11To Benjamin Franklin from ———, 1754 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society This letter, undated, unsigned, and in an unidentified hand, survives among Franklin’s papers. Internal evidence indicates that it was written by someone in the colonies and at about the middle of the eighteenth century. Because the problem of colonial union was being so actively discussed in 1754, it is tentatively assigned to that year. According to your...
12Report on the University of Virginia, 21 July 1828 (Madison Papers)
Report on the University of Virginia We lay before our readers the following interesting View of the condition of the University of Virginia, submitted to the Legislature on Monday last: I have the honor to lay before the General Assembly, the report adopted by the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia, at their meeting in July last, and received by me as President of the Literary...
13To Benjamin Franklin from ———, 21 October 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Monsieur franklin est suplié de vouloir bien se rappeller l’Engagement pris avec Madame helvetius de diner aujourdhuy mercredy a auteüil chez M. hebere ou il sera toujours desiré avec la meme ardeur. Addressed: A Monsieur / Monsieur franklin / a Passy In an unknown hand. BF started to draft an answer on the address sheet of Dubourg’s letter of the same day:...
14To Benjamin Franklin from ——: The Dispute over Commissions for the Militia, [January 1756] (Franklin Papers)
Draft (incomplete): American Philosophical Society The author of this document, which survives among Franklin’s papers, might have been any one of several well-informed members of the anti-proprietary party who was in Philadelphia at the end of December 1755. The handwriting has not been identified. The manuscript consists of three pages, the first two of which are numbered 5 and 6, and the...
15Authorization to Rector [James Madison] to appoint Professor of Ancient Languages for University of Virginia, 31 … (Madison Papers)
Resolved that the Rector be authorized to appoint to the Chair of Antient Languages, for the term of one year from the date of Such appointment, with a salary not exceeding $1000, & with the usual fees paid to that chair, either of the following persons, they being preferred by the Board in the order herein named; that is to say: Dr Gessner Harrison, M. L. Tracie, R. Reynolds; and if neither...
16To Benjamin Franklin from ———, 8 May 1782 (Franklin Papers)
AL : South Carolina Historical Society; copy: Massachusetts Historical Society If your Excellency will reffer for No. 3—to the extract of the letter sent from Holland you will find the danger express’d therein, nearly realized (by that Nation’s enthusiasm for America’s Cooling) and if not particularly attended to before too late, the best fruits of that connection will be lost, with the...
17To Benjamin Franklin from ———, 2 April 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society On ne doit jamais Batonner ny Biffer une signature d’une Lettre de change que quand on l’a payée; on pouvoit Repondre qu’on avoit accepté la seconde et qu’on ne vouloit pas accepter la premiere, cette reponse suffisoit, Mr. petit de Lanauze a qui elle a eté envoyée ne peut se dispenser de faire constater le refus d’acceptation, et de la Renvoyer a son cedant...
18James Madison: Testimonial, 27 November 1834 (Madison Papers)
Being satisfied from observation and experience, as well as from medical testimony, that ardent spirit as a drink, is not only needless, but hurtful; and that entire disuse of it would tend to promote the health, the virtue and happiness of the community, we hereby express our conviction, that would the citizens of the United States, and especially the Young Men , discontinue the use of it,...
19To Benjamin Franklin from ———, 10 May 1757 (Franklin Papers)
AL (incomplete): American Philosophical Society The accurate determination of longitude by a ship at sea long remained an unsolved problem. Several theoretically possible methods were advanced during the two centuries and a half after Columbus, but when put to actual test none proved both practicable and sufficiently reliable to serve the needs of mariners, especially of those embarked on long...
20To Benjamin Franklin from ———, [December 1777]: résumé (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society <[Brussels, December, 1777, ] in French: You do not know me, and my name would not mean much to you. I am fond of great souls, and want to pay tribute to their virtues. Sincere congratulations on the defeat of M. de Burgoÿne, obtained by skill and bravery. M. de Washington has those qualities, and we may hope that Sir Howe, now in check, will be checkmated....