1Editorial Note on Franklin’s Accounts, 1779 (Franklin Papers)
One new account begins during the period covered by this volume: XXIV. Jonathan Williams, Jr.’s Account with Franklin for Officers’ and Soldiers’ Clothing, January 7, 1780, to May 31, 1781: National Archives, 44 pp. This seems to be a complete accounting of Williams’ expenses incurred in procuring and shipping the congressional order for military uniforms and other supplies. The first two...
2To Benjamin Franklin from Franz Anton Mesmer, [before 1 November 1779] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society J’aurai l’honneur de vous recevoir avec le plus grand Empressement ainsi que Madame de Brillon, le jour que vous indiqués. Je Regretterai de ne pouvoir donner à cette dame toute la Satisfaction qu’elle desire, mon harmonica n’étant point monté et ne pouvant l’être d’ici à ce têms. Je Serai flatté si je peux vous mettre à même de reconnoitre la Réalité et...
3From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Reed, 1 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft) and two copies: Library of Congress A Gentleman from Holland, one of the Senators of Ziricsee, M. Van Noemer, being desirous of settling in our State, with his Family, and being well recommended to me, as a Person of Character, for Learning & Virtue, & likely to make a good & useful Citizen, I beg leave to present him to your Excellency, and to request for him those Civilities &...
4From Benjamin Franklin to Cradock Taylor, 1 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received yours of the 25th. Past, with Sundry Letters enclos’d from Mr. Fraser to you, and being now convinc’d that you are an honest American, and have not been a Volunteer in the English Service, I shall immediately endeavour to procure your Discharge. In the meantime, you may draw on me for five Louis d’ors, which I shall pay on sight of your Bill to assist you...
5To Benjamin Franklin from Anne-Louise Boivin d’Hardancourt Brillon de Jouy, 1 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Me voila donc réduitte a vous écrire mon bon papa et a vous dire que je vous aime; il étoit plus doux sans doutte de vous le laissér lire dans mes yeux; comment vaisje passér les mercredis et les samedis—point de thé, point d’échécs, point de musique, point d’éspérance de voir, d’embrassér mon bon papa—il me semble que la privation que j’éprouve de votre...
6To Benjamin Franklin from Jean Haag and Other Favor Seekers, 1 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Money, as usual, was at the core of most requests addressed to Franklin in the course of this volume: outright pleas for financial help or inquiries for clarification of the American currency system. Jean Haag, whose letter is published below, needs money to get back to Charleston. A painter who gives his name simply as Paul writes on December 29 to ask for...
7To Benjamin Franklin from Jean-Charles-Pierre Lenoir, 1 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society Je reçois, Monsieur, la lettre que Vous me faittes l’honneur de m’écrire, et je donne sur le champ des ordres pour que le sr. smith soit observé avec la plus grande exactitude. Je charge même l’officier de police de se rendre chès vous pour vous prier de lui procurer les details qui pouraient lui être nécessaires, et prendre vos ordres. Je suis avec un...
8To Benjamin Franklin from Jean de Neufville & fils, 1 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mr. Dumas left us last week, as he told us his presence should be required at the Hague from whence we gott his advice how to supply Mr Landay with money for his voyage to Paris, agreable to the orders of Your Excellency. At the same time our homme d’affaires at the Helder mentiond some matters to us we thought best to look into ourSelfs, and have arranged...
9To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Bache: Two Letters, 2 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
(I) and (II) ALS : American Philosophical Society I did myself this pleasure, under different dates by the Frigate Confederacy, that sailed about a Week ago having on board Monsr. Gerard & Mr. Jay as Passengers— I now inclose you second Bills for another years Interest of your money in the loan office, amounting to 486 Dollars— I hope the safe arrival of the first Bills will render these...
10To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Cashinberry et al., [2 November 1779] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania The Humble Petition of several of the private Men of late belonging to the Brig Cabot Sheweth That your Petitioners have now been in Captivity three years the 22nd October last in the former Part of our Captivity we were Prisoners in Ireland along with Mr. George Thayer and after being in Ireland nine Months we were brought to Mill Prison were we still...
