To Benjamin Franklin from James Searle, 26 December 1781
From James Searle
AL: American Philosophical Society
Hotel de Pettit Champs Rue Neuf de Pettit Champs
Wednesday Morng. 26 Decr. 1781.
Mr. Searle’s respectfull compliments to Dor. Franklin— Mr. S begs leave to remind the Doctor of his kind promise of an introductory line to the Marquis de Castres which the Dor. will be so kind as to send to Mr. S. at the first leisure as Mr. S wishes to make the application he informed the Doctor off.6 Mr. Searle woud have paid his Duty to the Doctor in person but he has been confined for two or three days past with a fever—
Addressed: Monsieur / Monsieur Franklin / A Passy
6. Perhaps a request for passage. In a July 23, 1782, letter to President of the Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council William Moore, Searle claimed that after learning in November, 1781, of his recall he prepared to return to America: William R. Reed, Life and Correspondence of Joseph Reed … (2 vols., Philadelphia, 1847), II, 463–5. On Dec. 4, 1781, however, he wrote Dumas, “I apprehend I Shall remain Several Months in this city [Paris], & Most probably, the remainder of my life in France.” National Archives.