64 and seq. of the newest, your Lordship will find the Subject of Communication with Settlements on the Ohio pretty fully handled. The Rarity of Goods brought from distant Countries makes People willing to give such an additional Price for them as more than compensates the Charge of Carriage. A...
38Paragraph on the Treatment of Massachusetts, 14 March 1774 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Public Advertiser , March 14, 1774. It is proper the Public should be informed, that while every Species of Falshood, Invective and Abuse is daily uttered in every Newspaper against the People of Massachusetts Bay; while they are branded as Rebels, Insurgents, &c. while W——e is hired to calumniate them in Speeches and M——t in Pamphlets; the Representatives are absolutely...
39From Benjamin Franklin to Jan Ingenhousz, 18 March 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Harvard University Library I have lately been favoured with yours of the 24th past. I am very sensible of your Kindness in the Concern you express on Account of the late Attack on my Character before the Privy Council and in the Papers. Be assured, my good Friend, that I have done nothing unjustifiable, nothing but what is consistent with the Man of Honour, and with my Duty to my King...
40From Benjamin Franklin to Giambatista Beccaria, 20 March 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): American Philosophical Society; additions after the signature retranslated from the Italian in Giuseppe A. F. G. Eandi, Memorie istoriche intorno gli studi del padre Giambatista Beccaria … ([Turin,] 1783), p. 151. I have receiv’d several of your Favours lately relating to the Edition of your Book in English, which I have put into the Hands of the Translator, who will...
41From Benjamin Franklin to the Marquis de Condorcet, 20 March 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society I am ashamed that my late continued Embarras in public Affairs, should have so long prevented my answering the Letter you honoured me with, of the 2d Decr. last. I transmitted your Queries to our Society at Philadelphia, where they will be well considered, and full Answers will be sent you. On my Return thither which I am now preparing for, I shall...
42From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 22 March 1774 (Franklin Papers)
AL (copy): Public Record Office I received your Favour of Jan. 23. I suppose we never had since we were a People, so few Friends in Britain. The violent Destruction of the Tea seems to have united all Parties here against our Province, so that the Bill now brought into Parliament for shutting up Boston as a Port till Satisfaction is made, meets with no Opposition. An Alteration in our Charter...
43From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 23 March 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society A violent Cold which affects my Head and Eyesight, makes it inconvenient to me to write much; yet I would not miss the Opportunity of giving you this Line just to let you know that I am otherwise as usual. I hope you and yours are well, and am ever Your affectionate Brother
44From Benjamin Franklin to Charles and Edward Dilly, 25 March 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library The Bearer Mr. James Adair is well recommended to me from America, as a Person of Credit and Veracity, whose Accounts of what he has seen among the Indians of various Nations with whom he traded and resided many Years, may be relied on. He has a M.S. of his own Composing on Indian Affairs, Customs, Manners, Opinions, &c. which contains many curious particulars;...
45The Petition to the House of Lords against the Boston Port Bill, [26 March 1774]: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Summary of DS : House of Lords Library In late March three petitions against the bill, from Americans in London and a few Englishmen with American connections, were presented to the three branches of the legislature. All were the handiwork of Arthur Lee, and Franklin was a signer. The first was delivered to the House of Commons on the 25th, the second to the Lords on the 28th, and the third to...
46Franklin’s Contributions to a Pamphlet by George Whatley, March 1774 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in [George Whatley,] Principles of Trade, Fredom and Protection Are Its Best Suport: Industry, the Only Means to Render Manufactures Cheap. Of Coins; Exchange; and Bountys: Particularly the Bounty on Corn. By a Well-Wisher to His King and Country. With an Appendix. Containing Reflections on Gold, Silver, and Paper Passing as Mony. The Second Edition Corrected and Enlarg’d . … (London,...
47An Open Letter to Lord Buckinghamshire, 2 April 1774 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Public Advertiser , April 2, 1774. When I mentioned a few of the Consequences that might arise from blocking up the Harbours in North America, and promised to make some Remarks upon other Schemes that had been projected for humbling the Colonists, I did not intend to trouble your Lordship or the Public by stooping to remark upon that Ferrago of Reproaches, which are daily thrown...
48From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 2 April 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Antiquarian Society; copy: Public Record Office My last was of the 22d past, since which I have received none of your Favours. I mentioned that the Bill brought into Parliament for Punishing Boston, met with no Opposition. It did however meet with a little before it got through, some few of the Members speaking against it in the House of Commons, and more in the House of Lords....
