To Benjamin Franklin from Sir Edward Newenham, 9 September 1780
From Sir Edward Newenham
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Belcamp near Dublin 9 Sept. 1780
Dear Sir
I beg leave to Introduce, the Bearer, Mr John Collins of the City of Dublin to your favor;8 I would not presume to take such repeated Liberties, was I not most firmly convinced that Mr: Collins will discharge himself with Integrity.
He will have the Honor to acquaint your Excellency with his Intentions; should they prove favourable, & agreable, to the Interest of the truly Magnanimous, & Virtuous, United States of North America, your protection will greatly add to those favors, I have received from your Excellency; Favors I shall Ever most Gratefully acknowledge, & hope, in March next, personally to thank You for.
Our Parliament began with Spirit, but at the Close of the Late Session, they forfeited Every Title to Virtue & Honor; their latter Acts record their Infamy—upon their own Journals—9
The four Americans, that I mentioned to your Excellency in my Letter of the 23 of July last,1 have been released, without any Expence; & I suppose they have paid their respects to you, in their way to Bourdeaux—
I have the Honor to remain with the most Perfect respect & Esteem Your Excellencys Most obt: & very Humble sert
Edwd Newenham
Notation: Edward Newenham. Belcamp near Dublin Sept. 9. 1780
8. He was actually Thomas Collins; see his letter of Sept. 28, below.
9. The session of the Irish Parliament concluded on Sept. 2. During August opponents of British policy, the Patriots, were defeated on two major issues, the Mutiny bill and the sugar tariff. The “latter acts” of the parliament may refer to resolutions passed in both the Commons and the Lords condemning the August 17 addresses by the radical Merchants Corps of Volunteers, Independent Dublin Volunteers, and Liberty Volunteers: Maurice R. O’Connell, Irish Politics and Social Conflict in the Age of the American Revolution (Philadelphia, 1965), pp. 247–54.
1. Missing. Newenham’s most recent extant letter to BF is that of June 25, 1779: XXIX, 739–40.