34531To Benjamin Franklin from Bartholomew Byrne et al., 5 November 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS or L : American Philosophical Society Yor Humble peticeenors begs lave to acquaint your Excelency of the misfortune of becomeing preseners, and being Americans which we Can justly justify, but unhaply was takeing by an English Ship And brought to England, and went passengers to Ireland to Get in the Letteramarque We were takeing in bound for Jamaca thinking To get home once more to our...
34532To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Williams, Sr., 19 January 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your kind favour of the 7 and 9 Novr by Which We are [ torn ] happy to find our Sons and Brother Safe arival and of the kind Reception thay have from you and Good Mrs. Stevensons kind offer of Service to Whom our Respects. By the next post I Shall Send to Mr. Pease for the Bond you mention and Shall Recover the money as Soon as Possible then...
34533To Benjamin Franklin from William Day, 3 September 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society It is with the Greatest pleasure I embrace this Conveyance, per Monsier Rochette who says he has the Honour of being personally Known to You, and has promised to deliver my Letter himself. The Thought that it was my duty (to inform You of the Occurrences of my Cruize) must appologize for my Freedom of troubling a Gentlemen of Your Character with a scrawl,...
34534To Benjamin Franklin from Penet, D’Acosta frères & Cie., 31 July 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society By our letter of the 3d: August ulto. we have made bold to recommend to your Care a Packet of letters &c. from the State of Virginia directed to Mr. Philip Mazzei. Having not reach’d the hands of that Gentleman, he has apply’d to us several times to know what was become of them. Be so kind Sir to acquaint us whether they have been forwarded to the directed;...
34535To Benjamin Franklin from “John Webb,” 17[–24] December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I never expected such ingratitude for my past time and services as I have met with, which I am pretty sure you are unacquainted with. I should not have remained in Dunkirk after you had been so kind as to send me remittance had not Mr. Coffin told me that he had some orders from Mr. Carmichael to make me stay there untill there should be something...
34536To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 26 June 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft) and copy: Massachusetts Historical Society I have read over all the Papers in the Bundle left with me, numbered to thirty seven. I have also read the three Queries stated to me. These Queries I apprehend can legally be answered only by Congress or a Court Martial: and therefore it would be improper in me to give any answer to them, because the...
34537To Benjamin Franklin from Pierre Vernier, 10 February 1785 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Je vous Supplie d’excuser la liberté que je prends de m’addresser à vous, pour vous prier de me faire la grace de m’instruire Sur ce que je dois faire à l’égard de trois Contrats ou obligations du Congrès des Etats de Pensilvanie de 1000. Dollars chacun qui m’ont été Cédés par les Sieurs Lavabre Doerner et Compe. de Paris, par acte du 9. Janvier 1781....
34538To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 9 July 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London 1817–18), II , 386. I have the honour to inform you, my dear Sir, that Mr. Grenville’s express is arrived this morning by way of Ostend. The gentleman is gone to Versailles. I fancy he will wait upon you, and will be much obliged to you, to let me know what your opinion...
34539To Benjamin Franklin from Simon-Pierre Fournier le Jeune, 12 September 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Je reçois à l’instant vos ordres pour la fonte de Petit Romain, d’ont vous me parlates dans le terns; j’y répond aussitot, afin de ne mettre aucunne lenteur à les exécuter lors-ce que vous auréz daigné m’éclairer sur les objets essentiels que j’ignore. 1° Quel est l’oeil que vous auréz choisi? Je vous prie de me le désigner par son numéro, au livre des...
34540To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 9 November 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Three LS : University of Pennsylvania Library; transcript: National Archives Mr Steward informing me that he shall set out to morrow for Paris— He will be the bearer of this, & duplicates of my last Letters— Want of time will prevent my sending Mr Jay duplicates of the resolutions formerly enclosed to him, which will be the more unnecessary, as you will communicate those you receive with this,...
