From Benjamin Franklin to Necker, 8 March 1781
To Necker
AL (draft) and copy: Library of Congress
Passy, March 8. 1781
Sir
The Bearer, M. Macartney, a Merchant from America, of much Experience & Knowledge in the Commerce of that Country, and in great Esteem there for his Probity, is come to France with Views of extending & securing the Trade between the two Countries, on which Subject he is desirous of having an Audience of your Excellency. He had Letters of Introduction to you from M. de la Luzerne, but being taken by the English in his Passage, he has lost them. I beg leave therefore to present him to your Excellency, and to request that you would indulge him with a favourable Hearing.1 With the greatest Respect, I am, Your Excellency’s &c
Mr Necker
1. On March 23, 1781, BF advanced a William McCarty 480 l.t. on public account: Account VI (XXIII, 21) and Account XXVIII (XXXII, 4). This probably was the Montreal merchant who assisted BF and his companions during their 1776 trip to that city: XXII, 413n. On that occasion John Carroll misspelled the merchant’s name, as we suspect BF did here.