49An Open Letter to Lord North, 5 April 1774 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Public Advertiser , April 15, 1774. All your small Politicians, who are very numerous in the English Nation, from the patriotic Barber to the patriotic Peer, when big with their Schemes for the Good of poor Old England, imagine they have a Right to give Advice to the Minister, and condemn Administration if they do not adopt their Plan. I, my Lord, who have no mean Opinion of my...
50From Benjamin Franklin to a Committee of the Library Company of Philadelphia, 7 April 1774 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Haverford College Library; minutebook copy: Library Company of Philadelphia I thought Mr. Strahan had transmitted to you the Invoice with the Books by Falconer. It is but yesterday he brought it to me, and I now inclose it, with a Sketch of your Account. With my Respects to the Directors, and sincere Wishes of Prosperity to the Institution, I am, Gentlemen, Your most obedient humble...
51From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Priestley, 10 April 1774 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Joseph Priestley, Experiments and Observations on Different Kinds of Air … (3 vols., London, 1774–77), I , 321–3. In compliance with your request, I have endeavoured to recollect the circumstances of the American experiments I formerly mentioned to you, of raising a flame on the surface of some waters there. When I passed through New Jersey in 1764, I heard it several times...
52From Benjamin Franklin to Lord Le Despencer, 14 April 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Dashwood Papers, Bodleian Library I apprehend there will hardly be room for so much , in Characters large enough to be read from below. If the Sculptor should be of that Opinion, perhaps it may be well enough still, if we begin with the Words, Almighty God being , &c. and end with, Persuasion , omitting what is before and after. I happen to be engag’d at Dinner, but purpose waiting on...
53Request for a Reprinting of the “Rules,” 15 April 1774 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser , April 15, 1774. Having lately had occasion to turn over some news-papers, published in the course of the last summer, in search of an advertisement, I accidentally stumbled upon a letter, containing many excellent rules , by which a great empire may be reduced to a small one . As I apprehend this plan is at present under the consideration of...
54From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 16 April 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office The above are Copies of my two last. The Torrent is still violent against America. A Bill is brought in to alter the Charter, appointing the Council by the Crown, giving Power to the Governors to nominate and commission Magistrates without Consent of Council, and forbidding any Town Meeting to be held in the Province (except the annual one for chusing Town Officers)...
55Two Notes about the Opening of the Essex House Chapel, [17 April 1774] (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from The Monthly Repository , III (1808), 540. The occasion was of some importance. Theophilus Lindsey (1723–1808), a clergyman who had deserted the Church of England a few months before, was opening a chapel to house what proved to be the first enduring Unitarian congregation in England. Lindsey had been one of the latitudinarian Anglicans who had petitioned Parliament to abolish...
56From Benjamin Franklin to John Pownall, [on or after 21 April 1774] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft ): Library of Congress Dr. Franklin presents his Compliments to Mr. Pownall and acquaints him, that he was appointed Agent of the Province of Pensilvania for the current Year, by a Vote of the present Assembly, a Copy of which follows, viz. Resolved, That Benja Franklin Esqr be, and he is hereby appointed Agent of the Province for the ensuing Year, to solicit and transact the Affairs...
57From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 28 April 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office I have written several Letters to you lately by different Conveyances, and sent you the Bills pass’d and about to be pass’d relating to our Province. I now send the Report of the Committee of the Lords, which seems hard upon us, as every thing written by any Officer of Government is taken for undoubted Truth. I can now only add, that I am, as ever, with great...
58From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 28 April 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I hoped to have been on the Sea in my Return by this time, but find I must stay a few Weeks longer, perhaps for the Summer Ships. Thanks to God I continue well and hearty, and hope to find you so when I have the Happiness once more of seeing you. Your God Daughter Amelia Evans, that was, (now Barry,) is gone again with her Husband and Children to Tunis, where she...
59Franklin’s Account with the Province of Georgia, [2 May 1774]: résumé (Franklin Papers)
DS. Yale University Library; ADS : American Philosophical Society <London, May 2, 1774. The first entry is June 1, 1769, and the last April 30, 1774. The charges are for three years’ salary at £100 per annum, £107 12 s. 9 d. for a mace and gowns, £16 1 s. 2 d. for the legal services of Thomas Life, and £15 12 s. for miscellaneous expenses, a total of £439 5
60From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 5 May 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Our Family here is in great Distress. Poor Mrs. Hewson has lost her Husband, and Mrs. Stevenson her Son-in-law. He died last Sunday Morning of a Fever which baffled the Skill of our best Physicians. He was an excellent young Man, ingenious, industrious, useful, and belov’d by all that knew him. She is left with two young Children, and a third soon expected....