34541To Benjamin Franklin from Alexander Gillon, 4 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Massachusetts Historical Society Your Excellency knows so well all my Occurrences in Holland, particularly my Contract with Lieutt. Colonell Laurens, that I need say but little about Major Jackson, whom I early acquainted that on the Troops coming on board I found there was but little room left. Ships were Chartered, and I got out to Sea as soon as I...
34542To Benjamin Franklin from ——— de Bissey, 21 January 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society <Paris, January 21, [1778? ], in French: Your virtues make me overcome the delicacy of my sex and write to ask your help. I am an orphan of eighteen, daughter of an infantry captain, and have no resources except a good education and the hope of a pension from the ministry of war. A court lady has interceded with the prince de Montbarey, but the times are...
34543To Benjamin Franklin from Nicola Victor Mühlberger, 13 March 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Sans avoir l’honneur d’Estre personellement Connue de Vous je prend la Liberté de Vous adresser la présente. Je Suis Mühlberger de Dresde Negotient que vôtre Complaisançe a bien voulu a la requete de nôtre Embassadeur Monsieur le Baron de Schönfeld a Paris accorder la recomandation de Mr. Robert Morris Intendent des finances en avril dernr. de quoi je ne...
34544To Benjamin Franklin from Sarah Bache, 2 January 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mr Restiff called to let me know he was going to France, I allways promiss’d him a letter when he return’d: he is an exceeding good Young Man, has been often at our House and can tell you how we all look—as I have just wrote you a long letter, and shall write you again in a few days by Coll Cambray, shall only add the Love and duty of an Afectionate...
34545To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Williams, Jr., 18 October 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote to you the 9th Inst. inclosing one for M. Chaumont and a draft on him for 400.000 Livres. M. Chaumont mentions the 15th that he has not heard from me. I am therefore very uneasy about the fate of this Letter, and have written a Copy of it to M. C. to day. I now inclose you another draft of the same tenor and date, which if the other arrived safe you...
34546To Benjamin Franklin from Genet, 3 August 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Je travaille fortement à la traduction des très interessantes gazettes de Pensylvanie du 30. mai et du 20. juin. Comme j’attends d’un moment à l’autre les relations angloises du Combat du 27. je ne puis point m’absenter, mais si vous voulés bien me communiquer des articles pour le numero 50. des affaires de l’angleterre qui paroitra jeudi ou vendredi, je...
34547To Benjamin Franklin from [Jacques Barbeu-Dubourg], 25 November 1770 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society J’ai reçu dabord deux, puis cinq exemplaires de la traduction que vous avez daigné faire faire de mon petit Code, et je ne puis assez vous en remercier. Il est si bien rendu en Anglois qu’on auroit pu facilement en faire passer la version pour un original, et il est imprimé tout au mieux. [La seule] faute bien remarquable mais sans consequence, c’est à la...
34548To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas Fitzmaurice, 26 January 1771: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL : Historical Society of Pennsylvania <Pall Mall, Saturday evening, Jan. 26, 1771, a note in the third person. If Franklin is disengaged tomorrow, should be glad of his company in Pall Mall for dinner and the evening, where he will meet a friend or two. Had hoped to deliver the invitation in person this morning, but was prevented.> For the younger brother of Lord Shelburne see above, X , 348...
34549To Benjamin Franklin from Paulze, 4 September 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society Je viens, Monsieur, de faire acheter à Londres et à Glascow 6000 Boucauds de Tabacs. Vous sçavés que suivant l’acte du 27. Septembre 1660 toutes les denrées et marchandises d’Angleterre ne peuvent être expédiées que par des Navires Anglois et je tenterois sans succès de faire charger ces Tabacs sur des navires français; Mais on me fait craindre que les...
34550Excerpts from Chaumont’s Revision of His Account with Franklin, [9 July 1782] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania Having agreed on July 7 to submit his accounts to arbitration, Chaumont quickly altered his claim. The account he submitted on July 9 was a revised version of what he had initially given to Franklin, published above under the date of [before April 26]. He dropped items 3, 14, and 15, all of which Grand had ruled against in his report of May 7. The three...
