From Benjamin Franklin to William Alexander, 22 April 1782
To William Alexander
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society
Passy, April 22. 1782
Dear Sir,
I am much oblig’d by the Confidence you place in me by communicating your Plan, & by your kind Intentions in it of serving America.5 Please to accept my thankful Acknowledgements, and excuse my declining to engage in the Scheme, for Reasons that I will some time or other give you. If you think fit to propose it to this Court, I would advise your conferring on it6 with Mr Grand, whose Opinion if he should approve of it, would have weight with the Ministry, as would also that of his Brother Sir George Grand, lately commission’d by the King as Banker to France in Holland, at present in Paris.7 I return’d the Papers enclos’d, & am ever, dear Sir, Yours most affectionately
B F.—
Mr Alexander
5. We know nothing further of Alexander’s plan, except what he says in his response to this letter (below, April 24).
6. These last three words replace “engaging in it”.
7. See BF to JA, April 21.