48241From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 29 December 1767 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; extract reprinted in part from The Pennsylvania Chronicle, And Universal Advertiser , March 7–14, 1768, and in part from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D. F.R.S. &c ., II , The Private Correspondence (quarto edition, London, 1817), 149–50. The paragraphs printed here form the second of two documents that William Temple...
48242From Benjamin Franklin to John Barry, 10 February 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Library of Congress, New-York Historical Society I have been honour’d by yours of the 31st. past, and am glad to find you are willing to take over some of the public Goods. I should not desire it of you, if certain Circumstances unforeseen had not rendered it necessary. The Goods are for the use of our Troops & Marine, and were collected at Brest, with an Intention of sending them in...
48243From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Mather, 7 July 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft) and extract: Library of Congress By a Line of the 4th. past, I acknowledged the Receipt of your Favour of March 18. and sent you with it two Pamphlets. I now add another, a spirited Address to the Bishops who opposed the Dissenter’s Petition. It is written by a Dissenting Minister at York. There is preserv’d at the End of it a little fugitive Piece of mine, written on...
48244From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 9 May 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery I have been from Philadelphia about 3 Weeks on a Journey hither upon the Business of the Post Office, but am now returning home, where I hope to find some Letters from you, as I hear that two Pacquets are arrived at New York since I came out. I have answer’d the Letters receiv’d from you by my Son, and have little to add. I congratulate you...
48245From Benjamin Franklin to Edward Bridgen, 2 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; three copies: Library of Congress I received your Favour of the 17th. past, and the 2 Samples of Copper are since come to hand. The metal seems to be very good, and the Price reasonable, but I have not yet receiv’d the orders necessary to justify my making the Purchase proposed. There has indeed been an Intention to strike Copper Coin that may not only be useful as...
48246From Benjamin Franklin to Pierres, 20 September 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Alice T. Bates, Los Angeles, California (1956) J’ai reçu, Monsieur, avec la Lettre que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’ecrire, les 5 Exemplaires du Manuel d’Epictete en Grec, que vous avez eu la bonté de m’envoyer pour mes Amis et moi. Agréez je vous prie mes Remerciemens sinceres, pour ces Beautés Typographiques. On ne sauroit rendre un plus bel hommage à un Auteur: Epictete est ainsi...
48247From Benjamin Franklin to Fizeaux, Grand & Cie., 22 October 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I receiv’d the Letter you did me the honour of writing to me the 4th Instant, wherein you advis’d me either to send Remittances, or to permit the Drawing on me at a short Term in order to discharge Mr Adams’s Acceptances therein mentioned. The latter Method is most convenient to me, and I hereby acquaint you that I will accept & pay such Drafts as shall...
48248Franklin’s Diary of Correspondence, [12 February-2 March 1779] (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society Feb. 12. 1779:— 5 OClock Recd my Appointment of M. P. at this Court. Waited upon M. De Vergennes who not being at home I waited upon M. Renvalle, inform’d him of it. 13 Wrote Jona. Williams acquaing him with my late appt. cong Goods to be bought for Wm Green Esqr &c Wrote Mr Coffyn informg him of my nomination. Approving what he had done for the Prisoners....
48249Card to the Public, 23 September 1742 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , September 23, 1742. It being asserted in a printed Paper, directed to the Freeholders of Pennsylvania , that the Assembly had concealed the State of the publick Accounts from the People, by artfully deferring the Publication of their Minutes, in order to prevent a Detection of some suppos’d Mismanagement of the publick Money; I think I owe this Justice to...
48250Extracts from the Gazette, 1747 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , January 6 to December 29, 1747. Extracts from The Pennsylvania Gazette have been printed for each of the years that Franklin personally conducted his printing office (see above, I, 164). With the establishment of the partnership of Franklin and Hall on January 1, 1748, however, the latter took over the daily oversight of the office, though Franklin, of...
