121To Benjamin Franklin from ——— Du Mourier with Franklin’s Note for a Reply, 18 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society J’etais dejà penetré depuis longtems de veneration pour vos connaissances, votre patriotisme & vos vertus. Mr. Nixon Eclesiastique vient de me confier sa position & votre generosité, je luy ay payé sur le champ la lettre de Change qu’il tire sur vous. Mr. Le Mis. de Clarac qui se trouvait chez moy vous la remettra, & recevra de vous le comptant, il a voulu...
122From Benjamin Franklin to Palteau de Veimerange, 20 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I received the Letter you did me the Honour of Writing to me the 17th Instant, together with a State of the Effects & Merchandizes which you are collecting at Brest in order to be sent to America. As we have no Agent at Brest, and I have the fullest Confidence in a principal Commissary employed under your Orders, I think it best to continue the...
123From Benjamin Franklin to St. John de Crèvecoeur, 21 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I should have answered sooner your Letter of the 7th. but that it happen’d to mislaid.— Inclos’d I send the Letter you desire for Govr. Hancock. I have now no Acquaintance left in New York Government, but its Delegates to Congress, to whom you mention being already known. Made. la Comtesse d’Houdetot has warmly recommended to me a M. Crevecoeur who had...
124From Benjamin Franklin to John Hancock, 21 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Yale University Library, Smith College Library; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress Five Captains of Vessels from Boston who had been carried Prisoners into England, made their Escape from thence lately in an open Boat and arrived on the Coast of Normandy in France. Being Strangers there, destitute of all Acquaintance, they had the good Fortune to meet with M. St. John, a French...
125From Benjamin Franklin to the Comtesse d’Houdetot, 21 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress It has been a great Mortification to me that I have not been able this last Summer to pay my Respects to my Respectable and dear Friend at Sanois. The Journey has been often talk’d of among us at Madam Helvetius’s, but some obstruction or other has always interfer’d and occasion’d it to be delay’d: I have from time to time enquired concerning your Welfare, and had the...
126From Benjamin Franklin to Gérard de Rayneval, 22 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress The enclosed Letters have been put into my Hands relative to the Passport, which I sometime since desired, at the Request of M. de Cornie, for the Passage of Linens from Metz thro’ France for America. I find that M. de Malesherbes interests himself in the Affair, I suppose upon the Recommendation of M....
127From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 22 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress Mr. de Veimerange acquaints me that a Part of the Supplies sent to America in the Rusée, have been taken by the Enemy, and that if it is thought proper to replace them, Orders should be speedily given for that Purpose. I therefore beg leave to mention to your Excellency that the Replacing those...
128From Benjamin Franklin to John Shaffer, 27 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress My Grandson is ill and I have nobody to send to see your Deed that understands such Things. I am obliged to go out of Town this Morning & cannot go myself to look at it till to morrow. But if you have already made it over to Mr. D’Autun, my seeing it will be of no Use. I imagin’d that having that Land as a Counter Security some of your Friends on my Recommendation...
129From Benjamin Franklin to John Jay, 29 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS and AL (draft): Columbia University Library; copy: Library of Congress I received yours of the 10th. Instant, and have given Orders that you should have the Credit you require for October & November; viz. 16157 Dollars. Please to let me know if this Sum includes the Ballance of the 25,000 Dollars. I begin to have Hopes of the Loan in Holland, in which Case, I shall be able also to pay your...
130From Benjamin Franklin to Madame Brillon, 1 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society J’ai reçu votre petite chere Epitre, ma bonne fille, datté a Villeneuve le 27 passée. Vous parlez des bons Amis qui vous soignent bien, des belles Vues que vous avez par vos fenétres, &c. Tout cela me fait du plaisir à entendre; mais je pense continuellement des Fatigues que vous devez souffrir dans une si longue voyage; des mauvaises Auberges, mauvaises...
131From Benjamin Franklin to Ingenhousz, 2 October 1781[–21 June 1782] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and LS : Library of Congress It is a long time, my dear Friend, since I have had the Pleasure of writing to you. I have postpon’d it too often, from a Desire of writing a good deal on various Subjects, which I could not find sufficient time to think of properly: Your Experiments on the Conducting of Heat was one Subject; the finishing my Remarks on the Stroke of lightning in Italy...
132From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 5 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Massachusetts Historical Society; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I congratulate your Excellency on your Recovery. I hope this Seasoning will be the means of securing your future Health, by accommodating your Constitution to the Air of that Country. Here are Advices from Admiral de Grasse, which left him the 13th of August coming out of Straits of Bahama, with 28 Sail, of the...
133From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 12[–16] October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Massachusetts Historical Society I received the Letter your Excellency did me the honour of writing to me the 4th. Instant. I have never known a Peace made, even the most advantageous, that was not censured as inadequate, and the Makers condemn’d as injudicious or corrupt. Blessed are the Peacemakers , is I suppose to be understood in the other World: for in this they are more frequently...
134From Benjamin Franklin to Madame Brillon, 12 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
L : American Philosophical Society Je reçois hier au soir la precieuse Lettre de ma chere fille, datée à Lyon le 6e. & je renvoyois tout de suite celle qui a été incluse pour Made le Veillard. Vous vous plaignez de nous que vous n’aviez pas de nos Nouvelles. C’est que nos Lettres sont envoyées à Nice, pour vous rencontrer là, ou j’espere que vous serez bientôt, afin d’y vous reposer aprés les...
135Certification of a Deed, [12 October 1781] (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society I the underwritten do hereby certify, that the within Writing appears to me to be a genuine Deed, being in all the Forms customary in Philadelphia, where it purports to have been executed. Based on a certificate d’Autun himself had drafted in French for BF to use as a model. It began by asserting that the signature of John Miller, “un des Juges de paix pour...
