Benjamin Franklin Papers

From Benjamin Franklin to Caroline (Charlotte)-Bertrande Chapelle de Jumilhac-Cubjac Bertin, [after 1 March 1783]

To Caroline (Charlotte)-Bertrande Chapelle de Jumilhac-Cubjac Bertin3

AL (draft): Library of Congress

[after March 1, 1783]4

Mr Franklin presents his respectful Compliments to Madame Bertine,5 and acquaints her that he long since gave the Recommendatory Letter and Passport desired, to the Portuguese Ambassador, who had before demanded the same thing:6 and that7 the Letter receiv’d thro’ her hands from M. le Baron de Jumilhac shall be duly attended to. He begs leave to assure M. Bertin of his sincere Attachement, and his Readiness to do upon her single Recommendation any thing that may be in his Power for her Friends

To be translated.—

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

3An old friend, though an infrequent correspondent: XXVI, 422–3, 506n. Her maternal uncle (mentioned in the references just cited) was a Bertin; her husband, Auguste-Louis Bertin, was from a different family of the same name. Their full names, and further details on the family, are in David Smith et al., eds., Correspondance générale d’Helvétius (5 vols., Toronto, Buffalo, and Oxford, 1981–2000), IV, 39–40n.

4The date of a letter BF mentions below, from her brother the baron de Chapelle de Jumilhac; it is described in our headnote on consulship seekers, Jan. 28.

5Putting “Bertine” in the feminine must be a joking reference to his confusion about French genders. In the last sentence BF refers to her as “M[onsieur] Bertin.”

6Doubtless the passport Ambassador Sousa Coutinho requested on Dec. 20, 1782: XXXVIII, 483–4.

7BF here drafted and crossed out: “he will communicate with Congress”. The letter in question remains among his papers.

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