31From Benjamin Franklin to Mary Franklin, 26 August 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society It has pleased God at length to take from us my only remaining Brother, and your affectionate Husband, with whom you have lived in uninterrupted Harmony and Love near half a Century. Considering the many Dangers and Hardships his Way of Life led him into, and the Weakness of his Constitution, it is wonderful that he lasted so long. It was God’s Goodness...
32From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Waller, 6 June 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I hear with Pleasure from Philadelphia, that Billy Hunter behaves well and improves in his Learning; but I am concern’d to hear that Mr. Royle is dead, who manag’d the Printing house jointly for his Account, and that Mr. Holt, whom I wish’d to succeed there, as one from whom a greater Care might be expected of the Child’s Interest, does not incline to leave New...
33[William Hall]: Account of Benjamin Franklin with the Estate of David Hall, [1 February 1766] (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society After the partnership of Franklin and Hall had come to an end and James Parker had completed his examination of the books, as reported in the document immediately above, David Hall opened an account of his financial relations with his former partner. From time to time he sent Franklin a statement of the transactions shown in his records, but neither man...
34To Benjamin Franklin from [Samuel] Potts, 19 December 1766 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Mr. Potts presents his Compliments to Mr. Francklin and Dsires the favour of his Company to Dine on a Doe of the Postmaster Generals at the Kings Arms Tavern in Cornhill on Monday next at 3 OClock in Afternoon. Addressed: To / Benjamin Francklin Esqr / Craven Street / Strand For Samuel Potts, comptroller general of the General Post Office, see above, X , 149...
35“A Lover of Britain”: Preface to Three Letters to William Shirley, [8 February 1766] (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The London Chronicle , February 6–8, 1766. In the issue of Feb. 6–8, 1766, the London Chronicle printed three letters Franklin had written to Governor William Shirley of Massachusetts twelve years earlier, together with an introductory letter that Verner W. Crane has identified as being also written by Franklin. His letters to Shirley, Dec. 3, 4, 22, 1754, have been printed earlier...
36From Benjamin Franklin to [William Robertson], 20 December 1766 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society The young Gentlemen who will have the Honour of presenting you this Letter are Mr. Potts and Mr. Rush, drawn to Edinburgh by the Fame your Medical School has so justly acquired; intending there to accomplishing them selves there in the Study of Physic. They are recommended to me in the fullest and strongest Manner, by a Number of my Acquaintance in...
37To Benjamin Franklin from Sir Alexander Dick, 28 October 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Your Letter of the 11th. gave me and all my Family the greatest pleasure it being so long since we heard from your self of your and your familys wellfare and particularly your Son the Governor. I return you and your Son my most hearty thanks for the very great friendship you have shown to me and my friend Mr. Swinton in taking so much effectual pains to be...
38From Benjamin Franklin to Baynton, Wharton & Morgan, [8 June 1766] (Franklin Papers)
Extract: reprinted from Clarence W. Alvord and Clarence E. Carter, eds., The New Régime 1765–1766 , in Collections of the Illinois Historical Library, xi (Springfield, Ill., 1916), 366. I approve much of the Preposal of a strong Colony at the Illinois. It is well listned to here; But all affairs, except what immediately relate to Great Britain are laid aside, until the Season of Publick...
39To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas Hutchinson, 26 March 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; letterbook copy: Massachusetts Archives, Office of the Secretary of State My son being bound to London I give him a letter to you that he may have a better Pretence for waiting on you and Paying his own as well as my respects to you. I expected to have gone my self some of my friends advising to it; others thought it best for me to remain here and that I...
40From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 6 April 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society As the Stamp Act is at length repeal’d, I am willing you should have a new Gown, which you may suppose I did not send sooner, as I knew you would not like to be finer than your Neighbours, unless in a Gown of your own Spinning. Had the Trade between the two Countries totally ceas’d, it was a Comfort to me to recollect that I had once been cloth’d from Head...
