15631[Diary entry: 20 December 1774] (Washington Papers)
20. Wind still at No. West but not very hard or Cold, clear.
15632From Benjamin Franklin to William and Robert Molleson, 21 December 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft ): Library of Congress I am much obliged by your friendly Offer of accompanying me in presenting the Petition. It is committed to the Care of sundry Gentlemen who meet this Day to consider the Mode of presenting it. What they will agree on is uncertain. If it were a Petition from Merchants in America on the Subject of Commerce there might be more Propriety in its being accompanied...
15633[Diary entry: 21 December 1774] (Washington Papers)
21st. At home all day with my Brothr. Jno. & Mr. Smith.
15634[Diary entry: 21 December 1774] (Washington Papers)
21. Calm all the forenoon and very warm and pleasant in the Afternoon. Wind at No. Et.
15635From George Washington to Andrew Morton, 21 December 1774 (Washington Papers)
I shall take no advantage of your not producing the Bond with good Security for paymt of Rent & performe of Covents at the day appointed. It will do when you move up, which your Lettr & express tells me you are now ready to do. In the mean while, you will please to recollect, that I can Execute no Lease till the Bond, with such Security, is first produced; and that, if by your means, I am...
15636To George Washington from Thomas Newton, Jr., 21 December 1774 (Washington Papers)
I Received yours & am extreemly sorry for the disapointment at the meeting in October. I was not wanting in my endeavors to collect the whole that was due to you, but such was the scarcity of Cash that it cou’d not be got & beleive in generall the worst payments that ever were known was made at that meeting. I will use my utmost endeavors to get your money by the meeting of the Assembly, tho....
15637A Card, [22 December 1774] (Hamilton Papers)
The Friend to America presents his compliments to Mr. A. W. Farmer, and begs leave to decline making any remarks upon his Examination into the conduct of the Delegates, until he has seen what he may have to offer, in answer to the Full Vindication, &c. His reasons, there is no necessity to communicate. He assures Mr. Farmer, that he never imagined, any thing he could say, would frighten, or...
15638To Benjamin Franklin from David Barclay, [22 December 1774] (Franklin Papers)
AL : Library of Congress D. Barclay presents his Respects and acquaints Dr. Franklin, that the Merchants in general highly disaproving of Attendance on anonymous Advertizements, (as no Person would own that inserted in the paper to Day), Agreed to disaprove it, by another to be published Tomorrow, on a more liberal Plan, with an Invitation for All Merchants and others interested in the...
15639To Benjamin Franklin from Georgiana Shipley with a Postscript from Her Father, 22 [December] 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society It is with infinite satisfaction, I am commission’d to assure my dear Dr. Franklin, how happy we shall be to see you at Twyford; Mama has had a very bad cold and cough, and my Papa has been laid up for this last week with the Gout in both his feet, which tho not an alarming [is] a very troublesome disorder; my sister Elizas and my time, has been wholly...
15640[Diary entry: 22 December 1774] (Washington Papers)
22. In the Afternoon my Brother & Mr. Smith went away.
15641[Diary entry: 22 December 1774] (Washington Papers)
22. Again calm & pleasant. Afternoon hazy & Wind Easterly.
15642To Benjamin Franklin from Lord Dartmouth to Franklin, William Bollan, and Arthur Lee, 23 December 1774: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Public Record Office <St. James’s Square, Friday, December 23, 1774: A note in the third person asking them to meet him at his house at ten the following morning. > To learn how the King had received the petition from the Continental Congress; see the following document.
15643[Diary entry: 23 December 1774] (Washington Papers)
23. Doctr. Rumney & Mr. Thos. Triplet dined here.
15644[Diary entry: 23 December 1774] (Washington Papers)
23. A little Snow in the forenoon. Wind continuing in the same place.
15645From Benjamin Franklin to the Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly: a Circular Letter from Franklin, William Bollan, and … (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Princeton University Library; draft: Library of Congress When four of the seven agents to whom the Congress had entrusted its petition refused to have anything to do with it, the three representatives of Massachusetts faced the problem of how to deliver it; and they decided to depart from their instructions and not put it directly into the hands of the King. The “regular Official...