11To Benjamin Franklin from Charles-Guillaume-Frédéric Dumas, 2 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Dans la copie que j’ai eu l’honneur de vous envoyer, de l’avis du College d’Amsterdam, il y a une faute: au lieu du Placard de L. h. P. du 3 Nov. 1779, ce doit être 1756. Mr. De Neufville me marque avoir été Samedi au Helder, pour y arranger l’avancement de diverses choses: “qu’il y a découvert les menées des Angl. pour y mettre de la confusion s’il étoit...
12To Benjamin Franklin from Antoine Court de Gébelin, 2 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Dartmouth College Library J’esperois trouver le moment de vous rendre mes devoirs et de vous porter le 6e. vole. du Monde Prim. pour lequel vous m’avez fait l’honneur de souscrire, lorsque j’en ai toujours été empeché par une suite d’evenemens de toute espece. Je prens donc la liberté de vous l’envoyer, avec une reconnoissance pour le volume suivant. J’y joins egalement un exemplaire...
13To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis de Lafayette, 2 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society With a trüe satisfaction I have seen that the Royal influence in the irish parliament, fell very short of Ministerial expectations, and that some patriots Begin to speack a Bold language, and mention the Blessed words of independency and the Rights of Mankind— In the eyes of people that would be strangers to parliamentary Barking, such Speeches would be...
14To Benjamin Franklin from Henry Laurence et al., 2 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Pennsylvania Library It is by the greatest restriction that your humble Petitioners endeavoured to once make mention of the reasons hereunto annexed, were it not out of the greatest, and most Substantial proofs of impulsion, and as it is the sole province of our design, to nudate the Identical interveiws, that your Excellency may have, when further Explicated. Your...
15To Benjamin Franklin from the Vicomte de Sarsfield, [2 November? 1779] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Le Vicomte de sarsfield Envoije scavoir des Nouvelles de Monsieur francklin; il le supplie de remettre au porteur de ce billet La Lettre qu’il a Eü La Bonté de Luy promettre. Addressed: a Monsieur / Monsieur francklin / chez Monsieur de / chaumont / A Passy Endorsed: Sir W York’s Memoire Notation in William Temple Franklin’s hand: Notes of no Consequence Our...
16To Benjamin Franklin from James Adams, 3 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Necessity forces me to inform your Excellency, that I am one of the unhappy Number, now in confinement in this prison, for what they please to style a Rebel, I was master of the Contl: Sloop of Warr, the Providence, John Pick Rathborn Esqr. Commr. & was so unfortunate as to be rose upon, in a Brigg, a Prize, on my Passage for Boston, Capt. Calef the bearer...
17To Benjamin Franklin from Dumas, 3 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Algemeen Rijksarchief Mes dernieres sont du 25, 28, 29, & 31 Oct. & 2 Nov. Celleci ira demain par voie de Rotterdam. Voici copie de la permission de mettre à terre les blessés prisonniers de la commission expediée par le Commodore en conséquence au L. Col. Wuibert; & de la convention entre les Commodores, Américain & Anglois. Notre Ami m’a...
18To Benjamin Franklin from Robert Montgomery, 3 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Tho I have Not been honor’d with an Answer to any of My Respects to your Eccel: Since the begining of the War with Great Britain, yet I See with Pleasure that you have not Entirely dispised my Representations, and find you have Condecended to write Several times in my favour to the Conde de Floridablanca, Minister of State at this Court, Who by Order of his...
19To Benjamin Franklin from William R. Boyd, 5 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I who is Confind here send these few lines to inform you how I came to be Confin’d. On the 18th. Octr. I Desartd from a Merchantman in Loriont call’d the Breton after sarving four months in the said ship. When I came to Nantz I ship’d with Capt. Smith being in hopes to get to my Natural Country. Likewise 4 more came with me from the said Ship and having a...
20To Benjamin Franklin from Madame Brillon, 5 [November] 1779 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Je paye éxactement mes déttes mon bon papa. Vous avés dû recevoir une léttre mecredi en voici une pour samedi; je ne suis pas de ceux qui disent, il faut se méttre a l’aise avéc ses amis. Si l’on ne leur tient pas ce qu’on leur a promis dans de petites choses, ils doivent éstre sur que nous ne négligerions pas les grandes—un grand sérvice est chose rare, et...