41To Benjamin Franklin from Baynton, Wharton & Morgan, 28 August 1766 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Library of Congress We are now to acknowledge the Receipt of your very kind Favors, of the 26th February, the 10th of May and the 8th of June; and at the same Time, to do Ourselves the pleasure of heartily thanking you, for your many and great Kindnesses to Us. It was with inexpressible Joy We received your Congratulations on the Repeal of the Stamp Act; and found the several agreable...
42To Benjamin Franklin from George Read, [August? 1766] (Franklin Papers)
Draft: Library of Congress I now return you my most sincere thanks for the immediate Application you were so good as to make at the Treasury on my behalf, as I am informed by your Letter of the 12th. of June and shou’d the event be otherwise than successful to me it will not prove a matter of much disappointment. I am but little troubled with that Passion for Offices so generally prevalent....
43Observations on Mr. Parker’s State of the Account, [undated] (Franklin Papers)
AD : Haverford College Library This undated document is placed here for convenience because it relates so closely to Parker’s final report on the accounts between Franklin and Hall, Feb. 1, 1766 (above, pp. 87–99), and his letter of February 3 about that report (immediately above). Franklin could hardly have received the report and letter before the middle of March 1766, but they had reached...
44From Benjamin Franklin to William Cullen, 20 December 1766 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society I beg Leave to recommend to your favourable Notice two young Gentlemen the Bearers of this Letter, Messrs. Rush and Potts Sons of my Friends in Philadelphia. They are at Edinburgh to improve themselves in the Study of Physic, and from the Character they bear of Ingenuity, Industry and good Morals, I am persuaded they will improve greatly under your learned...
45Privy Council: Referral of Franklin’s Application for a Land Grant, 10 February 1766 (Franklin Papers)
MS Minutes: Public Record Office Franklin’s interest in Nova Scotia lands has been examined in the preceding volume, where documents were printed showing that, as a member of two land speculating syndicates headed by Alexander McNutt, he acquired in 1765 claims to thousands of acres in what is now the province of New Brunswick. See above, XII , 345–50. The petition summarized here differs from...
46To Benjamin Franklin from John Tunnicliff, 21 December 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I Received your kind Letters for which I return you my Best Thanks. If I can get a good Plantation either in Pensylvania or the Jerseys provided the same, is in a good Neighbourhood and the House High and Ary Sittuation to render it Healthy and near the River Delaware or the River Schoolkill with sufficiant Meadow and Pasture of the White Honey-Suckle,...
47From Benjamin Franklin to Peter Templeman, 29 October 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Royal Society of Arts I received with the enclos’d Letter an improv’d Compass for the Surveying of Land, sent me by Mr. Aaron Miller of New-Jersey, with a Request that I would lay it before the Society of Arts, which I will do whenever call’d upon for that purpose; I am, with great Respect for the Society, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant Endorsed: Octor. 29, 1766 Mr. Aaron Miller...
48From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, [8 November 1766] (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from extract in [Jared Sparks, ed.,] A Collection of the Familiar Letters and Miscellaneous Papers of Benjamin Franklin (Boston, 1833), pp. 279–80. Mr. Jackson is now come to town. The ministry have asked his opinion and advice on your plan of a colony in the Ilinois, and he has just sent me to peruse his answer in writing, in which he warmly recommends it, and enforces...
49To Benjamin Franklin from Baron Behr, 10 June 1766 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Baron Behr presente ses complimens à Mr. le Docteur Franklin, et souhaitant un heureux voyage, lui remet les incluses. Addressed: To / Dr. Franklin / Baron Behr The Hanoverian minister in London, who had obviously been informed of the impending visit of Pringle and BF to Germany. In a letter tentatively dated June 15, 1770, to an unidentified correspondent...
50Heads of a Bill to Authorize Paper Currency, [31 March–5 April 1766] (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; facsimile of ad: Parke-Bernet Galleries, Catalogue 223, The John Gribbel Sale, October 31, 1940, no. 252; photostat: American Philosophical Society Franklin’s belief that a viable system of paper currency was essential to the colonial economy goes back to 1729, when he published a pamphlet he called A Modest Enquiry into the Nature and Necessity of a Paper-Currency . His most...
