1To Benjamin Franklin from Charles-Nicolas Jullian and Other Applicants for Emigration, 17 November 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society A number of people, as usual, sought Franklin’s help to emigrate to the New World or recommended their restless friends to his good graces. As far as we know, none of them received any encouragement from him. Louis Fouché writes from Romegoux in the Charente on December 4. Thirty-six years old, a native of the island of Oléron, and son of Capt. André Fouché...
2To Benjamin Franklin from ——— Chondeville, 2 January 1779: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society <Bourges, January 2, 1779, in French: I want to warn you against a certain Leralle who has just gone bankrupt for more than 60,000 francs and has sneaked off to Paris to implore your protection. He is a perfect scoundrel who owes money to everybody here and especially to me. He has debauched a young man of good family, baron de Bussiere, whom he is now...
3Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais to the American Commissioners, 13 February 1789 [i.e., 1779] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: American Philosophical Society M. Peltier duDoyer mon Correspondant de Nantes m’a fait signiffier une assignation à lui donnée en votre nom, aux fins de delivrer à votre Procureur, la foible cargaison de ris et d’indigo venue pour moi de Charlestown, sur le Navire la Thérese que Mr. Peltier a vendue par mon ordre et dont il m’a fait passer les fonds. Surpris de cette attaque, j’ai chargé...
4To Benjamin Franklin from Chevalier Gilles-Jean Barazer de Kermorvan, 19 November 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society J’ai l’honneur de vous faire part de la délivrance heureuse de notre reine, elle est accouchée aujourdhuy a onze heures quarante deux minutes, d’une fille, on s’etoit trompé pendant une heure sur le sexe, soit par l’excès de la joye ou par l’embarras d’annoncer une fille, on a annoncé un dauphin au peuple. La reine a etè en travail depuis deux heures et...
5To Benjamin Franklin from Arthur Lee, 3 January 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society I enclose you a letter received Yesterday from Dr. Berkenhout, the Author of those which were communicated to you the Year before last on the same Subject. If you think any use can be made of it for the public Good, I shall be glad to be informed of it. One of those, which I sent you before with the Answer I proposed giving to it, I have searched for and...
6To Benjamin Franklin from Walter Pollard, [c. 3 November 1778] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society The Gentleman, who was concerned in the Business which Mr: Dumas has hinted in his Letter to his Excellency, is sorry to say, that it was written only with the friendly Intention of introducing Him at Passy; for his Satisfaction would have been greater, had He been recommended, not by his Friends alone, or by any formal Declaration of his Principles, but by...
7To Benjamin Franklin from Sartine, 8 December 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress Je joins ici, Messieurs, un Manuscrit en six cayers, ayant pour titre, lettres de plusieurs Membres du Congrès &c. que l’on desire de faire imprimer. Je n’ai point voulu y donner mon Consentement sans vous l’avoir communiqué auparavant. Je vous prie en consequence d’en prendre lecture et de me marquer, en me le renvoyant ce que vous en aurez pensé. J’ai l’honneur...
8To Benjamin Franklin from Hezekiah Ford, 20 January 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Notwithstanding I am confident I left the papers containing the Resolves of Congress in your Book at Passi, after I had finished the Copy for M Lee; Yet I have made diligent search for them; and I do assure you they are not at Chaillot. I have therefore only to request, that you woud be so kind as to reexamine your papers, & I have no doubt but that you...
9To Benjamin Franklin from Henrÿ Dubois, 25 February 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Les offres gracieuses que votre Excellence a daigné me faire lorsque j’eus l’honneur de la voir dans mon voyage de paris au mois de mars dernier, me donne la Confiance de lui marquer que jusqu’a présent je n’ai pas été assez heureux de trouver l’occasion de lui être utile; sauf celle d’aider M. Wallisch et Mr. hancock, de posmoute, en les recommandant a M....
10John Paul Jones to Franklin and John Adams, 9 December 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Dartmouth College Library; copy: National Archives <Lorient, December 9, 1778: A Virginia pilot boat arrived in twenty-three days from Boston. Her captain reports that comte d’Estaing had sailed on a secret mission a fortnight before, that the Somerset was lost on Cape Cod and her crew made prisoners, that the Providence, Boston , and Ranger arrived with prizes, that the Raleigh was...