21To Benjamin Franklin from Dumas, 5 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Algemeen Rijksarchief Yr. Favour of the 29th. is just received, & the packet for the Commodore will be forwarded this very night, as were formerly yr. other Letters for the same, & for Capt. Landais without any Loss of time. The Commodore is not yet quite ready to sail. They say it will be so in the week to come; & then the day depends from the...
22To Benjamin Franklin from the Chevalier de la Gaudinay and Other Commission Seekers, 6 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society During the winter of 1779 applications for commissions in the American army continue to arrive. The first letter, written on November 6 and printed below, is from a captain of volunteers on a French privateer who would like a more assured future in the form of a brevet in the American service. The greater number of applications, however, come from soldiers...
23To Benjamin Franklin from George Mitchell, 6 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Your Excellency will I hope pardon the Libbertey I take in troubiling yough with a letter but As it is of Sum consequence to mee I hope Your Excellency will look over it in a more feavourable light. I have a Brother at Boston who has oft wright for Mee to Gover to him and Except of part of his Fortune which I have often tryd for Since my detention In france...
24To Benjamin Franklin from Antoine-Raymond-Gualbert-Gabriel de Sartine, 6 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Library of Congress; National Archives (two) Les circonstances exigent, Monsieur, que l’Expedition de l’Escadrille aux ordres de M. Jones soit terminée au Texel, il paroit indispensable de donner une nouvelle destination aux differents bâtiments qui la composent. Vous étez le maitre, Monsieur, de disposer de la fregate Americaine l’alliance d’après les vues que vous pouvez avoir...
25From Benjamin Franklin to Dumas, 8 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Anne and Paul Fenske, Rapid City, South Dakota (1981); copy: Library of Congress I received duly your several Favours of Oct. 18. 22. 25. 28. 29. & Nov. 2. Your Reasons for the speedy Depart of the Squadron, are good. I am glad the Affair of the Deserters is so well got over, as appears from your Extracts. I am exceedingly well satisfied with the Conduct of your Government and with the...
26From Benjamin Franklin to John Paul Jones, 8 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS and copy: National Archives; copy: Library of Congress; transcript: National Archives I wrote to you on the 15th past, since which I have not had the Pleasure of hearing from you. I have just received a Letter from M. De Sartine, of which the inclosed is a Copy. You will see in it that the Cruise is ended; and the Ship Alliance dismissed, with an Injunction that none of the King’s Subjects...
27To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Bache, 8 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society At the Request of my Friend Colonel John Mitchell, I take the liberty of introducing to your Civilities, the Bearer Mr: John Rainey, who goes to France upon a Commercial Plan, should he require your Advice, or Assistance in procuring passports to Holland or elsewhere, I beg leave to recommend him to you for them— The Family continue well and join me in Love...
28To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Nesbitt, 8 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have not had occasion to trouble your Excellency since I had the honor of receiving your Letter relative to Captain Conyngham. The present serves to inclose a Bond for the purpose of obtaining a Commission or Letters of Marque for Arthur Kirk Commander of the Schooner Independance, lately arriv’d at Nantes from Baltimore, which I hope it will please your...
29To Benjamin Franklin from Joan Derk van der Capellen tot den Pol, 8 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society J’ai eu l’honneur de recevoir le paquet que Vous m’avez expedié le 26 Sept.; mais je Vous Supplie d’avoir la bonté de m’envoier a l’avenir de telles Depeches Sous quelque addresse, Soit de Mr. Dumas, ou de quelqu’autre; du moins de ne plus les Signer de votre nom ouvertement Sur l’enveloppe, puisque cela ne peut qu’exciter la curiosité de ceux, par les...
30To Benjamin Franklin from Veuve Wahrendorff et fils and Other People with Goods and Services to Offer, 8 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society During the period of this volume Franklin continued to receive offers of a variety of goods and services either to aid the American war effort or to benefit Franklin himself. The earliest letter, published below, comes from a supplier in the Baltic port of Wismar who has for several years supplied the English Navy with peas and proposes now to do the same...