48251From Benjamin Franklin to John Sargent, 27 June 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society I have written to Messrs. Browns and Collinson to pay the Ballance of my Acct to you; and I beg you to take the Trouble of receiving and keeping it for me, or my Children. It may possibly soon be all I shall have left: as my American Property consists chiefly of Houses in our Seaport Towns, which your Ministry have begun to burn, and I suppose are...
48252From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 14 February 1765 (II) (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society By Capt. Robinson you will receive a Case Mrs. Stevenson has sent you, with the Blankets, Bed ticks, &c. you wrote for. No new China was to be had that would match the Cup and Saucer; but a Friend who has a Set at the same time with me, spar’d me the Remains of his, which are now sent. In the Case I return Mr. Thomas Wharton’s Woollen Gown, which he was so...
48253Observations on the Proceedings against Mr. Hemphill, [17 July 1735] (Franklin Papers)
Some Observations on the Proceedings against The Rev. Mr. Hemphill; with a Vindication of his Sermons. The Second Edition. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by B. Franklin. 1735. (Yale University Library) The Commission of the Synod of Philadelphia appointed to hear Jedediah Andrews’ charges against Samuel Hemphill met April 17. The evidence consisted of the testimony of witnesses and Hemphill’s...
48254“The Petition of the Letter Z”, [after 12 February 1779?] (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society Along with the official letter of appointment as sole minister plenipotentiary, Franklin also received from Lafayette’s hand several private letters from Philadelphia, dated October 21 and 22, 1778, which bore disturbing news: Ralph Izard, throughout their months of bitter controversy, had been secretly airing his grievances against the elder commissioner in...
48255From Benjamin Franklin to Daniel Roberdeau, 6 March 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Indiana Library The Congress desire a Return to be made to them of the Powder the Committee of Safety have lent them, that it may be known how much is due. I am very respectfully Dear Sir Your most obedient humble Servant A Copy of the Order for Replacing the Arms was given 2 Days since by Mr. Thomson to the Commissary Mr. Towers. Col. Roberdeau Addressed: Col. Roberdeau /...
48256From Benjamin Franklin to Mary Stevenson, 31 December 1765 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Thanks to you for the Garters, and for the Lines that accompany them; the Knitting of the latter is as even and as pretty as that of the former, and the Work much more durable, for with me it will never wear out. Your Mama is pretty well, and gone abroad. We purpose to be at Kensington tomorrow and hope to have the Pleasure of finding you all well. I am...
48257From Benjamin Franklin to [the Abbé de la Roche], 29 March 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Yale University Library J’ai parcouru, mon cher Ami, la petit Livre des Poesies de M. Helvetius, dont vous m’avez fait le Cadeau precieux. Le beau Poëme sur le Bonheur m’a donné beaucoup de Plaisir; m’a fait resouvenir d’une petite Chanson-a-boire, que j’ai fait il-y-a quarante Ans, sur le même Sujet, & qu’avait a peu près le meme Plan, & plusieurs des mêmes pensées. La voici.— Singer....
48258Certificate for Rolandeau, 13 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AD : Dartmouth College Library This may certify whom it may concern, that M. Rolandeau, a Lieutenant in the 5th Regiment of the State of Carolina, came to France on some Affairs of Importance which indispensibly requir’d his Presence, and so suddainly that he had not an Opportunity of obtaining his Congé. Of this I am well assured by Persons of great Honour and Distinction here. And as he...
48259From Benjamin Franklin to John Jay, 29 September 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS and AL (draft): Columbia University Library; copy: Library of Congress I received yours of the 10th. Instant, and have given Orders that you should have the Credit you require for October & November; viz. 16157 Dollars. Please to let me know if this Sum includes the Ballance of the 25,000 Dollars. I begin to have Hopes of the Loan in Holland, in which Case, I shall be able also to pay your...
48260From Benjamin Franklin to Sarah Bache, 16 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your kind Letters of Sept. 14. and 25th. You mention the Silk being in a Box with Squirrel Skins, but it is come to hand without them or the Box. Perhaps they were spoilt by the Salt Water & thrown away; for the Silk is much damag’d and not at all fit to be presented as you propose. Indeed I wonder how having yourself scarce Shoes to your Feet,...
