To Benjamin Franklin from J. B. Janek, 25 January 1778: résumé
From J. B. Janek2
ALS: American Philosophical Society
<Luxembourg, January 25, 1778, in Latin: He and others agreed to emigrate to America, and apparently inquired about ways and means from an aide of Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick [?: “bernuensis” in the MS] who seems to have encouraged them about getting a tract of land and setting up an iron foundry, but did not tell them whether their Roman Catholicism would be a handicap. Since then their letters have gone unanswered, and they ask for Franklin’s help.>
[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]
2. As he signs himself, but the name also appears as Janeck. We cannot summarize his letter in any detail. The Latin is so convoluted in style, and so full of pronouns without visible antecedents, that only the general purport is comprehensible.