From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 23 February 1763
To William Strahan
ALS: Pierpont Morgan Library
Philada. Feb. 23. 1763
Dear Straney,
I have only time to write one Line by this Conveyance, just to congratulate you on the glorious Peace you have made, the most advantageous for the British Nation in my Opinion, of any your Annals have recorded.6 The Places you have left or restor’d to the French I look upon to be so much in our Power in Case of a future War, as to be so many Hostages or Pledges of their good Behaviour.7 Love to Mrs. Strahan and your Children. Billy joins in every affectionate Sentiment,8 with, Dear Friend, Yours affectionately
B Franklin
Addressed: To / Mr William Strahan / Printer / New Street, Shoe Lane / London
6. The terms of the preliminary peace treaty, signed Nov. 3, 1762, had been summarized in Pa. Gaz., Jan. 27, 1763. Grenada, the Grenadines, Tobago, Dominica, and St. Vincent in the West Indies were to become British; Martinique, Guadeloupe, Marie Galante, and St. Lucia were to be French. Havana was to be restored to Spain in return for the cession to Great Britain of St. Augustine and all of Florida. France was to retain the islands of Miquelon and St. Pierre in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and to have freedom to catch and cure fish (but no territorial rights) on a limited portion of the Newfoundland coast. Most important of all, France was to cede to Great Britain the whole of Canada and the region the French called Louisiana between the British colonies on the mainland and the Mississippi River, including the Ohio Valley, together with the right of navigation of the Mississippi.
7. This sentence essentially repeats a part of the canceled passage in the draft letter to Philip Ludwell immediately above.
8. WF and his wife had reached Philadelphia, February 19.