31711To Benjamin Franklin from Jean-Antoine de Rubigny de Berteval, 3 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Je suis on ne peust plus reconnoisant de la bonté que vous avez Eut de repondre a La Lettre que Javois Eut L’honneur de vous Ecrire Je suis pleinement satisfait de votre reponse. Le 1e. moment ou mes affaire me permetront de quiter Je nauray rien de plus pressé que daller Vous presenter mon Respect. Jay L’honneur d’Estre avec Une grande consideration...
31712To Benjamin Franklin from the Chevalier de Kéralio, 14 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society En ma qualité de Secretaire intime de notre céleste amie, j’ai l’honneur de vous rappeller de sa part la promesse que vous Lui avés faite de Lui procurer pour ses enfants des Lettres de crédit sur la nouvelle angleterre. Dans ce cas elle desireroit une Lettre de 24,000 l.t. pour chacun d’eux; elle en a déja Sur Les isles; mais ou je suis bien trompé, ou...
31713To Benjamin Franklin from William Strahan, 7 June 1775: extract (Franklin Papers)
Extract: Papers of the Earl of Dartmouth deposited in the Staffordshire County Record Office William Strahan was one of the few British political correspondents whom Franklin retained after leaving England. The Scot had bought himself a seat in Parliament in 1774, and consistently supported the government’s American policy. The outbreak of war, much as he regretted it, did not shake his faith...
31714To Benjamin Franklin from John Trusler, 6 February 1765 (Franklin Papers)
Engraved form with MS insertions in blanks: American Philosophical Society The Literary Society desirous of extending their Scheme, and rendering it as general as possible, have presumed to enclose one of their Plans, and are induced to hope, should it meet with your Approbation, for the Honour of your Name as a Subscribing Member, and for any further Encouragement you may think proper to...
31715To Benjamin Franklin from Aimé (Amé)-Ambroise-Joseph Feutry, 25 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society M. Schedel, négociant de Nuremberg en franconie, établi à Rouen, connu à La manufacture du Clos-Le-Prestre, desire d’avoir l’honneur d’assurer Monsieur Franklin de son respect, et de Lui faire quelques propositions etc. Feutry Lui a promis de l’informer du moment où M. Franklin pourra L’entendre. Endorsed: Schedel Manufacturier The only appearance in this...
31716To Benjamin Franklin from Vergennes, 18 January 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Library of Congress (two), Massachusetts Historical Society Il est essentiel, Monsieur, que Je puisse avoir l’honneur de conferer avec vous, avec M. Adams et avec ceux de Mrs. [Messieurs] Vos Collegues qui peuvent se trouver à Paris. Je vous prie en consequence, Monsieur, de vouloir bien inviter ces Mrs. à se rendre a Versailles avec vous Lundi avant dix heures du Matin. Il seroit bon...
31717To Benjamin Franklin from Elias Boudinot, 18 June 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, Library of Congress (two), National Archives; AL (draft): Library of Congress I have the honor of enclosing you an official Letter, directed to our Ministers Plenipotentiary at Paris. The Resignation of the late Secretary for foreign affairs, (occasioned by his Preference of the Chancellorship of the State of New-York, which he could not hold longer, &...
31718To Benjamin Franklin from George Washington, 15 January 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; draft: Library of Congress; copy: American Philosophical Society I have the honor of addressing this letter to you by Colonel Laurens, one of my Aid De Camps, whom Congress has been pleased to Commission for particular purposes to the Court of Versailles.— Justice to the character of this Gentleman conspiring with motives of friendship will...
31719To Benjamin Franklin from John Laurens, [before 13 May 1781] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I send your Excellency the Estimate of the Board of War with the prices— Your note to Mr de La Rouerie was dispatched immediately— As sunday is the day which the Count de Vergennes has appointed for my taking leave, I shall be deprived of the pleasure of dining with Your Excellency—but shall endeavour to pay you my respects as frequently as possible in the...
