31From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Peters, 17 September 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania The Bearer, Mr. Elphinston, has a secret Art, by which he teaches, even a veteran Scrawler, to write fairly in 30 Hours. I have often heard you laugh at the Secretary’s Writing, and I hope he will take this Opportunity of mending his Hand; for tho’ we are about to have a new Governor, and, they say, a new Assembly, I do not desire to see a new...
32From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 4 November 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I am favoured with yours of July 31. and Augt. 5. which came to hand since my Arrival here. I hear from Mr. Parker, that the Goods for Connecticut were safe arrived at New York, and that he had sent them to Newhaven: I thank you for your Care in that Matter. Inclosed you have a second Bill for £20 Sterling drawn by Mrs. Stevens on Alexr. Grant Esqr: the first I...
33From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Partridge, 8 May 1754 (Franklin Papers)
Letter: copy: Public Record Office, London. Enclosure: printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , May 9, 1754; also two copies: Public Record Office, London. Franklin’s brief note to Partridge accompanied a news article and cartoon which appeared in the Gazette of the following day. How much, if indeed any, of the text of the enclosure Franklin wrote himself cannot now be determined. He may not...
34To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, 12 August 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have much to say but am on the Eve of marrying My Daughter and many Orders in hast from Abroad that I can only add a few Lines to Informe you that your bill of 60 pound is Accepted, and I Intend to pay Osbourn £50. The remainder is for your Disposal when I can find time to Lett you know the Ballance. Your Impartial Account of the state of the Germans came...
35Pennsylvania Assembly Committee: Report on the Governor’s Message, 11 September 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1752–1753, pp. 43–7. On September 7 Governor Hamilton returned to the Assembly the Bill for Striking Twenty Thousand Pounds, with a long message rebutting the arguments the House had raised in its reply of September 5 (see above, p. 29). In particular, he pointed out that in 1746 the Assembly had not objected in principle to...
36Post Office Instructions and Directions, 1753 (Franklin Papers)
I. Broadside: University of Pennsylvania Library. II. Broadside: Yale University Library The British post office in America, when Franklin and Hunter were appointed deputy postmasters general (see above, p. 18), had never paid its own expenses, much less provided an adequate return to the deputy postmasters. In 1753 the postmaster general determined to raise the salary of his American deputies...
37From Benjamin Franklin to Cadwallader Colden, 1 January 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New-York Historical Society I have your Favour of the 3d past, with your Son’s Remarks on the Abbé Nollet’s Letters. I think the Experiments and Observations are judiciously made, and so well express’d, that, with your and his Leave, I would transmit them to Mr. Collinson for Publication. I have repeated all the Abbé’s Experiments in Vacuo, and find them answer exactly as they should do...
38Scheme of the First Academy Lottery, 3 October 1754 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , October 3, 1754. Scheme of a Lottery , for raising 3000 Pieces of Eight, for the Use of the Academy at Philadelphia. The Purchase of Ground and Buildings for the Academy, the Alterations and Improvements that were necessary to accommodate the Scholars, and the furnishing of the several Schools, having, all together, prov’d an Expence far beyond their first...
39From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Darling and Nathan Whiting, 25 November 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I hoped to have had the Pleasure of seeing you at New Haven long before this time, but the Sickness of my Fellow Traveller Mr. Hunter, and various Accidents have hitherto prevented: I hope however to be there in three or four Weeks at farthest. I suppose you long since received the Press, Types and Stationary I ordered into your Care. My Nephews that are Printers...
40Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, 15 May 1754 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives, 1753–1754 (Philadelphia, 1754), p. 59. The Pennsylvania Assembly had adjourned twice, on March 9 and again on April 13, without taking action to assist Virginia in the defense of the upper Ohio Valley against the French advance (see above, pp. 229 n, 258). The day after the Assembly met again on May 6, Governor Hamilton informed...
