1Samuel Chandler to James Hamilton, William Allen, Richard Peters, Benjamin Franklin, Conrad Weiser, and William Smith … (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Horace W. Smith, Life and Correspondence of the Rev. William Smith, D.D. (Philadelphia, 1880), I , 40–2. William Smith delivered this letter to Governor Hamilton a few days after he returned from England on May 22. Hamilton communicated it at once to the others named in it. Franklin, Peters, and Weiser were about to set out to Albany, so no meeting could be held...
2To Benjamin Franklin from Cadwallader Colden, 2 April 1754 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: New-York Historical Society I should have acknowleged your favour of the 1st of January sooner if you had not at the same time told me that you was to be from home for some time after the writing of it and I had my thoughts engaged in a chain of thinking that I was unwilling to interrupt as that season was the only time of the year in which I could hope to pursue it without...
3To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, 3 July 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Received June the 30. 1753. On Board the London for Philadelphia One long Case Mark’d L 4 M C No. 1 which I promise to Deliver (Dangers of the sea Excepted) . paid Freight and primage 6 s. besides one Brown paper bundle of Books of which I cannot give the particulars for I am Just come to Town and To Morrow the Letters are taken away and I go out of Town by...
4Scheme of the Second Academy Lottery, 11 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , March 11, 1755. Before their lottery for 3000 pieces of eight (see above, p. 435) was drawn, the trustees of the Academy of Philadelphia, encouraged by the approval of a charter making their institution a college (issued on May 14), announced a second lottery, to raise 9375 pieces of eight for maintenance, scientific apparatus, and endowment of salaries....
5To Benjamin Franklin from Cadwallader Colden, 29 November 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Draft (letter and enclosure): New-York Historical Society; copy (enclosure only): American Philosophical Society I have your favour of the 25th of last month. While you are employed in affairs of consequence to the public I must submit to the Want of that pleasure which I allwise receive from your letters. You will oblige me much by a Copy of your Treaty with the Ohio Indians as I hope thereby...
6From Benjamin Franklin to Cadwallader Colden, 6 December 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Letter: ALS : New-York Historical Socity; enclosure: draft: American Philosophical Society I receiv’d your Favour of the 29th past, with some Remarks on my meteorological Paper, for which I thank you, and return some Observations on those Remarks, hoping by this Friendly Intercourse of Sentiments and Objections, some Advantage will arise to the Increase of true Knowledge. I sent you our Treaty...
7From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 29 July 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am just return’d from Albany, where were Commissioners from seven Provinces to treat with the Indians of the Six Nations. I suppose the Treaty will be printed, and I shall send you a Copy. At present can only mention, that we brighten’d the Chain with them &c. and parted good Friends; but in my Opinion no Assistance is to be expected from them in any...
8From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 8 August 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library The above is Copy of my last. Not receiving the Printing House as expected last Spring, has been a considerable Disappointment; but I am more concern’d to hear that you and yours have had so much Sickness. I hope before this time you are all perfectly recover’d. I inclose a Bill for £20 Sterling, drawn by Mrs. Mary Steevens on Alexr. Grant Esqr; which when paid...
9Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, 12 April 1754 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1753–1754 (Philadelphia, 1754), p. 50. Although the French had begun their advance into the upper Ohio Valley and Governor Hamilton had urged the Assembly to take steps towards defending the western frontier, that Quaker-controlled body had adjourned, March 9, for eight weeks without doing anything effective (see above, p. 259...
10Charter of the Academy of Philadelphia, 13 July 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Bureau of Land Records, Department of Internal Affairs, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania With the Academy organized and functioning (see above, IV , 101), the trustees, thinking a charter would give the institution prestige and permanence, on June 9, 1752, directed one of their number, Tench Francis, then attorney general of the province, to prepare a draft to send to London for the approval...
