45901Bill to the Proprietors, 30 March 1757 (Franklin Papers)
ADS : Friends Library of the Society of Friends, London; also copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania March 30, 1757 An example of the extent to which Franklin had conducted his printing, stationery, and bookselling business on credit is the bill he rendered to the Proprietors, March 30, 1757, before leaving for England. It includes 97 items running from 1734 to 1745; except for three undated...
45902From Benjamin Franklin to William Carmichael, 12 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I received your Favour by M. Cabarrus, & should have been glad if I could have rendred him any Service here. He appears an amiable Man, and expert in Affairs.— I have also your obliging Letters of the 28th of February and the 12th & 30th of March. I thank you much for your friendly Hints of the Operations of my Enemies, and of the means I might use to...
45903From Benjamin Franklin to Francis Coffyn, 22 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I imagine Capt. Cunnyngham will be at Dunkerque by the time you receive this. I desire you would furnish him with what Money he may want for his comfortable Subsistance while he Stays at Dunkerque. Inclosed I Send you a Complaint I received from some of the People of the Black Prince, and request you or Mr. Torris, would ease me of Such Trouble, I having really...
45904From Benjamin Franklin to Giambatista Beccaria, 20 March 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): American Philosophical Society; additions after the signature retranslated from the Italian in Giuseppe A. F. G. Eandi, Memorie istoriche intorno gli studi del padre Giambatista Beccaria … ([Turin,] 1783), p. 151. I have receiv’d several of your Favours lately relating to the Edition of your Book in English, which I have put into the Hands of the Translator, who will...
45905From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 30 April 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : The British Museum I have before me your kind Notices of Feb. 3. and Feb. 10. Those you enclos’d for our Friend Bartram, were carefully deliver’d. I have not yet seen the Squib you mention against your People, in the Supplement to the Magazine; but I think it impossible they should be worse us’d there than they have lately been here; where sundry inflammatory Pamphlets are printed and...
45906[Other Courant Essays Possibly by Franklin, 1723] (Franklin Papers)
Franklin’s contributions to the New-England Courant were not limited to the fourteen letters of Mrs. Silence Dogood. After he had revealed himself as their author and “began to be considered a little more by my Brother’s Acquaintance,” he was doubtless occasionally invited or emboldened to do another piece. When James Franklin was in prison, Franklin “had the Management of the Paper,” which...
45907From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 13 February 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I send you the Sketch of the Bill for repealing the Act relating to the legal Tender, to be modell’d by you and brought in as propos’d. I am doubtful the Clause relating to existing Debts will occasion Difficulties in America, and therefore wish the Bill could pass without it. But I think a Clause limiting the Quantities each Colony may emit, would not be...
45908From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 29 July 1750 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: American Academy of Arts and Sciences As you first put us on Electrical Experiments by sending to our Library-Company a Tube with Directions how to use it; and as our honourable Proprietor enabled us to carry those Experiments to a greater Height, by his generous Present of a complete Electrical Apparatus; ’Tis fit that both should know from Time to Time what Progress we make. It was in...
45909Remarks concerning the Savages of North America, [before 7 January 1784] (Franklin Papers)
Printed at Passy, [1784]; AD (draft): Library of Congress; two copies: Library of Congress; incomplete press copy of copy: American Philosophical Society In the fall and winter of 1783–84, when Franklin’s diplomatic responsibilities were at an ebb, he was confined to his house by painful ailments, and he was hoping for permission to leave France, he seems to have spent much of his time...
45910From Benjamin Franklin to Silas Deane, 7 April 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Blumhaven Library and Gallery, Philadelphia; two copies: Yale University Library I have had a long and very angry Letter from Mr. Lee, about your going without acquainting him with it, in which his Disorder seems to encrease, for he raves not only against you and me, but seems to resent the Court’s sending a Minister to Congress without advising with him. I bear all his Rebukes with...
45911From Benjamin Franklin to Timothy Horsfield, 24 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
Extract: American Philosophical Society Foulk with his Company March this Day to build another Fort between this and Fort Lebanon in the Forks of Shuylkill. He is to be assisted by Traxlers Company and a Detachment of Wetherhold’s, which also leaves us this day. My Son with Hay’s Company and Arndt’s Marches in a few Days to Surfass’s Place (where Trump is also Expected) to Erect another Fort...
45912Petition to the Treasury from Franklin and Others for a Grant of Land, 4 January 1770 (Franklin Papers)
AD (copy): Library of Congress The formation of the Grand Ohio Company in the early summer of 1769 had begun a flurry of activity among its principal promoters. The original request to the Privy Council for a grant of 2,400,000 acres, to be carved out of the territory ceded to the crown by the Indians in the Treaty of Fort Stanwix, had been referred to the Board of Trade. After a five-month...
45913From Benjamin Franklin to [Silas Deane], 9 July 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Franklin is here forwarding word of a most unwelcome development. Wickes’s cruise had raised a storm in Whitehall, and on July 8 Stormont protested in strong terms to Maurepas and Vergennes. The Ministers met that evening, according to Wentworth, and the following evening Maurepas and Sartine discussed with considerable heat what should be said to the...
45914American Longevity, [15 December 1767] (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The London Chronicle , Dec. 12–15, 1767. I have often heard it remarked, that our Colonies in North America were unhealthy and unfavourable to long life; and more particularly so upon their first settlement. In opposition to this groundless notion, I here send you two paragraphs taken from the Pensylvania Gazette of July 16, and the New-York Gazette of August 27, giving an account...
45915From Benjamin Franklin to the Comtesse Conway, 25 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I find, Ma chere fille, that you and I have been very unlucky in our Endeavours to oblige Mr. Mullens: for on the Contrary we have grievously offended him. I understood he had been taken Prisoner and stript by the English, and had not wherewith to pay the Expence of his Journey to his Regiment. I sent him an Order on my Banker for ten Guineas. He returns me the Order,...
