48251To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 10 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The principall motive of the present is to desire Yoúr Excellency’s Kind assistance in forwarding the annexed Mercantile Letter by the first conveyance from France, it contains the arrivall of Some Vessells with ús; the Independance came to oúr adress from Virginia, which we may reckon we hope de bonne aúgúre. It hath not been possible as yett to gett a...
48252To Benjamin Franklin from David Sears, 10 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Yesterday came up to Town the Sloop Independance belonging to Mr Isaac Sears & Co of Boston she left Virginia the 16th Apl last and came north about but brings nothing so late as you must be already furnish’d with— I have settled my affairs in Europe and shall now return to Boston in the above mentioned Vessell (at least I shall take passage in her) because...
48253From Benjamin Franklin to Morel, [after 10 June 1779] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress It was two Guineas that I gave the Person who brought me your Charts, tho’ you mention to have received but One . This makes me think that he is not a Person to be trusted, or else I should send them back to you by him: for Tho’ I would not undervalue your Labour; yet not being Rich I cannot afford to give you three four or five Guineas as you say other Gentlemen have...
48254From Benjamin Franklin to Sartine, 11 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received and read with great Pleasure the Letter your Excellency did me the honour to write to me the 26 past, acquainting me with his Majesty’s Goodness towards the Sieur Giddins, who had the Misfortune to lose his Brigantine by the Mistake of a Battery at Guadeloupe. I beg you would present and make acceptable to his Majesty my most thankful Acknowledgements for...
48255From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 11 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress The Congress having been extreamly embarrassed and put to great Expences by the Number of Foreign Officers that went to America in Expectation of Employment, and who could not be employed, our Armies being already arranged and more than fully Officer’d, have signified to me their Pleasure that I should give no...
48256To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas Digges, 11 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I receivd Your favour of the 30th ulo. & find by it only one of my letters have miscarryd. By mentioning the dates of my letters I did not mean to draw you into answering any of them but meerly to assertain their safety; I well know how much better Your time is employd than by answering letters of little import, never mind me, but when you have any...
48257To Benjamin Franklin from Dumas, 11 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Algemeen Rijksarchief En attendant que je puisse vous parler de ce qui se passe aujourd’hui à l’Assemblée, il est bon de vous rendre compte de la maniere dont a fini l’affaire du Gazettier de Leide. Voici l’extrait des deux dernieres lettres qu’il m’a écrites, en date des 7 & 10 du court. C’est moi qui lui avois envoyé copie du Meme. de S. J....
48258To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 11 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Library of Congress Before you receive this you will probably have received my last, by a private Conveyance. You will find by that letter, that I have not been successfull in the negotiation in which I was so desirous to give assistance. Let me just ask you; if a truce of ten years be not practicable, what wd you think of a truce for one Year as a foundation for treating. My bias...
48259To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Bennett Lloyd, 11 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have just received two letters from Maryland, one from my Uncle Lloyd, the other from my Brother—. I enclose you Copies of them, and earnestly request the favour of you to think if I can take up the money in France as my Friends expect by drawing on them in Maryland—. Shd. you imagine my presence at Paris would make this necessary, I can easily come...
48260From Benjamin Franklin to Robert Cochran, 12 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Princeton University Library; copy: Library of Congress I received yours of Augt 16. a long time after the Date. I am happy that any little Notice I have been able to take of your Son is agreable to you. He is truely a fine Boy, ingenious, active, industrious, and capable of any Improvement you may think fit to bestow upon him in his Education.— From his good Dispositions of Mind, there...
48261From Benjamin Franklin to Christopher Gadsden, 12 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received the honour of yours by Commodore Gillon, and have done every thing in my Power to forward his Undertaking. But the present Circumstances here have prevented that Success which at another time he might have promised himself. I am glad to hear that you Continue well and active in your Country’s Cause, being, with Sincere Esteem Sir Your most obed. & most hum....
48262From Benjamin Franklin to Rawlins Lowndes, [12 June 1779] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received by Commodore Gillon the Letter your Excellency directed to The Commissioners at this Court; Dated the 18th of July last. It would have been a great Pleasure to me If I could have been of Service in enabling him to obtain a Loan here for the accomplishing the purposes of his Voyage hither; But the great Sums wanted by the Governement here, and the high...
48263From Benjamin Franklin to Arthur Middleton, 12 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received the honour of yours per Commodore Gillon. It would have been a great Pleasure to me if I could by any Endeavours of mine have enabled him to accomplish the Ends of his Mission; But the Circumstances of the Times made it impracticable. I shall always pay great Respect to your Recommendation, being with Sincere Esteem, Sir Your most obedient & most humble...
48264From Benjamin Franklin to John Rutledge, 12 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received by Commodore Gillon the Letter you did me the honour of writing to me, dated the 9th. of July last. Since his arrival, he has been extremely industrious in endeavouring to accomplish the Ends of his Mission but various Circumstances have concurred to disappoint him, which I am sorry for, as from his intelligence and Zeal for the Congress, I should have...
48265From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 12 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress Since the receipt of the Letter your Excellency did me the honour of writing to me of the 6th of May past, I have enquired concerning the Munitions of War supply’d from the King’s Arsenals to Mr Lee, and which are gone to Virginia; and I find that they are different from those now desired for that Colony, and were a...
48266To Benjamin Franklin from Edward Byrne, 12 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I Writt you of my misfortins Sir in which it lys in your powr to Send mee hom to wher I blong to Feladealfea Sir, I was takn by the Winchilsey frigat wee was bownd to martninq and Kiped one Board of hir Six months and I run away from hir in Jemeaky and Cam to Liverpool and then gat meet of a brigg bownd to Limerick in Irland and from Limerick to London and...