31720To Benjamin Franklin from Claude-Joseph Vernet, 6 July 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Vous allez voir qu’on me croit un grand saint auprés de vous, puisque des amis de versailles m’onts prié de vous Recommander Mr. Fossard premier huissier audiancier a La Prevôté de L’hôtel, qui desireroit passer en Amerique; luy meme vous expliqueroit ses intentions, et ses desirs; cela occationneroit un mariage entres Luy et Madlle. de Montauville; L’un et...
31721To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Bache, 2 May 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Your last Letters to us were dated October, but we have had the pleasure since of hearing you were well in January— I have wrote you repeatedly of late; By this Ship a Son of Mr. Jos: Fox, & another of Judah Foulke go Passengers, their Friends have applied to me for Letters of introduction to you. I have given them Letters, tho’ I hesitated a while about...
31722To Benjamin Franklin from Horatio Gates, 23 February 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This will be deliverd to you by The Baron de Woedtkee, who appears to be a Gentleman, and a Veteran Charectors you will esteem him for he has with him other recommendations to your Notice, from some of your Paris acquaintance; if I had never fallen out with Royalty for any other reason, I should detest it, upon the poor Barons account, for the Tyrannical...
31723To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas Ruston: Two Letters, 2 May 1782 (Franklin Papers)
(I) ALS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania; (II) ALS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): New-York Historical Society Your favour of the 9th: of October 1780, gave me great pleasure. The Scheme of a Bank, which you was pleased to say you would forward to a friend in Congress, I presume was sent to Mr...
31724To Benjamin Franklin from Joseph Hardy, 19 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania Beg leave to inform you that I am one of the unfortunate persons that was captured in the Confederacy Frigate and sent a prisoner from New York for England but by accident happened to put into Ireland, where I made my escape & arrived here in France a few Months past.— I expected to have taken passage for Philada, in the last vessel that sailed from...
31725To Benjamin Franklin from William Carmichael, 25 March 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress At the Embassadors Table I had the Pleasure of meeting Mr. Senrat the Bearer of this Letter. He hath just returned to Europe after a long Absence from his native Country France, which he quitted with a View of travelling at the kings Expence in Africa & the east Indies & returns loaded with the Spoils of these Countries in the Vegetable & animal World, He expressed a...
31726To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 23 [i.e., 22] June 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society; copies: American Philosophical Society, National Archives; transcript: National Archives I have this Day the honour of a Letter from his Excellency the Comte De Vergennes, on the subject of the Resolutions of Congress of the Eighteenth of March, concerning the Paper-Bills; in which his Excellency...
31727To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, [6?]–13 September 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Massachusetts Historical Society <Passy, September [6?]–13, 1778: In order to understand our affairs and to be able to account to our constituents we should decide which expenses we will pay jointly and which separately. I think we should pay jointly for the rent of the house and furniture, hire of coachman, horses, and carriage, wages of maitre d’hôtel and cook, and table...
31728To Benjamin Franklin from Jacob Rieger, 10 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society According to your request I have taken the liberty in writeing to you haveing enclosd five letters directed to the care Mr. Parr a particular friend of mine in Philadelphia. As my business oblidges me to tarry longer here then I first expected, and anxious that my friends should hear from me, I have taken this liberty of encloseing them to your care and if...
31729To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Trumbull, 5 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society I take the liberty to introduce Messrs. Gerrey, and Buckingham, the Bearers to your kind notice to advise means for thier recovering some money due on some French Bills of Exchange, which they lost by accident and were accepted for payment premiture to thier presentation: probably you may put ’em in a way for to assert thier Rights if the evidence they have...
31730From John Jay to Benjamin Franklin, 26 December 1783 (Jay Papers)
Since we parted I have been so much & so long indisposed as that (except short letters to M rs . Jay) I have denied myself the Pleasure of writing to my Friends. The Kindness you have shewn us both, has nevertheless not been forgotten, nor has my Disposition to acknowledge and be influenced by it in the least abated. We have lately had a Report here that you was very ill with the Stone, and...