48261From Benjamin Franklin to Ferdinand Grand, 3 July 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Translation: Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Mr. franklin presente ses respects à Mr. Grand et il lui envoye la lettre originale dont it lui a parlé. Dans une autre Mr. Bingham dit que “le plus Leger pretexte suffit aujourdhui aux Anglois pour saisir et condamner les effets des marchands françois qui ne peuvent pas même transporter les productions d’Amerique d’une Isle à une...
48262From Benjamin Franklin to John Perkins, 4 February 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society I ought to have wrote to you long since, in Answer to yours of Oct. 16. concerning the Water Spout: But Business partly, and partly a Desire of procuring further Information by Inquiry among my Seafaring Acquaintance, induc’d me to postpone Writing from time to time, till I am now almost asham’d to resume the Subject, not knowing but you may have forgot...
48263From Benjamin Franklin to John Laurens, 17 May 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library; copy: Library of Congress Inclos’d is the Order you desire for another Hundred Louis.— Take my Blessing with it, and my Prayers that God may send you safe & well home with your Cargoes. I would not attempt persuading you to quit the military Line, because I think you have the Qualities of Mind and Body that promise your doing great Service & acquiring Honour in...
48264From Benjamin Franklin to Condorcet, 12 October 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Pierpont Morgan Library I send you enclos’d the Letter you desire. But as I am apprehensive that the young Gentleman may have flattered himself with Expectations that are never likely to be answered in that Country, I wish he would consider it well before he undertakes such a Voyage. If he will take the Trouble of calling on me, perhaps I may afford him some useful Lights on the Subject....
48265Proposed Preamble to a Congressional Resolution on Privateering, [before 23 March 1776] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress On March 23, 1776, in response to petitions from merchants, Congress passed a set of resolutions to authorize privateering. The move was an answer to the Prohibitory Act of the previous December, which declared the colonies in rebellion and provided for confiscation of their shipping. That act was prominent among the grievances in the preamble that was actually...
48266From Benjamin Franklin to John Canton, [1757–1772] (Franklin Papers)
AL : The Royal Society Mr. Franklin’s Compliments to Mr. Canton, and requests he would procure for him two more of the long Glass Tubes such as he formerly did him the favour to procure for him. On John Canton, electrical experimenter, see above, IV , 390 n. This note might have been written at virtually any time before Canton’s death, March 22, 1772, except, of course, during one of BF ’s...
48267Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 5 February 1784 (Adams Papers)
I received the Letter you did me the Honour of writing to me the 24th past. You have had a terrible Passage indeed, taking it all together from London to Amsterdam. The Season has been, and continues, uncommonly severe, and you must have suffered much. It is a Pity that the good Purpose of your Voyage, to save if possible the Credit of M r Morris’s Bills could not be accomplished, by your...
48268From Benjamin Franklin to Rodolphe-Ferdinand Grand, 3 November 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Archivo General de Simancas Nous devons des remerciemens à la personne qui nous a fait remettre, par vôtre canal, la notte que nous avons reçu contre Conyngham; & nous devons l’assurer de nouveau, qu’etant penetrés de respect pour S. M. C. rien ne nous peine plus que des plaintes de sa part contre nos Gens. Elle aura vû par les papiers que vous avez remis dans le temps de notre Part a S....
48269From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 28 July 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your kind Letters of May the 1st and 18th. I rejoice to hear that you and yours continue in Health; as I do, Thanks to God. The Report you mention that I offer’d to desert my Constituents, and banish myself if I might continue in Place, is an infamous Falshood, as you supposed. And as ridiculous as false, since it implies that I have not...
48270From Benjamin Franklin to [Madame Brouttin Mollien de Sombres], [after 4 March 1784] (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society That I am sorry I was not at home when she did me the honour of calling on me. That the Appointment of Consuls does not belong to me: but That whenever one is appointed for Dunkirk, I imagine it will be Mr Coffyn, who for seven Years past has constantly served the United States in taking Care of & relieving their poor Prisoners escaping from England &...