136From Benjamin Franklin to Edmund Burke, 15 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS and two copies: Sheffield Central Library; two copies: Library of Congress I received but a few days ago your very friendly Letter of August last, on the Subject of General Burgoyne. Since the foolish Part of Mankind will make Wars from time to time with each other, not having Sense enough otherwise to settle their Differences, it certainly becomes the wiser Part, who cannot prevent those...
137From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 15 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères I have just received a Letter from Corunna of which I take the Liberty of enclosing a Translation. Your Excellency will see by it, that you formed a right Judgment of Gillon’s Intention in leaving behind him the Vessels that he had agreed to take under his Convoy, viz. That instead of going directly to America, he would Cruise for his own...
138From Benjamin Franklin to William Jackson, 16 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I received yours of Sept. 26. from Corunna. The Conduct of Gillon tho’ it provokes does not surprise me. I have not yet the second Letter you promise me, but in the mean time have wrote to Mr Jay & have obtain’d a Letter from M. le Comte de Vergennes to the French Ambassador at Madrid, requesting them to assist you in what they can, for securing the...
139From Benjamin Franklin to John Jay, 16 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Columbia University Library; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I received yours by Major Franks, which I shall answer fully per Saturday’s Post. The Letters you sent me of Capt. Gillon & Mr. Searle, give me, as you expected, abundance of Chagrin. I am afraid that Gillon will loiter at Corunna as he did at Amsterdam, and sell the Goods of the United States as he did those of the...
140From Benjamin Franklin to Gabriel Johonnot, 18 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress Enclosed is a Letter I have just receiv’d for you under my Cover from Sweden. There is another for your Son which I shall forward. I suppose you have heard of his safe arrival at Geneva, & of his Welfare, of which he has acquainted me. I would advise you not to depend in the least on obtaining a Passage in a Ship of War. The Permitting them to take Passengers is found...
141From Benjamin Franklin to Palteau de Veimerange, 20 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I received the Letter you did me the Honour of writing to me the 16th Instant, inclosing the Invoice of some Clothing shipt by M. Leray de Chaumont on board the Themis Capt. Griffet, & which he offers for Sale, if it should be agreable to purchase them as a Part of the Supplies you are now providing for the United States, on which you desire my Opinion....
142From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 22 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Massachusetts Historical Society; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I have written to Messrs. Fizeau & Grand impow’ring them to draw on me at 30 Days sight for the Sums you may want from time to time to discharge the Acceptances of which you have given me Notice. The Queen was this Day happyly delivered of a Prince, which occasions great Joy. Inclos’d I send you Copies of more...
143From Benjamin Franklin to Fizeaux, Grand & Cie., 22 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I receiv’d the Letter you did me the honour of writing to me the 4th Instant, wherein you advis’d me either to send Remittances, or to permit the Drawing on me at a short Term in order to discharge Mr Adams’s Acceptances therein mentioned. The latter Method is most convenient to me, and I hereby acquaint you that I will accept & pay such Drafts as shall...
144From Benjamin Franklin to Queen Marie-Antoinette, [after 22 October 1781] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society Je suis heureux, Madame, de cette Occasion de presenter à vôtre Majesté, les Respects & les Affections de toute les Etats de l’Amerique septentrionale. The day the queen gave birth to the dauphin, Louis-Joseph-Xavier-François: Jour. de Paris , Oct. 23, 1781. The birth, after eleven years of marriage, was the occasion for great rejoicing: the...
145From Benjamin Franklin to William Temple Franklin, 23 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I receiv’d your Letter from Orleans, and another since from Chaumont. The Major has got his Pistols. Inclos’d I send you the last Paper from London by which you will see there has been an Action between the French & English Fleets off Chesapeak. It appears even by their own Account that the English have been drubb’d, and oblig’d to leave the French in...
146From Benjamin Franklin to John Bondfield, 25 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I have just received your Letter of the 20th. Instant, repeating your Application for a Commission for the Brigantine Sally. The same has been sent to you a Week since, and I hope you have receiv’d it before this time. This is to request that you would send by three of the first Vessels bound from your Port to...
147From Benjamin Franklin to Jacques and Anne-Louise Brillon de Jouy, 30 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Je vous remercie bien, mon cher & respectable Ami, de votre agréable Postscriptum, dans laquelle vous me faites esperer que vôtre Voyage aura l’heureux Effét proposé. Mon fils est trés sensible à vôtre Bonté en vous souvenant de lui; il presente ses compliments respectueuses. Nos dernieres Nouvelles de l’Amerique sont bonnes. Puissent ils continuer telles!...
148From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 31 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress; copies: Library of Congress, William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan I have ordered another Sum into your hands for the Prisoners, and will keep you constantly supply’d so as that you may furnish them with a Shilling each per Week from the middle of November to the Middle of March. I hear nothing from Digges. Do you know what is become of him? I am...
149From Benjamin Franklin to Marignac, 31 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress Made Montgomery qui me fait l’honneur de se charger de celle cy, est une Dame Ameriquaine qui n’a d’autre But en venant en Europe, que celui de donner la meilleure Education a son fils unique, qui l’accompagne. M’ayant demandé mon Conseil a ce Sujet, j’ai cru ne pouvoir mieux seconder ses Vues qu’en vous l’adressant. Il seroit inutile de vous recommander...
150From Benjamin Franklin to Penet, 31 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress; copy: Virginia State Library, Richmond I have consider’d your Proposition to me, that I should legalize your Bonds for the State of Virginia. The Manner of doing this, as you explain’d it to me verbally, is by writing on each of them the Word Vue , with my Signature. I have taken Advice on this Subject, and am informed that it is by no means proper for...