51From Benjamin Franklin to the Pennsylvania Assembly Committee of Correspondence, 12 April 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : The Rosenbach Foundation I received your Letters of Jan. 13. and 20. and communicated them to Mr. Jackson. The Petition, praying a Repeal of the Act of Parliament prohibiting the Paper Money of the Colonies being a lawful Tender, was immediately presented according to your Directions, and referred to a Committee. We have for a long time been extreamly busy with our general American...
52To Benjamin Franklin from Samuel Wharton, 30 August 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The Bearer hereof is Dr. Jonathan Potts son of your Friend John Potts Esqr. He pays Europe a Visit for an Improvement in the Duties of his Profession. He has requested me to mention his Name to you; Which I am persuaded, is all, that is Necessary, to introduce Him to Gentlemen of the first Character in the Physical Class. I did myself the Pleasure to call...
53From Benjamin Franklin to Rudolph Erich Raspe, 9 September 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Landesbibliothek, Kassel I received your obliging Favour of Augt. 28. with the Paper enclos’d for the Monthly Review, which I shall communicate to the Managers of that Work, and imagine I shall prevail with them to do you better Justice. I am oblig’d to you for the Trouble you took in the Affair of my little Bill. As the other Bankers beside the Jew, have satisfy’d you that it was fully...
54Examination before the Committee of the Whole of the House of Commons, 13 February 1766 (Franklin Papers)
Text of the Examination printed in The Examination of Doctor Benjamin Franklin, before an August Assembly, relating to the Repeal of the Stamp Act, &c. [Philadelphia, Hall and Sellers, 1766]; Franklin’s Notes, ad: Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Nathaniel Ryder’s Notes, transcription of shorthand ms : Harrowby Manuscript Trust, The Earl of Harrowby, Sandon Hall, Stafford. During the...
55To Benjamin Franklin from [Andrew] Cheap and from Mr. and Mrs. [Israel] Wilkes, 23 December 1766 (Franklin Papers)
AL (two): American Philosophical Society These two invitations are printed together because they are written on the same sheet of paper, though in different hands, and clearly relate to each other. They were certainly written on the same day. Though December 23 fell on a Thursday in 1760 as well as in 1766, this paper and its contents are assigned to the latter year because the people...
56To Benjamin Franklin from [Joseph] Johnson, 4 November 1766 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society J. Johnson’s compliments to Dr. Francklin and sends those MSS for his inspection by order of Dr. Priestley who will esteem himself much oblig’d to the Dr. for looking over them as soon as possible. Addressed: To Dr. Francklin Joseph Johnson (1738–1809), bookseller and printer and in his later years deemed “the father of the book trade,” was one of the...
57From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 8 November 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : William L. Clements Library I received your kind Letter of Sept. the 22d. and from another Friend a Copy of that lying Essay in which I am represented as the Author of the Stamp Act, and you as concern’d in it. The Answer you mention is not yet come to hand. Your Consolation, my Friend, and mine, under these Abuses, must be, that we do not deserve them . But what can console the Writers...
58To Benjamin Franklin from [Alexander] Small, 11 June 1766 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Mr. Small presents his Complements to Dr. Franklin, is glad Sir John Pringle is to be happy in so agreable a Fellow Traveller, and begs leave to trouble him with the inclosed Letter and Bill, in case they take Hague in their way. If not the Dr. may burn them. Mr. Johnson is a very polite Man, and will, I dare say, be very ready to do Sir John and Dr....
59To Benjamin Franklin from Joseph Galloway, 16 June 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote to you, by Captains Falkner and Egdon last Week, Since which I have received your Favor of the 12th. of April. I now do, what I ought to have done long before, Sincerely Thank you, for the frequent Intelligences which I have received on publick Affairs. And altho a Continuance of that Favor will ever be very grateful to me, yet I am not so...
60From Benjamin Franklin to [Joseph Galloway], 12 April 1766 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; extract printed in Pennsylvania Gazette , June 19, 1766 Our Friends here are in Pain, lest the Condescension of Parliament, in repealing the Stamp-Act, will encourage the Americans to farther Excesses; and our Enemies, who have predicted it, hope to see their Prophecies fulfilled, that they may disgrace the present Ministry; but I hope we shall behave prudently, and disappoint...