From Benjamin Franklin to Ebenezer Hazard, 25 September 1775
To Ebenezer Hazard
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Philada Sept. 25. 1775
Sir
It seems the more necessary to establish speedily a Post to Albany, as we have an Army on your Frontiers. I hope you have found a Rider willing to go on more reasonable Terms than those mention’d in yours of the 6th. appear to be, compar’d with what is given to the New London Riders.6 But if there are Reasons why he should have more, of which you can best judge, agree with him and let him proceed as soon as possible.
Mr. Goddard is expected in a few Days from the Southward, where he went to settle those Offices. As soon as he returns we shall open the Office here, and proceed regularly Northwards. By him I shall send your Commission and Instructions.7 I am Sir Your most humble Servant
B Franklin
I request your Care of the Enclos’d, and a Packet with the same Direction
Mr Hazard
Addressed: To / Mr E. Hazard / Postmr / New York
Endorsed: From B Franklin
6. The letter, now missing, was presumably in answer to BF’s above of Aug. 3.
7. Goddard must have returned from the south a few days after this letter was written, for on Oct. 10 RB announced the opening of a Philadelphia post office and the schedule for riders to the south and to New York. Pa. Gaz., Oct. 11, 1775. Almost immediately Goddard left for New England, to judge by the references to his journey below in BF to RB, Oct. 19, and to Greenleaf, Oct. 26. Hazard’s commission, dated Sept. 21, is in the APS.