48361From Benjamin Franklin to Dumas, 27 December 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received yours of the 15th with Letters from Commodore Jones and Capt. Conyingham. I would write to them and send to Capt. C. a Letter I have from his wife for him, but suppose the Ship has left Holland. I Send you one of our latest papers from America containing an Account of the Conquest of the Iroquois County by our army under general Sulivan, and some other...
48362From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 12 October 1774 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): American Philosophical Society I wrote to you on the 1st Inst. per Capt. Cook; acquainting you with the Dissolution of the Parliament since which the Elections are going on briskly every where for a new one. The Electors of London, Westminster, the Borough of Southwark, and the County of Middlesex, have obliged their Candidates to sign a written Engagement, that they will endeavour...
48363From Benjamin Franklin to Archibald Douglas, 23 June 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received yours of the 18th. relating to the Loss of your Captain which has given me much Concern: But I hope the Application we are making to Government to have him reclaimed will Succeed and that he will be restored to his Vessel and People; But as it may be some time before this is accomplished, if you and they are disposed to be getting something by another...
48364From Benjamin Franklin to Edward Penington, 5 August 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Pennsylvania Library I received yours of May 21. and 25. with a Letter and Papers enclos’d for Mrs. Penn, which I forwarded. Yours of June 8. is since come to hand, with one for her by the Name of Durdin. She will now change neither her Name nor her Mind any more, for I hear she is dead. I have nevertheless seal’d and forwarded the Letter to Ireland. They were strange...
48365From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Jefferson, 6 May 1781 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Pierpont Morgan Library; AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress This will be delivered to your Excellency by Mr. Grieve, who goes to America with a View of establishing himself in the State of Virginia, where he has also some Business in which your Countenance & Protection may be of great Service to him. I beg leave to recommend him to you as a Gentleman, who has always been a Steady...
48366From Benjamin Franklin to De Chezaulx, 21 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress Mr. De Chaumont having had the whole Care of equipping and paying every thing relating to The little Squadron that sent the Prizes in to Bergen, I have constantly refered to him the Letters you have done me the honour of writing to me on that subject, and I believe he has answered them. I am nevertheless extreamly sinsible of the kind Care, zeal and Activity you have...
48367From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, Jr., 16 March 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress Agreeable to your Desire I have requested the American Gentlemen residing at Nantes to examine your Accounts. I have added M. Schweighauser, he having been appointed by my former Colleagues to manage our Affairs there, and may be supposed interested particularly to do Justice to the Congress. And the others, I imagine, can have no Interest in favouring you, as perhaps...
48368From Benjamin Franklin to William Hodgson, 26 April 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Public Record Office Your two Favours of the 9th Instant came to my hands but a few days since. I had written so fully to you by the preceeding Post, sending at the same time the Passports and Powers you had demanded, which I hope will be sufficient, that I find little left to answer. I am much pleas’d with the memorial you presented respecting the Prisoners, and thank you heartily for...
48369From Benjamin Franklin to the Georgia Assembly Committee of Correspondence, 10 August 1770 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Georgia Historical Society Your several Favours of May 11, 23, and 28 came duly to hand. The first contained a Certificate for One Hundred Pounds, which will be paid, and carried to the Credit of your Province, Please to accept my Thanks for your Care in transmitting it. With the second I recieved, The two Ordinances appointing me your Agent till June 1771, The Act for...
48370From Benjamin Franklin to Marcus Gerhard Rosencrone, 15 April 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Two press copies of LS , LS , and transcript: National Archives; AL (draft), copy, and press copy of copy: Library of Congress M. de Walterstorff has communicated to me a Letter from your Excellency to him, which affords me great Pleasure, as it expresses in clear and strong Terms the good Disposition of your Court to form Connections of Friendship and Commerce with the United States of...
