48361From Benjamin Franklin to Henry Bouquet, 16 August 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : British Museum Returning just now from the Board of Commissioners, I found your agreable Favour of the 10th Instant. We had a Meeting on Tuesday, when your Letter to the Governor was laid before us, his Honour not present, and the Board thin. I think none but myself spoke then for the measure recommended; so, to prevent its being too hastily refus’d, I moved to refer it to this Day, when...
48362From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 14 April 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : William L. Clements Library I have before me your Favours of Jan. 11. and 14. Feb. 20. and 21. I am glad the House thought fit to attempt a Circuit Bill. It has long been a great Hardship to the remote Counties, that they were forc’d to come to Philadelphia for Justice. Obliging the Judges to go the Circuit regularly is so reasonable a Measure, that it must in time force itself thro’ all...
48363From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Johnson, 11 July 1751 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (mutilated): Yale University Library I receiv’d your Favours of June [ and] July 4. I am sorry for the Faults in the I[ntroduction] and shall endeavour to be more careful. The Contents and Introduction are to be prefix’d, tho’ printed last; they shall be plac’d in the same Order as in the M.S. Perhaps a few of the Oeconomy’s might sell in your Parts by your Recommendation: If you think so...
48364From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 12 September 1775 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress I have this Day received your Favours per Capt. Falconer, of which more in my next. With this I send you a number of Newspapers and Pamphlets, by which you will see Things are become serious here. Your Nation must stop short, and change its Measures, or she will lose the Colonies for ever. The Burning of Towns, and firing from Men of War on defenceless Cities...
48365From Benjamin Franklin to Charles Thomson, 11 July 1765 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Library of Congress; extract: printed in The London Chronicle , November 14–16, 1765. I am extreemly obliged by your kind Letters of Aprill 12th. and 14th. and thank you for the Intelligence they Contain. The Outrages continueally commited by those misguided people, will doubtless tend to Convince all the Considerate on your side of the Water of the Weakness of our present Government and...
48366Mutiny Act, [15 April 1756] (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Anno Regni Georgii II. Regis, Magnae Britanniae, Franciae & Hiberniae, Vigesimo Nono. At a General Assembly of the Province of Pennsylvania, begun and holden at Philadelphia, the Fourteenth Day of October, Anno Domini, 1755 , … (Philadelphia, 1755), pp. 267–70. On March 3, 1756, the Assembly minutes record that “A Bill for the better Regulation of such Soldiers as are or hereafter...
48367From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 15 March 1770 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Jared Sparks, ed., A Collection of the Familiar Letters and Miscellaneous Papers of Benjamin Franklin (Boston, 1833), pp. 123–4. I received your kind little letter of January 3d from Philadelphia. I am glad your visit thither proves agreeable to you. Since your family is so much reduced, I do not see why you might not as well continue there, if you like the place equally with...
48368From Benjamin Franklin to Jean-Daniel Schweighauser, 17 February 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received your Favour of the 8th. Inst. inclosing Letters from America & thank you for your Care in speedily forwarding them. I have since received another acquainting me with the Cargo of the Active, and desiring to know if you may draw on me for what may be wanting to compleat her Cargo back. I have also received a Letter from the Admiralty Board relating to...
48369Account of Sales of Stock, [26 November 1761] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania Sold for Benj: Franklin Esqr 1761 Novbr. 26 £700 4 per cents to Wm: Morris at 83½ £584. 10 – £1000 to J. Ruddell at 83⅜ 833. 15 – £1200 to S: Cazalet at 83⅜ 1000.
48370From Benjamin Franklin to William Carmichael, 24 August 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and two copies: Library of Congress On looking over your Letters I am asham’d to find my self so much & so long in your Debt. I thank you for making me acquainted with Mr. Sonnerat. He appears a very amiable Man, and is full of Intelligence & Information. We are all much obliged to Count de Montmorin, for his friendly Assistance in our Affairs. Please to present him my thankful...