41From Benjamin Franklin to the President and Council of the Royal Society, 29 May 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : The Royal Society The very great Honour you have done me, in adjudging me your Medal for 1753, demands my grateful Acknowledgements, which I beg you would accept as the only Return at present in my Power. I know not whether any of your learned Body have attain’d the ancient boasted Art of multiplying Gold; but you have certainly found the Art of making it infinitely more valuable . You...
42To Benjamin Franklin from Yale College: Degree of Master of Arts, 12 September 1753? (Franklin Papers)
Draft: Yale University Library; also copy: Yale University Library Six weeks after receiving a master’s degree from Harvard (see above, p. 16), Franklin was similarly honored by Yale. The resolution of the Corporation, September 12, 1753, read: “by his ingenious Experiments and Theory of Electrical Fire [he] has greatly merited of the Learned World.” Praeses et Socii Academiae Yalensis in novo...
43To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, 14 January 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am so disheartend at the Loss of Capt. Davis, that I cannot tell how to sett Penn to paper. I had so amply Employed my Budget in 2 or 3 pacquetts with a Large pack and Books per M. Dalibard at Paris a Box with 6 of Bird thermometers books Magazins all gone and Poor John Bartram has lost his Two Guinea Microscope and prints for Billey Seeds and Two or...
44From Benjamin Franklin to William Shirley, [4 December 1754] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: British Museum I mention’d it Yesterday to your Excellency as my Opinion, that Excluding the People of the Colonies from all Share in the Choice of the Grand Council would probably give extreme Dissatisfaction, as well as the Taxing them by Act of Parliament where they have no Representative. In Matters of General Concern to the People, and especially where Burthens are to be laid upon...
45Some Account of the Pennsylvania Hospital, [28 May 1754] (Franklin Papers)
Some Account of the Pennsylvania Hospital; From its first Rise, to the Beginning of the Fifth Month, called May, 1754. Philadelphia: Printed by B. Franklin, and D. Hall. MDCCLIV . (Yale University Library) The history of the origin and establishment of the Pennsylvania Hospital has been briefly told in the preceding volume. To report on their stewardship and demonstrate reasons for continued...
46From Benjamin Franklin to James Alexander and Cadwallader Colden with Short Hints towards a Scheme for Uniting the … (Franklin Papers)
Copy: New-York Historical Society; also transcript: Library of Congress The Pennsylvania commissioners to the Albany Congress left Philadelphia on Monday morning, June 3, and arrived at New York on the afternoon of Wednesday, the 5th. Some of them, especially Richard Peters, were active during the next three days buying various goods for the Pennsylvania present to the Indians, apparently...
47To Benjamin Franklin from Charles Woodmason: Poetical Epistle, 20 September 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Gentleman’s Magazine , XXIV (1754), 88. *By the application of a rod of iron, or a wire, the effect of thunder and lightening is prevented. †The steeple and organ of St. Philip’s church at Charles Town, have been twice damaged by lightning. Charles Woodmason (b. c. 1720), came from England to South Carolina, 1752, settling as a planter and merchant beyond the Peedee River, where he...
48From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, September 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society In my former Paper on this Subject, wrote first in 1747, enlarged and sent to England in 1749, I considered the Sea as the grand source of Lightning, imagining its luminous Appearance to be owing to Electric Fire, produced by Friction between the Particles of Water and those of Salt. Living far from the Sea I had then no opportunity of making Experiments...
49To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, 26 January 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society As I emptied my Budget Largely by unfortunate Capt. Davis and as our Friend Smith comes in Capt. Shirley it will save Mee a very Long detail of what has passed between Mee and your proprietor as He has been privy to most of It, in General I can tell you He is Ardent in promoting Enlish Schools for teaching the Germans, as you will see by the Scheme When Mr....
50From Benjamin Franklin to Edward Shippen, 14 February 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I receiv’d your Favour of the 8th Inst. with the Dollar enclos’d. The Postage of the Letter to Boston is 0. 2. 11 3 Bunches of Quills at 1 s. 6 d. 4. 6 Ballance 1 £0. 7. 6 They are the best Quills I could get in Town.