15646Note on an Extract from a Purported Letter by Franklin, 24 December 1774 (Franklin Papers)
Verner Crane reprinted an extract, published in the Boston Gazette of March 20, 1775, of a letter from London dated December 24, 1774. He conjectured that it might have been taken from one of Franklin’s letters to Cushing that are now lost. We are convinced that the writer was Arthur Lee and the recipient Samuel Adams. The extract, which deals with the impact in England of the news from the...
15647To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Bache, 24 December 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This and the following letter from William, which went on the same ship, brought Franklin the news of his wife’s death. Until her final stroke neither his son nor son-in-law had warned him that she was failing, at least in letters that survive; both had written frequently and at length but had scarcely mentioned her. Perhaps they saw no change in her...
15648To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 24 December 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I came here on Thursday last to attend the Funeral of my poor old Mother who died the Monday Noon preceeding. Mr. Bache sent his Clerk Express to me on the Occasion, who reached Amboy on Tuesday Evening, and I set out early the next Morning, but the Weather being very severe, and snowing hard, I was not able to reach here till about 4 o’Clock on Thursday...
15649To Benjamin Franklin from William Neate, 24 December 1774 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Library of Congress Mr. William Neate presents his most respectfull Compliments to Dr. Franklin, and as a report prevailed yesterday Evening that all the disputes between Great Britain and the American Colonies were thro’ his application and influence with Lord North amicably setled, conformable to the wish and desire of the late Congress. W N desires the favor of Dr. Franklin to inform...
15650[Diary entry: 24 December 1774] (Washington Papers)
24. At home all day. Mr. Richd. Washington came here to Dinner, as did Mrs. Newman. Richard Washington, a London merchant to whom GW apparently believed he was distantly related, had been a correspondent and tobacco dealer for GW from 1755 to 1763. GW warmly assured him that “in the Event of your ever visiting America . . . Mrs. Washington and I both woud think ourselves very happy in the...
15651[Diary entry: 24 December 1774] (Washington Papers)
24. Clear and pleasant. Wind Northerly.
15652[Diary entry: 25 December 1774] (Washington Papers)
25. At home all day with the above.
15653[Diary entry: 25 December 1774] (Washington Papers)
25. Remarkably pleasant Morning with little or no Wind. Afternoon hazy with a little Rain.
15654To George Washington from Balfour & Barraud, 25 December 1774 (Washington Papers)
We have occasion for about a Thousand Barrs. flour & a few hundred Bars. of bread but it must be ready by the first day of March at farthest. We have sent Mr Leonard Tarrant properly impowerd, any bargain he may make with you shall be binding on us & faithfully comply’d with. one half to be paid at next april the other at June Courts. We have signd an agreement the quantity & price to be filld...
15655[Diary entry: 26 December 1774] (Washington Papers)
26. At home all day.
15656[Diary entry: 26 December 1774] (Washington Papers)
26. Clear, and neither very cold, or unpleasant, although the Wind blew fresh from the No. West.
15657From George Washington to James Mercer, 26 December 1774 (Washington Papers)
I do not recollect whether, in my last, I informed you that it was £29 you gave for the Negro Kate, & that the whole of your purchases in Frederick amounted to £2385.14.2; If I did not then do it, these will be found right, & agreeable to the original Entries —I have heard nothing yet from Colo. Peyton, respecting those Lands which you appear charged with at the Loudoun Sale—there is no doubt,...
15658From George Washington to William Preston, 26 December 1774 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to William Preston, 26 Dec. 1774. On 27 Jan. 1775 Preston wrote GW : “Your Letter of the 26th Decr came to Hand yesterday.”
15659Queries for a Conversation with Lord Camden, [27 December 1774?] (Franklin Papers)
AD : Library of Congress Qu. What were the original Ideas upon which the Colonies were settled? What was the State of their Government during the first Reigns? Were they established at the Expence of Govt here? Did the Parliament make any Grants to defray or aid the first Charge, or for Protecting the Settlers? Was the Parliament advis’d with by the Crown concerning the Terms of Settlement?...
15660[Diary entry: 27 December 1774] (Washington Papers)
27. Ditto. Ditto. Colo. Carlyle & his Son George came here and stayed all Night.