45916From Benjamin Franklin to Matthew Maty, 1 July 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): American Philosophical Society Our ingenious and worthy Brother Mr. Walsh, having long had an Intention of drawing up from his Minutes a full Account of the numerous Experiments he made on the Torpedo, which Intention his other Avocations have not permitted him to execute, it is but lately that I have obtain’d his Permission to lay before the Society what he had in the...
45917From Benjamin Franklin to [Anthony Todd], 27 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Press copy of ALS : American Philosophical Society I receiv’d last Night your Favour of the 19th. Inst. and have this Day sent to propose a Meeting on the Subject with Mr. Couteulx; but he was not in Town. I shall do what you desire of me as soon as may be. Be so good as to forward the enclos’d, if not too late, by your next Wednesday’s Mail, and let me Know by a Line if it was in time. With...
45918From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Oswald, 12 July 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Public Record Office; AL (draft): Library of Congress; copies: Public Record Office (two), Library of Congress, William L. Clements Library I inclose a Letter for Lord Shelburne, to go by your Courier, with some others of which I request his Care. They may be put into the Penny Post. I have received a Note informing me, that, “some Opposition given by his Lordship to Mr Fox’s decided Plan...
45919From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Bache, 11 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : British Library I received your Letters of the 28th. of August, and 10th of September, with the Newspapers by M. Sailly, but they were very incompleat and broken Sets, many being omitted perhaps the most material, which is disagreable to me who wish to be well inform’d of what is doing among you. I was glad to receive the good Account B & S have given of their good Treatment of those...
45920From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley: Two Letters, 7 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
(I) Copies: Library of Congress (two), William L. Clements Library, Massachusetts Historical Society; (II) Copies: Library of Congress (two), William L. Clements Library, Massachusetts Historical Society, Public Record Office The enclosed Letters to you and to Mr. Fox were written before I saw you yesterday. On my return home last night I found despatches from Congress which may remove the...
45921From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Bache, 1 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress The Bearer, M. Jean Babtiste Charles Pinon Duclos Vulmer, is a young Gentleman of Good family and good Character, who goes to America for the Sake of Seeing that part of the World as a traveller, Your Civilities to him as a stranger of merit will much oblige. Your affectionate father
45922From Benjamin Franklin to James Logan, 16 December 1749 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from extract in Sparks, Works , VII , 40. I send you herewith a new French piece on electricity, in which you will find a journal of experiments on a paralytic person. I also send Neal on Electricity, and the last Philosophical Transactions, in which you will find some other pieces on the same subject. If you should desire to see any of the experiments mentioned in...
45923From Benjamin Franklin to John Emery, 23 March 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: American Philosophical Society I received your favour of the 11th. inst: and have the pleasure of informing you that tho Capt: Babson’s prizes were confiscated legally in France for a breach of the marine Laws by entering under a false declaration, and altho’ the King who might justly have profitted of the confiscation had nevertheless for political reasons given it up to the English yet...
45924From Benjamin Franklin to Gardoqui & fils, 9 October 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have long been made sensible by many Instances, of your Friendship for America, & of the kindness you have Shewn to many of my Countrymen; I beg you to accept my thankful acknowledgements. We have an Exchange of Prisoners here with England, which gives us Americans for all the English taken by American armed Vessels. I have heard from time to time of English...
45925From Benjamin Franklin to Robert Hunter Morris, 26 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission We left Bethlehem the 10th: Instant with Foulk’s Company, 46 Men, the Detachment of M’Laughlin’s 20, and 7 Waggons laden with Stores and Provisions. We got that night to Hays’s Quarters, where Wayne’s Company joined us from Nazareth. The next Day we marched cautiously thro’ the Gap of the Mountain, a very dangerous Pass, and got to Uplinger’s...
45926From Benjamin Franklin to Noble Wimberly Jones, 3–8 August 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Buffalo and Erie Public Library On my late Return from the Country I found your Favour of March 18. which had been left by Mr. Stephens. I have not since seen him, but shall be glad of any Opportunity of serving him on your Recommendation. I see by the Papers that your new Assembly is dissolved. I am concern’d at the uncomfortable Train your public Affairs have lately taken, but hope it...
45927From Benjamin Franklin to [John Chalmers?], 6 July 1765 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society I have been many Years Acquainted with the Revd. Mr. Mather Byles, of Whom you tell me some Acct. is desired, He is a Native of New England, Descended of the Ancient Mather family of which there have been two Doctor’s in Divinity both Famous in that Country for their Learning and Piety, Viz Dr. Increase Mather and Dr. Cotton Mather; the former President...
45928Accounts with William Bradford, Jr., 1741–55 (Franklin Papers)
MS : American Philosophical Society; MS Account Book: Historical Society of Pennsylvania Franklin’s business relations with other printers are suggested by a bill he submitted to the younger William Bradford and by Bradford’s account with him. Franklin’s bill covers the period from October 27, 1741, when he lent Bradford £1 10 s. , to September 22, 1747, when the bill he submitted amounted to...
45929From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Cushing, 7 July 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office; ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress I am favoured with yours of April 20, and May 6. The Letters communicated to you were not merely to “satisfy the Curiosity” of any, but it was thought there might be a Use in showing them to some Friends of the Province, and even to some of the Governor’s Party, for their more certain Information concerning his Conduct and...
45930From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 17 April 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote you a long Letter of the 8th and 29th of March on various Subjects, too long to copy unless it should be lost. But as Messrs. Coxe are sending Copies of their Request and Power to you, I must repeat so much of my Letter as related thereto. [Here Franklin copied verbatim the long paragraph which formed the largest part of the postscript dated March...