1To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas Hutchinson, 1 January 1766 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Massachusetts Archives, Office of the Secretary of State Upon a review of my last letter from you I find that you asked my opinion upon an application to Parliament for repres[entation] from the colonies and that I omitted taking notice of your desire in my answer. When the scheme of a stamp duty was first known in the colonies the general voice was that it would deprive them...
2“Pacificus Secundus”: Reply to “Pacificus,” 2 January 1766 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted in The Pennsylvania Chronicle, And Universal Advertiser , February 16–23, 1767, from The Public Advertiser , January 2, 1766. Franklin’s contributions to the newspaper debate in England that followed the passage of the Stamp Act and the emergence of colonial opposition in 1765 continued into the early weeks of 1766. The problem of identifying his contributions and the grounds for...
3“Homespun”: Second Reply to “Vindex Patriae”, 2 January 1766 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser , January 2, 1766 This is the second of two letters that Goddard reprinted in the Pennsylvania Chronicle , Feb. 16–23, 1767, the authorship of which is attributed to him there and in William Franklin’s memorandum. It is his second response to a letter by “Vindex Patriae” printed in the Gazetteer , Dec. 23, 1765, refusing to admit the economic...
4“F.B.”: On the Paving of Chancery Lane, 4 January 1766 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser , January 4, 1766 While there is no certainty that Franklin wrote this squib, the editors agree with Verner W. Crane ( Letters to the Press , pp. 44–5) that “the probability . . . is strong enough to justify its inclusion” among his writings. The style and lightness of touch are characteristic; his interest in street paving appears several...
5To Benjamin Franklin from James Parker, 4 January 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society About eight Days after mine per December Packet, yours of Sept. 26 1765 per Capt. Robinson came to Hand: The Chief Matter in yours, which my last will not serve for an Answer to, is that part relating to Mr. Balfour: Tho’ I have the highest Sense of your Kindness in what Answer you return’d him, yet I have now wrote to them, and inclose it to you, first...
6“N.N.”: On the Tenure of the Manor of East Greenwich, 6 January 1766 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser , January 11, 1766. This letter was the first of two that Goddard reprinted in the Pennsylvania Chronicle , March 2–9, 1767, the authorship of which William Franklin later also attributed to his father. It is part of his newspaper controversy with “Vindex Patriae” and the second in the series that he signed “N.N.” His opponent’s first letter,...
7From Benjamin Franklin to ———, 6 January 1766 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society I have attentively perus’d the Paper you sent me, and am of Opinion that the Measure it proposes of an Union with the Colonies is a wise one: but I doubt it will hardly be thought so here, ’till tis too late to attempt it. The Time has been when the Colonies, would have esteem’d it a great Advantage as well as Honour to them to be permitted to send Members...
8“N.N.”: Communicating Massachusetts Documents, 7–9 January 1766 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The London Chronicle , January 7–9, 1766 This introductory note to the printer is attributed to Franklin chiefly because its signature, “N.N.,” is one he certainly used for three other letters to the press in the winter of 1765–66 and continued to use from time to time during later years. With this communication Franklin sent copies of the instructions adopted by the Boston town...
9From Benjamin Franklin to the Pennsylvania Assembly Committee of Correspondence, 11 January 1766 (Franklin Papers)
Extract: printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives of the Province of Pennsylvania , v (Henry Miller, Phila., 1775), 446, in the record of May 6, 1766; also as a broadside headed “Addendum,” but taken from the Miller edition (n.p., n.d., copy in Yale University Library). In Compliance with the Direction in the Committee’s Letter, I have procured, and now send you...
10To Benjamin Franklin from Deborah Franklin, 12 January 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society [As it] is verey Cold I did not go ought to day so was a writeing a letter to our Sister Janey in anser to one I had wrote to her sense the deth of her husband I Cante helpe thinking the more trials shee do meet with the more shee shines I pray god to bless and kep her. So this minit or with in this ower the poste Come in and the packit is arived and I have...