Benjamin Franklin Papers

State of the Transaction at the Exchequer, 4 November 1760

State of the Transaction at the Exchequer9

ADS: Historical Society of Pennsylvania

I. N.

London, Nov. 4. 1760

State of the Transaction at the Exchequer, relating to the Parliamentary Grant for the Year 175810

The Sum given to Pennsylvania and the Lower Counties jointly, for their 2727 Men, is £29,993 0 0
By General Abercrombie’s Report,11 there were of these effective Men in the Field,
From Pennsylvania 2446
From Lower Counties 281
2727
Therefore the Proportion to Pensilvania was
to the Lower Counties
£26,902 8 0
3,090 12 0
29,993 0 0
Paid Fees and Gratuities at the Exchequer, viz.
To the Tellers £73 19 8
Auditor 35 0 0
Do. Extra. a Gratuity 5 5 0
Mr. Wilford, Sign Manual and Gratuity }
2 12 6
Mr. Lucas 15 19 6
Mr. Willis 10 6
133 7 2
Remains to be divided between the two Governments £29,859 12 10
 
Of which the Share of Pensilvania is £26,782 14 10
Paid to Mr. Barclay12 that of Lower Counties 3,076 18 0
£29,859 12 101

Fees at the Treasury still to be paid of which Mr. Barclay is to repay me the Proportion of Lower Counties.

B Franklin

Endorsed: State of the Transaction at the Exchequer, London, Nov. 4. 1760 No. 1

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

9This statement, in BF’s hand but bearing Isaac Norris’ initials in the upper left-hand corner, is almost identical, down to the notation above the signature, with the first part of an entry in “Account of Expences,” pp. 54–5; PMHB, LV (1931), 127–8. Conceivably BF wrote an accompanying letter to Norris on November 4, but no such letter has been found and he probably sent this statement somewhat later. For other similar accounts of this transaction, see below, pp. 244–6.

10See above, VIII, 333, for the £200,000 voted by Parliament to reimburse the colonies for their expenditures in the campaign of 1758. See this volume, pp. 164–7, for the Board of Trade’s discussion of the Pa. act of Sept. 29, 1759, authorizing BF to receive the money. That act acquired indirect confirmation by lapse of time; see above, p. 209.

11Maj. Gen. James Abercromby was commander-in-chief of the British forces in North America during the spring and early summer of 1758.

12Either David Barclay, Jr., or John Barclay, whom Hamilton wished to have substituted for Robert Charles in the Assembly’s agency bill of September 1760. See above, pp. 190–1 n, 225 n.

1In “Account of Expences” (see the first note to this document) BF omitted the remainder of this statement but entered the following memoranda: “I receiv’d the whole, Mr. Barclay Agent for the Lower Counties being present. I paid to him the above £3,076 18s. 0d. I immediately went to the Bank, and lodg’d there the Sum remaining in

my hands viz.— £26,800 0 0
“Without deducting what I had advanc’d in Fees &c. at the Exchequer, viz. £17 5 6
“Or my Commission on 26,902 8s. 0d. at ½ per Cent. 134 10 0    151 15 6
“So that the neat Sum in the Bank, belonging to the Province, after I have drawn out the above Articles will be Excepting the Treasury Fees, of which I have not yet an Account, but they must be deducted when paid. }
£26,648  4 6
B. Franklin
“Paid for Treasury Fees and Gratuity charg’d me by the Soll[icito]r 13 13 0
“Memo. Mr. Barclay is to pay me his Proportion of the above £13 13s. 0d.
A detailed check of these figures shows a discrepancy of 4d. at one point; this is offset, however, by an equal and opposite discrepancy at another.

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