48371From Benjamin Franklin to John Paul Jones, 27 May 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : National Archives; copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, Library of Congress I received yours of the 18th. inclosing one for the Countess of Selkirk which I forward this Day via Holland as you desire. It is a gallant Letter, and must give her Ladyship a high and just Opinion of your Generosity and Nobleness of Mind. The Dirty Insinuation you mention is of a Piece with many others...
48372Constitutional Convention. Second of Benjamin Franklin’s Motion that Proposed Executive Serve Without Pay, 2 June 1787 (Hamilton Papers)
Philadelphia, June 2, 1787. On this date Benjamin Franklin moved that the expenses of the proposed Executive should be paid but that he should receive “no salary, stipend fee or reward whatsoever” for his service. “The motion was seconded by Col. HAMILTON with the view he said merely of bringing so respectable a proposition before the Committee, and which was besides enforced by arguments that...
48373From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Franklin, [before 1765] (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Benjamin Franklin, Experiments ana Observations on Electricity , 1769 edition, pp. 473–8. In its surviving printed form this letter is headed “To Mr. P. F. Newport, New England,” and since it begins “Dear Brother,” the person addressed could only have been Franklin’s brother, for many years a merchant and shipmaster in that town. Comparatively little is known of...
48374From Benjamin Franklin to ———, 26 July 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society Les affaires dont je suis chargé, Monsieur, ne me permettent pas de quitter paris et par consequent d’accepter vostre invitation; je vous prie de croire cependant que j’y suis tres sensible, et que c’est avéc reconnoissance que je suis, Monsieur, vostre tres humble et tres obeissant serviteur. Notation: Le Veillard Possibly to Richelet who had invited BF...
48375From Benjamin Franklin to Timothy Folger, 21 August 1770 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Folger Library I received yours of June 28. and immediately sent the same to the Proprietor Capt. Campbell, who was in the Country, desiring he would enable me to give you an explicit Answer. Yesterday being in Town he call’d upon me, and said, that he look’d upon his Lot to be full as good as Mr. Pownal’s which was sold for £500 but after some Discourse he agreed that to save Time, as...
48376From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 6 April 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress I wrote to you of the 14th Feby. and 15th of March, since which I have receiv’d no Line from you. This just serves to cover a Sermon of my Friend the Bishop of St. Asaph. You will find it replete with very liberal Sentiments respecting America. I hope they will prevail here, and be the Foundation of a better Understanding between the two Countries....
48377From Benjamin Franklin to Mary Stevenson, 11 August 1762 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Henry N. Haiken, New York City (1957) This is the best Paper I can get at this wretched Inn, but it will convey what is intrusted to it as faithfully as the finest. It will tell my Polly, how much her Friend is afflicted, that he must, perhaps never again, see one for whom he has so sincere an Affection, join’d to so perfect an Esteem; whom he once flatter’d himself might become his own...
48378From Benjamin Franklin to Woestyn frères, 20 April 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I am very sensible of the Honor you propose to do me in the naming of your Vessel; to which I have but this Objection, that I cannot merit it by taking a Part in the Enterprize. I have communicated your Scheme to some of my Friends; But they are already engaged in such Undertakings as far as they chuse to be. I shall however try some others, and I most heartily wish...
48379From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Bache, 1 December 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress I have received yours of Oct. 6 and 13. and Sally’s of Oct. 25. It rejoices me to hear that you are all well, and that Benja. is recovered of the Measles. I will write him a little print Letter, as soon as I hear that he can read Print. Thanks to God, I am perfectly well at present, but being so far advanced in Life, I cannot expect a long...
48380From Benjamin Franklin to Schweighauser, 17 September 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I have now before me your favours of july 31. & Aug. 19. Your testimony with Regard to Mr. Wam. Lee, is fully Sufficient to remove the Suspicion of his Sharing in your Commission. I mention’d it not as a Charge against him, but as an Excuse for you; 5 per Cent being, as I understood more then double of what is usual. I could wish I had nothing to do with mercantile...