48267From Benjamin Franklin to Rocquette, Elsevier & Rocquette, 13 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received your favour of the 7th. Instant, inclosing two Notes of the United states for 1000 Dollars each for my Inspection, which I return inclos’d. I have not yet seen the resolution mentioned therein but by what I can recollect from the face of the Notes themselves, I judge that the Dollars for which the notes are given were of Paper Money borrowed, and that the...
48268From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes: Two Letters, 13 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
(I) LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress; (II) copy: Library of Congress I have communicated to Mr Lee the Letter your Excellency did me the honour to write to me of the 8th: Instant, relative to the Money placed in the Kings Treasury for Acct of Mr Stevenson; and also the Copy of the Letter to M. De Sartine which it enclosed: Mr Lee having no...
48269To Benjamin Franklin from John Kendrick, 13 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Have taken the liberty to inform Your Excellency that I Commanded the Brig Count De. Estaing a privateer of Sixteen Guns from Boston belonging to Messrs. Isaac Sears Paskel Smith & Company that on the 7. of April in Latitude 38:40 N—and Longitude 33:30 West. from the Meridion of London I was taken By the Ship Brutus of 28 Guns and her Tender of Ten Guns...
48270To Benjamin Franklin from James Lovell, 13 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society (three), University of Pennsylvania Library; copy: National Archives By way of Martinique I forward to you Gazettes, Journals and one or two Pamphlets. The Situation of Things in Congress has been such for some time past that the Committee of foreign Affairs has been drawn on to look dayly for some interesting Decisions to communicate to you, which must...
48271To Benjamin Franklin from Dumas, 14 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Algemeen Rijksarchief Après le départ de ma Lettre du 11e., voici exactement ce que j’ai appris de notre ami. Le préavis de l’Amirauté d’Hollde. a éte en apparence assez bon, savoir, de faire de fortes remontrances à L. H. P., pour les presser de se conformer tout de bon à la resolution de la province d’Hollde., quant à la prompte & efficace...
48272To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas Mante, 14 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This morning the Count de Landreville paid to the concierge of this prison, two Guineas that he received from your humanity, by means of which, I am in a situation to preserve the chamber in which I am lodged, and which I trust will enable me to preserve it, till the justice of the parliament may relieve me from the most tyrannical cruel oppression that...
48273To Benjamin Franklin from John Bondfield, 15 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society By advices yesterday from Bilboa a vessel arrived at that port from Salem which place he left the 8 May. The Frigates the Queen of France, the Warren and the Ranger on a Cruize fell in with a small fleet of Transports from New York bound to Georgia, took eight of them loaden with Arms Amunition Artillery & Stores with many Officers on board and sent them...
48274To Benjamin Franklin from Francis Coffyn, 16 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I duly receiv’d the honnor of Mr. H. I. Franklin’s letter dated 14th. ultmo. covering a Commission, instructions, and other papers for the Cutter Black Prince, Stephen Merchant Commander, which I intended to carry to Dunkirk, to deliver the same to said Captain, and to get the bond Executed by Mr. John Torris, owner of said privateer; but first a Sudden...
48275From Benjamin Franklin to William Lee, 17 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Library of Congress, University of Virginia Library I made the Application you desired to the Ministry for the State of Virginia and it is still under Consideration. But it being known that the contract made for the Same things with D’Acosta & Co. has been executed by them, and the greatest part already sent over on their own Account, as you refused to take them, I know not how I can...
48276To Benjamin Franklin from Alexander J. Alexander, 17 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I propose doing myself the Pleasure to call upon you on sunday Morning to communicate some letters that have past between a friend of yours & myself you may probably guess what the Subject is I hope I shall find you at home I beg my Complements to your Son & am most sincerely Dr Sir your Most Obt Humble Servt Addressed: A Monsieur / Monsieur Franklin / A...
48277To Benjamin Franklin from Baudouin, 17 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mr. de Sartine, que j’ay vú ce matin, m’a chargé d’avoir l’honneur de vous dire, qu’il luy est revenu, qu’un corsaire ameriquain se disposoit a intercepter le paquebot de douvres à calais, que le capitaine de ce corsaire vous avoit ecrit pour vous communiquer son projet, et que n’ayant pas recû de reponse de vous, il prenoit ce Silence pour un consentement,...
48278To Benjamin Franklin from Dumas, 17 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Je me trouve ici, depuis une couple de jours, chez Mr. De N——. Avant que j’eusse pu le précautionner, par lettre d’abord, & plus amplement de bouche, sur ce que vous m’avez confié par votre Lettre du 4e. Mr. S—— lui avoit remis une Lettre pour vous, qu’il n’a pu refuser poliment de recevoir, & par conséquent de faire parvenir. Aujourd’hui il s’est passé une...
48279To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 17 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The spirit for the American caúse beginns to revive here, and may be I feel the more impulse for this manner of thinking, which hath been always so agreable to me as we enjoi’d many Conversations on true liberty with Mr Van der Capellen Mr. Dúmas and severall American Gentlemen, among which, one introdúces himself every where with proposalls, after having...
48280To Benjamin Franklin from Samuel W. Stockton, 17 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am unfortunate in not having had it in my power to give you earlier information of my determination to make use of the opportunity which now offers for America from hence. I was induced to beleive these vessels would not sail so soon as I find since my arrival here, they intend. The vessel I expect to go in will sail for Philadelphia or Baltimore & is...