48371From Benjamin Franklin to John Adams, 10 May 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Massachusetts Historical Society; copy: Library of Congress I received the honour of yours of the 29th past from Nantes. I hope you are before this time safely arrived at L’Orient. M. De la Luzerne is making diligent Preparation for his Departure, and you will soon see him. He and the Secretary of the Embassy are both very agreable and sensible Men, in whose Conversation you will have a...
48372From the Casuist: The Case of the Missing Horse, 25 January 1732 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , January 25, 1731/2; also draft: Historical Society of Pennsylvania. To the Query, propos’d to the Casuist in the last Gazette, I have received two Answers, from different Hands, each of which subscribes himself The Casuist. As their Opinions are different, ’twill perhaps be more satisfactory to the Querist if I insert them both. My Opinion, which is...
48373From Benjamin Franklin to Walter Williams and Helenus Scott, 24 November 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received the Letters you did me the Honour of writing to me on the 27th. of Last Month, and beg you will accept my Thanks for your good Will to the American Cause. Having the most positive orders from Congress not to give the smallest encouragement to any Persons whatever to go to America with Expectations of military Preferment, (the Army of the United States being...
48374From Benjamin Franklin to ――― Adoubeden with a Covering Note to ―――, 2 May 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (two drafts): Library of Congress It would be a pleasure to me if I could comply with your Request to place your Son in our American Army. But it is absolutely not in my Power. Some old experienc’d Engineers and Officers of Artillery have been desired from Europe, but they have long since been engag’d and gone. And we have so many young Gentlemen, Natives of our Country, who are desirous...
48375From Benjamin Franklin to Arthur Lee, 9 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have received no Answer relative to the Proposition you mention. Perhaps without waiting longer for an Answer, thro’ Versailles it might be as well for you to apply directly to the Spanish ambassador for the Information you desire. With much Respect I have the honour to be Sir, Your most obedt. humble servant In response to Lee’s of the previous day.
48376From Benjamin Franklin to Baudouin, 18 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I shall write immediately as you desired to the Capitain of the American Privateer forbidding him to meddle with the Pacquets betwen Dover and Calais. I did not attend much to the Capitains Letter, supposing that if they were under the protection of the Governement they would if stopt by him produce that protection, and that he would of course discharge them. Please...
48377Rise of the Late War, [18 May 1756] (Franklin Papers)
Ad: American Philosophical Society When and for what purpose Franklin prepared this brief chronology has not been determined; no direct connection between it and any of his other writings has been found. The words “late War” in the endorsement suggest 1763 or a subsequent year for its composition, although he may have added the endorsement some time after compiling the text. While he could not...
48378From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 1 January 1757 (Franklin Papers)
Original ALS not found; duplicate: Pierpont Morgan Library I wrote you yesterday a Line or two enclosing the second of a Set of Bills for £120 Sterling, drawn on Mr. William Anderson, Merchant, London, by Robert Lloyd, of Maryland I now send the first of the same Set. On the 27th past I drew on you for £50 Sterling in favour of Benjamin Mecom, which I doubt not will meet with due Honour I wish...
48379From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas-François Dalibard, 9 December 1761 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; translation of extract reprinted from Gazette d’Epidaure, ou Recueil de Nouvelles de Médecine , III , no. XI (Feb. 6, 1762), 81. (Bibliothèque Nationale) Il y a quelques années que la guerre a interrompu notre correspondance. Mon ami le Docteur Shippen partant pour voir Paris, j’ai profité de cette occasion pour vous communiquer l’extrait ci-joint d’une Lettre que j’ai reçûe de...
48380From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson, 11 February 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have just received your Favour by the extra Packet of Nov. 26. and am pleas’d to find a just Resentment so general in your House against Mr. W.’s seditious Conduct, and to hear that the present Administration is like to continue. If Money must be raised from us to support 14 Batallions, as you mention, I think your Plan the most advantageous to both the...
