From Benjamin Franklin to James Wright, 3 July 1755
To James Wright2
ALS: Yale University Library
Philada. July 3. 1755.
Dear Friend
Before this reaches you, you will have heard that the House is adjourn’d. A Bill to strike £10,000 Exchange Money is pass’d, and nothing else done.3
I spoke several Times to the Speaker and Committee, about sending you some Money by the Return of the Members; but Mr. M’Conaughy4 slipt away without Leave, and so without their Knowledge; and afterwards the Business slipt their Memory. I have now communicated your last Letter, and £200 is put into my Hand to send you.5 My Wife goes to-morrow to Lancaster, and will carry it so far. Let me know how much more you will want, and it shall be sent per next Post. The Speaker has not return’d me your Letter, so I may possibly forget some Particulars I ought to answer. I am sorry to hear of the Mischief on the Frontiers; but we must expect more of that kind.6 We have just heard that the French Fleet with 4000 Land Forces are block’d up in Louisburg by Adm. Boscawen, which I hope may prove true.7 My Love to your good Family, in which my Wife joins, as well as to yourself, with Your affectionate Friend and Servant
B Franklin
Addressed: To / Mr James Wright / Hempfield / Free / B Franklin
2. James Wright of Hempfield (now Columbia) on the Susquehanna River, member of the Assembly, brother of Susanna Wright. See above, IV, 210 n.
3. Pa. Col. Recs., VI, 446–7.
4. David McConnaughy, Assemblyman from York County. See above, p. 26 n.
5. Among the Loan Office documents, Norris Papers, Hist. Soc. Pa., is a small slip of paper dated July. 3, 1755, on which BF acknowledged receiving from Charles Norris £200 to be sent to Wright. Immediately below BF acknowledged the receipt on the same day of “Two hundred Pounds more to be sent” to Wright. A memorandum on the back indicates that this total of £400 was included in the £940 total sent to Wright and so charged in the trustees’ accounts. These payments were “towards purchasing Provisions for the King’s Use.” Votes, 1754–55, p. 182.
6. The “Mischiefs on the Frontiers” were probably French and Indian attacks near Fort Cumberland. Pa. Col. Recs., VI, 457–8, 459–61.
7. Governor Morris sent this information to General Braddock and Governor Sharpe of Maryland, July 3, and to Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia, July 4. I Pa. Arch., II, 373; Pa. Col. Recs., VI, 454, 456.