11To Benjamin Franklin from Ezra Stiles, 12 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: Yale University Library This accompanies your Letters and Manuscript, which I have perused with very great Pleasure and Admiration. Please to accept my grateful Acknowledgments for them. Must ask your Pardon for not Returning them sooner — but as sundry Gentlemen here were desirous to read them, I hoped your Benevolence and Love of Communicating ingenious Discoveries to Mankind, would...
12Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, 19 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1754–1755 (Philadelphia, 1755), pp. 71–2. On December 3, 1754, when the Pennsylvania House had reassembled, Governor Robert Hunter Morris informed them of French advances in the Ohio region and again urged them to take defensive measures. He supported his appeal with several documents, one a letter of July 5, 1754, from Sir...
13From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 4 December 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library This serves to enclose second Bills for One Hundred Pound Sterling, sent per Richey. I am, ut supra. Addressed: To Mr Wm Strahan Printer London Per Capt. Mitchell. Written on the same sheet with the duplicate of his letter to Strahan, Nov. 27, 1753.
14John Canton: Electrical Experiments, 6 December 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Royal Society, Philosophical Transactions , XLVIII , pt. 1 (1753), 350–8. Experiment 1. From the cieling, or any convenient part of a room, let two cork-balls, each about the bigness of a small pea, be suspended by linen threads of eight or nine inches in length, so as to be in contact with each other. Bring the excited glass tube under the balls, and they will be separated by...
15Reasons and Motives for the Albany Plan of Union, [July 1754] (Franklin Papers)
“Reasons and Motives”: MS not found; reprinted from Benjamin Vaughan, ed., Political, Miscellaneous, and Philosophical Pieces; … Written by Benj. Franklin, LL.D. and F.R.S. (London, 1779), pp. 85–119; “Remark”: AD : American Philosophical Society On July 23, 1754, soon after returning to New York from Albany, where he had been an observer, Thomas Pownall sent a long report on the Congress...
16Deed of Trust for the Loganian Library, 28 August 1754 (Franklin Papers)
DS : Library Company of Philadelphia As early as March 1745 James Logan had decided to give his library to the people of Philadelphia, and executed a deed of trust for the purpose. Soon afterwards he began the erection of a suitable building on Sixth Street to house his collection. Later he became dissatisfied with some provisions of the deed of trust, canceled it, and began the preparation of...
17From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 18 April 1754 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: New-York Historical Society Since September last, having been abroad on two long Journeys, and otherwise much engag’d, I have made but few Observations on the positive and negative State of Electricity in the Clouds. But Mr. Kinnersley kept his Rod and Bells in good Order, and has made many. Once this Winter the Bells rang a long time during a fall of Snow, tho’ no Thunder was heard nor...
18To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Belcher, 26 April 1754 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Massachusetts Historical Society As you are not only a lover of Learning but without a Compliment an Ornoment to it in the Age wherein you live you will forgive the freedom I take in Recommending to your Favour and Friendship Mr. John and Samuel Winthrop two worthy young Gentlemen making a Journey this Way partly for their Health as also to see this Country. The elder is...
19To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Collinson, 20 July 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society It is a great pleasure to Mee to receive so many repeated Instances of my Dear friends regard for Mee, In his Sundry favours of Aprill 17: May 9 June 1. I omitted in a Hurry in mine by Shirley to tell you that your £60 Bill on Lane is accepted and shall be applyed as you have Directed. I know not who Mr. Blair Is or where he Dwells Elce should Inquire after...
20From Benjamin Franklin to John Franklin, 16 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Mr. and Mrs. Philip Sang, Chicago, Illinois (1959) I am pleas’d to hear you are looking out for Proofs to prosecute that Carrier. Don’t let it be neglected. Your Ambassadors are not yet arrived. Having nothing else to make a Letter of, let me complain a little of your Smith that shod our Horses. We order’d them to be sharp shod, and the Shoes steel’d. Accordingly he charg’d £8 for 16...
21Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, 20 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1754–1755 (Philadelphia, 1755), p. 73. On the morning of March 18 Governor Morris sent the Assembly a message announcing the arrival of General Braddock in Virginia and urging them to display “Vigour, Unanimity and Dispatch” in taking measures to supply men, provisions, and money for the army’s use. He listed the following...
22From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Johnson, 13 December 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Henry S. McNeil, Plymouth Meeting, Pa. (1962) I received your Favour of the 5th Inst. and thank you for your kind Congratulations. I wrote to you sometime since, and sent you a Dozen of the best bound Books; the Parcel was recommended to the Care of Mr. Stuyvesandt at New York: I wonder it is not yet got to hand. I wish I could with Truth give you a good Account of the Sale of those...
23To Benjamin Franklin from John Franklin, 2 September 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This may serve to Lett you Know that I expected to hear Complaints from Philadelphia of hot wether since we had hear about the Time of your Date about 10 Days of your ordinary sumer wether i.e. hot and moist which occasiond abundence of Complaints Like the Important subject of your Last. Haveing some faith in Blanchards Remedea for the stone I had about a...
24From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 18 April 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Pierpont Morgan Library; also duplicate: New York Public Library By Capt. Gibbon I received a Copy of yours per the Myrtylla, but she is not yet arrived. I am glad to hear the Bills I sent you for £100 Sterling are accepted, and that the Goods were to be shipt soon for Connecticut. Bryant is arrived at New York, who left London the Middle of March; I have not heard whether he has brought...
25From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Peters, [30 April 1754?] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania It was late in the Evening when I came home last Night, or I should have sent you Mr. Smith’s Letters, concerning which I shall be glad to talk with you when you have a little Leisure. If you are at liberty to dine where you please to day, I shall be glad of your Company; my Dame being from home, and I quite Master of the House. Your humble Servant...
26To Benjamin Franklin from Harvard College: Degree of Master of Arts, 25 July 1753 (Franklin Papers)
DS : American Philosophical Society Franklin’s first academic honor was from Harvard. On July 23, 1753, the President and Fellows recommended him to the Overseers for the degree of master of arts, citing his “great Improvements in Philosophic Learning, and particularly with Respect to Electricity, Whereby his Repute hath been greatly advanc’d in the learned World, not only in Great-Britain,...
27Pennsylvania Assembly Committee: Report on Suspending Clause in Legislation, 3 September 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1752–1753 (Philadelphia, 1753), pp. 34–7. On September 1, 1753, the House appointed Evan Morgan, Franklin, Hugh Roberts, Mahlon Kirkbride, George Ashbridge, Peter Worrall, David McConnaughy, Joseph Armstrong, Moses Starr, and James Burnside a committee to consider the clause which Governor Hamilton insisted upon in his message...
28From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 23 March 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This only serves to cover a Bill of Exchange for Twenty Pounds Sterling, drawn on Alexander Grant Esqr. by Mary Steevens. I send it via Ireland, and shall write you fuller per Reeve and Hargrave, who will sail for London in a few Weeks. Mine, and my Wife’s Compliments to Mrs. Strahan. I am, with great Esteem and Affection, Dear Sir Your most humble Servant...
29From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Collinson, 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Historical Society of Pennsylvania With regard to the Germans, I think Methods of great tenderness should be used, and nothing that looks like a hardship be imposed. Their fondness for their own Language and Manners is natural: It is not a Crime. When People are induced to settle a new Country by a promise of Privileges, that Promise should be bonâ fide performed, and the...
30From Benjamin Franklin to James Alexander, 1753 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Benjamin Franklin, Experiments and Observations on Electricity (London, 1769), pp. 282–3. Suppose a tube of any length open at both ends, and containing a moveable wire of just the same length, that fills its bore. If I attempt to introduce the end of another wire into the same tube, it must be done by pushing forward the wire it already contains; and the instant I press and move...