48381From Benjamin Franklin to James Logan, 7 November 1748 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from extract in Sparks, Works , VII , 39–40. I send you herewith the late Voyage for the Discovery of the Northwest Passage, which I hope may afford you some entertainment. If you have the Journal of the French Academicians to Lapland, I should be glad to see it. Probably [Charles Swaine], An Account of a Voyage For the Discovery of a North-West Passage by Hudson’s...
48382From Benjamin Franklin to Francis Coffyn, 10 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have no objection to the taking the Parole of the Captains or Officers on Condition of the Security you mention. But as the Prisoners taken by arm’d Vessels under our Colours are by giving me a means of exchanging so many of our Country men some satisfaction to me for the Trouble these Vessels occasion me in examining all the Proces Verbaux , making out the...
48383From Benjamin Franklin to Cadwalader Evans, 4 July 1771 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Samuel Hazard, ed., Hazard’s Register of Pennsylvania , XVI , no. 5 (August 1, 1835), 92. I acquainted you some time since that I expected soon to obtain satisfactory Answers to your Queries relating to the Specimens of Silk you sent over; but I was disappointed till lately that I had a Meeting with Mr. Patterson, esteemed one of the best judges of that Commodity, who favoured...
48384To John Adams from Benjamin Franklin, 14 December 1781 (Adams Papers)
I duly received your Excellency’s Favour of the 1st. and 6th Instant. I wrote to you by Mr Barclay, who went from hence some Days since, and I hope is with you by this time, and that he will with your Assistance be able to settle every thing relating to the Goods. I have receiv’d a long Letter from Messrs. Neufville, the Purport of which is, that they are willing for their Parts to deliver the...
48385From Benjamin Franklin to Edmund Burke, 15 December 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Sheffield Central Library; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I did myself the honour of writing to you about two Months since. I have not heard whether that Letter was receiv’d; and being told that a Packet Boat was lost about that time, I fear it miscarried, and therefore send a Copy. With great Respect, I am, Sir, Your most obedient and most humble Servant, Endorsed: Dr....
48386From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Partridge, 27 November 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Boston Public Library By the Votes and Copies of Papers herewith sent to you and Mr. Charles, you will see the Difficulties this Province has been under by Proprietary Restraints, so that we could not obtain a Bill for raising Money for the King’s Use, till it had been sent home to England, and the Proprietary’s Leave obtain’d for Passing it; and in the meantime the King’s Service was...
48387From Benjamin Franklin to Sartine, 20 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress Je prends la Liberté d’introduire aupres de votre Excellence le Commodore Gillon de la Caroline Meridionale. Cet Etat l’envoie en France pour y negocier une Affaire tres Importante. Il desireroit soumettre quelques Propositions aux Lumieres de votre Excellence, & je me flatte qu’elle voudra bien lui accorder une Audience favorable. J’ai L’honneur d’etre avec beaucoup...
48388From Benjamin Franklin to Abel James, 3 June 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library Agreable to your Request when in London and what you wrote to me from Bristol relating to the Purchase of Stringfellow’s Right, I have attended to the Affair from time to time with Mr. Wheeler, who has been very assiduous in it, and taken a great deal of Pains to bring it to a Conclusion. We could not obtain the Right for less than £110 besides the Charges of...
48389From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 1 February 1782 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress By certain Resolutions of Congress, dated Nov. 27. & Dec. 3. 1781, Mr. Morris, Superintendant of Finances, is authorised and directed to take under his Care, apply and dispose of all Monies which have been or may be obtained in Europe by Subsidy, Loan or otherwise. And by his Letters to me of the same Dates supposing...
48390From Benjamin Franklin to Arthur Lee: Two Notes, 18 February 1779 (Franklin Papers)
(I) and (II) LS : Harvard University Library; copies: National Archives, Library of Congress; transcript: National Archives I have the honor to communicate to you herewith Copies of Resolutions of Congress, of Sept. 11. Sept. 14. & Oct. 22. I shall endeavour strictly to comply on my Part with the Commands of Congress contained in the latter; which are at the same time perfectly agreable to my...