34551From John Adams to Benjamin Franklin, 29 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to inclose a Copy of the letter of the Comte De Vergennes, to me, of the 21st. of this Month, and a Copy of my Answer to his Excellency of the 22d. This Correspondence is upon a subject, that has lain much out of the way of my particular pursuits, and therefore I may be inaccurate in somethings, but in the principles I am well persuaded I am right. I hope that things are...
34552To Benjamin Franklin from John Adams, 14 December 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society The Day before Yesterday, Mr. Boudinot called upon me, with Dispatches from the President of Congress, his Brother. There were two Letters addressed to the “Ministers” and these I opened but found little or Nothing but Duplicates of Dispatches, receiv’d by you before I left Auteuil. There are two letters, and one large Packet addressed to you, which I...
34553To Benjamin Franklin from Martin Howard, 16 November 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I learnt a few Days ago by the Pennsylvania Gazette that you was speedily to go for England, and being Uncertain Whether a Letter would reach you before you embarked I determined to embrace the Oppertunity to write you by a Vessel bound from hence to London, and hope it may meet you safely arrived there, and making an auspicious beginning in the Matter of...
34554To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas Digges, 3 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I recd your favrs. of the 2d. & 9th. Feby very safely, and by a Country man (Capn. Ben Carpenter of the Cartel ship lately from Boston to Bristol) I take the opportunity to forward you a letter from Mr DH which will explain the state of the Cartel; I am in hopes before I seal my letter to also get one from Mr Hodgson; & not unlikely one from Mr Banks...
34555To Benjamin Franklin from ——— Mané, [18] October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society J’ai eu l’honneur de présenter à l’Académie Royale des Sçiences plusieurs Médallions éxécutés au Tour , elle en a paru satisfaite. C’est, sans doute, ce qui l’a déterminée à me demander celui d’un des plus grands Hommes de ce siécle. Par le choix du sujet, Cette célebre compagnie, qui s’honore de vous avoir pour Membre, semble avoir prévenu mes desirs; J’ai...
34556To Benjamin Franklin from Ebenezer Smith Platt, 10 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Through the solicitations of my freinds I have made free to trouble you with thiss Packett, and to beg the favour of you to forward per first conveniant and safe opportunity the Inclos’d letters. I am inform’d you have been acquainted with a state of my Case, for which reason have omited troubling you therewith again, and shall only give you the following...
34557To Benjamin Franklin from Henry Grand, [December? 1780] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Mr. Grand presents his best Respects to Mr. franklin & takes the liberty to return him the inclosed Bill which he will pleased to accept by means of Messrs. Gardoqui & Son’s their guarantee which they give to M. franklin by their letter to M. Grand in date of Novr. 25th. the extract of which is at foot. Please to return us accepted, Gourlade & Moylan’s draft...
34558To Benjamin Franklin from ――― De Laville, 16 June 1777: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society <Cherbourg (“Caesarisburgei”), June 16, 1777, in Latin: Informs Franklin that at about four the previous afternoon Captain Burnell was captured by the British and taken to prison. This has been reported to the local authorities so that they may uphold the law of nations.> He signs himself as a doctor of medicine, member of the city council, and medical...
34559To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Rich, [June–August 1767] (Franklin Papers)
AL : Historical Society of Pennsylvania Miss Rich is very unwilling to trouble Mr. Franklin again about the Glass Instrument, well knowing that every moment of his time is employ’d in things of much greater Consequence; but not having been well lately, She is apprehensive She May be sent suddenly to the Bath, and cannot help wishing to recieve from Him some Little Idea of the practice of it...
34560To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Nesbitt & Co., 18 February 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We receiv’d in Course the honor of your Excellencys Letter of the 11th: Inst: & Yesterday forwarded those which accompany’d it by the Packet for New York.— We paid for Postage Sixty one Livres fifteen Sols which we have Charged to your Account:—had we thought ourselves at liberty we should have kept them for Captain Conyngham who will Sail on the 21st:...