51From Benjamin Franklin to William Shirley, 22 December 1754 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from The London Chronicle , February 8, 1766. Since the conversation your Excellency was pleased to honour me with, on the subject of uniting the Colonies more intimately with Great Britain, by allowing them Representatives in Parliament, I have something further considered that matter, and am of opinion, that such an Union would be very acceptable to the Colonies,...
52From Benjamin Franklin to William Shirley, [30 December 1754?] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society I return your Excellency the Papers you have been pleas’d to favour me with the Perusal of. I really can think of nothing to add on the Topics you mention’d to me; but am of Opinion that the Force and Impression of the Matters contain’d in the 5 first and 3 last Pages, would be greater, if they might be read together, and were not disjoin’d by the...
53To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Timothy, 14 June 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Your Favour of the 23th of April, by Capt. Robeson, has been received. Perhaps if you had been by when I read it, you would have pitied me; for my Concern was great, and very visible. I own you had some Reason to be so severe: But had you been in my Place, you might have acted as I did; Robeson came here under the Character of a professed Gamester; and...
54Memorandum: Preliminary Conference with the Indians, 26 September 1753 (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society Peters, Norris, and Franklin were commissioned on September 22 to meet the Indians at Carlisle and they proceeded to the westward immediately. They reached the house of Conrad Weiser, the province interpreter, on the Tulpehocken on September 24 and, setting out next morning and making all speed, they covered sixty miles and rode into Carlisle on the...
55From Benjamin Franklin to Cadwallader Colden, 25 October 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New-York Historical Society This last Summer I have enjoy’d very little of the Pleasure of Reading or Writing. I made a long Journey to the Eastward, which consum’d 10 Weeks; and two Journeys to our Western Frontier: One of them to meet and hold a Treaty with the Ohio Indians, in Company with Mr. Peters and Mr. Norris. I shall send you a Copy of the Treaty as soon as ’tis printed. I...
56To Benjamin Franklin from Edward Shippen, 8 February 1754 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: American Philosophical Society After paying yourself for the Postage of the Inclosed Letter to Boston please to send the remainder of the Piece of 8/8 in a few [of] your best Quills (I mean English) by our Post. Some time ago I sent a six shilling bill to Doctor Shippen for some and he sent me feathers which he Sayd he had from Mr. Halls. If you can send me a few good ones you...
57Franklin and Hall: Notice to the Public, 26 February 1754 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , February 26, 1754. Our Subscribers in Virginia, are desired to pay their respective Ballances due for this Gazette, to William Hunter , Esq; of Williamsburgh; those on the Western Shore of Maryland, to William Young , Esq; of Baltimore County; and those on the Eastern Shore, to Thomas Ringold , Esq; of Chester Town; their several Accounts being left with...
58From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 29 December 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Pierpont Morgan Library I wrote a few Lines by a Vessel that went from hence about 2 Weeks since, acknowledging the Receipt of your several Favours of July 30. Augt. 6, and 23. and Sept. 18. Sundry Affairs have retarded my Return home, but tomorrow I purpose to set out. I am much oblig’d to you for the favourable Light you put me in, to our Proprietor, as mention’d in yours of July 30. I...
59From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 1754 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Send 50 Reams largest Demi to Mr. Daniel, Printer at Jamaica. Send 30 Reams Do to Peter Timothy. Send the Ream of thick blue Paper to Parker. Send half the brown Paper in the House to Parker[?], ’tother half to Brother John in Boston; No, send it all to Boston. [ In margin ]: Nota, bene. Don’t forget to enter it. This note cannot be dated precisely; sometime...
60To Benjamin Franklin from Cadwallader Colden, 20 June 1754 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: New-York Historical Society; also transcript: Library of Congress I inclose the papers which I received from Mr. Alexander to be conveyed to you by the first opportunity to Albany. You will find that I make remarks with that freedom which I believe you expect from me that in case you find any weight in any of them you may make your scheme more perfect by avoiding reasonable exceptions...