31731To Benjamin Franklin from Joseph Galloway, 9 October 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote you a few Lines yesterday per Packet. Our Election is now over, and all the Old Members (save a few that resigned ) again are returned as Representatives in Assemby: And in the stead of those who are left out, such are come in as are warm for the Change of our Government. So that I have no Doubt but you will receive from the New House further...
31732To Benjamin Franklin from John Winthrop, 6 January 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Printed from extract in Benjamin Franklin, Experiments and Observations on Electricity, Made at Philadelphia in America … (London, 1769), p. 485. I have read in the Philosophical Transactions the account of the effects of lightning on St. Bride’s steeple. ’Tis amazing to me, that after the full demonstration you had given, of the identity of lightning and of electricity, and the power of...
31733From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 6 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
I congratulate you, on the Return of your Health and thank you for the Extract from Dr. Styles, which I have communicated to Mr. Searle and Mr. Dumas as you desired. Shall be happy to See, the detail of Arnolds Conduct. As long, as Congress and Courts Martial inflict So gentle Punishments upon flagrant Criminals, and then entrust them with Commands and Employments as if nothing had happened,...
31734To Benjamin Franklin from Jan Ingenhousz, 3 May 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress I hope you are not so entirely involved in the troublesome business of the world Politic, as to have abandon’d entirely the world of Nature, whose laws, made by the supreme wisdom are as constant, and inalterable as its Legislator himself. It would, indeed, be hard to me to concieve, that a man, a Philosopher so often and so successfully employed in researches of the...
31735To Benjamin Franklin from James Parker, 20 December 1765 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society My last to you was the Beginning of November last, very short, as I was then taken with the Gout in my Hand, and could scarce write at all: I had just then received yours of the Middle of Sept. with the Invoice of the Goods you sent to Mr. Hughes of New-York: I immediately wrote to a Friend at New-York, as I was unable to Stir myself: They arrived just...
31736To Benjamin Franklin from Alice Freeborn, 4 May 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society I hope your Excellancy, will Excuse the liberty I take, in beging your assistance, to relieve my Newphew, who is now Closely confin’d in Forton Prison in England— His Name is Isaac Allen son of my Brother William Allen and Grandson to the late James Franklin your Excellancies Brother— He in the early part of the present War, enterd the cause of his Country,...
31737To Benjamin Franklin from Philip Hancock, 30 July 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The Reason I have Presum’d to take the Liberty To Address you, was to Inform you My Motive for Comming with M. Welsh Was By the Advice of many Friends To That Noble Cause you Are Engaged In, to Inform you of those Past Proceedings And Glad to have Your Instruction How to Act for The feauter [future]. Therefore As we Could not give your Honor Any Information...
31738To Benjamin Franklin from Noble Wimberly Jones, 9 October 1770 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Your very kind favours I duly received and should have answered them respectively, only that I waited in expectation of transmitting the sum then supposed necessary, trust however to your goodness to excuse the omission being at that time disappointed; your unparralell’d kindness in so readily complying with the request (through me) of the Assembly demands...
31739To Benjamin Franklin from William Hunter, [30 November 1757] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society If convenient, I should be oblig’d to you for three or four Hundred Pound Draughts on your Banker. My Sister wants one of Twenty Pound; for Marketting. Yours, Addressed: To / Mr. Franklin On Dec. 1, 1757, BF noted payments of £400 and £20 in accordance with Hunter’s request below. “Account of Expences,” p. 7; PMHB , LV (1931), 105. On another part of the...
31740To Benjamin Franklin from Jan Ingenhousz, 20 August 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I Was very happy in recieving your lettre containing the explication of the stroke of lightning at Cremona, and an other, dated July 4th, which came to hand before yesterday. Recieve my most harty thanks for both these favours and particularly for your kindness of forwarding my lettre to mr. Sam. Wharton and joining to it an admonitory note of your own on...