48381From Benjamin Franklin to Isaac Gouverneur and Samuel Curson, 22 November 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress I received the Letter you did me the Honour of Writing to me the 1st of September. It was by Order of Congress that I directed the Offer of Money to be made you, but it would be a Pleasure to me if I could be otherwise useful to you. If you have furnish’d any Correspondent here with a distinct Account of your Property in the several retaken Vessels you...
48382From Benjamin Franklin to Lord Kames, 21 February 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Scottish Record Office I received your excellent Paper on the preferable Use of Oxen in Agriculture, and have put it in the way of being communicated to the Public here. I have observed in America that the Farmers are more thriving in those Parts of the Country where Cattle are used, than in those where the Labour is done by Horses. The latter are said to require twice the Quantity of...
48383Advertisement for Wagons, 26 April 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Broadside: American Philosophical Society; also Boston Public Library Whereas 150 Waggons, with 4 Horses to each Waggon, and 1500 Saddle or Pack-Horses are wanted for the Service of his Majesty’s Forces now about to rendezvous at Wills’s Creek; and his Excellency General Braddock hath been pleased to impower me to contract for the Hire of the same; I hereby give Notice, that I shall attend for...
48384From Benjamin Franklin to Juvel Neveux & Cauchoit, 23 September 1780 (Franklin Papers)
L (draft): American Philosophical Society M. Franklin a reçu la Lettre que Messrs. Juvel neveux et Cauchoit lui ont fait l’honneur de lui ecrire hier. Toute Lettre de Change tirée sur M. Franklin, doit lui etre presentée pour l’Acceptation à son Domicile à Passy. Et toutes celles qui ont passé par cette formalité sont payées à leurs Echéances chez M. Grand, Banquier Rue Montmartre, vis à vis...
48385From Benjamin Franklin to All Commanders of Vessels of War, [4 March 1779] (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society; copy: Library of Congress To all Commanders of Vessels of War commission’d by the Congress of the United States of North America, These are to certify you, that the Bearer M. Riotto is a Subject of his most Christian Majesty the King of France, appertaining to his Highness the Prince of Conti, and that the Horses and the Dogs, or other Effects that...
48386From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Franklin, 13 January 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): American Philosophical Society I received your kind Letter of Nov. 8. and rejoice to hear of the continued Welfare of you and your good Wife and four Daughters: I hope they will all get good Husbands. I dare say they will be educated so as to deserve them. I knew a wise old Man, who us’d to advise his young Friends to chuse Wives out of a Bunch; for where there were...
48387Franklin’s Journal, 1–3 January 1782 (Franklin Papers)
AD : Library of Congress Went to Court; which was full, as usual on New-Years day. Visit with the other Foreign Ministers, the King, the Queen, and all the rest of the Royal Family separately, even the little Dauphin. Spoke with the Minister of War, M de Segur, who assur’d me of his Readiness to forward every Operation that might be [ torn: in?] the Service of the United States. Did not meet...
48388From Benjamin Franklin to Soller, 28 January 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Haverford College Library As the Commerce is now open between France and America, the Residents here no longer make Purchases of Goods for that Country, but leave those Matters entirely to private Merchants. I thank you nevertheless for your kind Offers of Service, and I have sent your Proposals to Mr Jonathan Williams, an American Merchant establish’d at Nantes, who may possibly have in...
48389From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 24 March 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; draft: American Philosophical Society Je desirerois, Monsieur le Comte, faire imprimer la Traduction du Livre des Constitutions des Etats-Unis de l’Amerique publié en 1781 à Philadephie par Ordre du Congrès Général; plusieurs de ces Constitutions ont dèja paru dans le Journal des Affaires de l’Angleterre et de l’Amerique, d’autres ont déja...
48390From Benjamin Franklin to William Lee, 2 April 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress Before I apply for the Arms you desire, I wish to be informed whether your Brother did not apply for them at the same Time he apply’d for the Cannon he obtained; or since, in Consequence of the Letter you mention to have sent us in January last; and whether they were refused or promised. Since I had the Honor of seeing you I have received an Application from the...