30L Class lb„Ji 4.1 Bnnk '^l \^C5. / LETTERS OF DR. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND HIS SON WILLIAM FRANKLIN COLONIAL GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSEY TO ';,; WILLIAM STRAHAN THE PUBLISHER t v'HwtA-dU <^(*4»^<>- , H *> 5"] '■" -ii 'ji IC Js'06 ■-a LETTERS FROM BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AND HIS SON, \^ILLIAM FRANKLIN. ''N Franklin, Benjamin, a. I. s. 4to, 3 pages. Philadelphia, ■^^ Oct. 19, 1748. To Wm. Strahan. '^ Philad"* Oct. 19, 1748. ^' Dear Sir > I receiv'd your favour of April 25, with the Maps '^^ &c. — I am glad the Polybius did not come, and hope you will not have sent it when this reaches your Hands ; it was intended for my Son, who was then in the Army, and seemed bent on a military Life ; but as Peace cuts off his Prospect of Advancem^. in that Way, he will ap- ply himself to other Business. Enclos'd I send you his Certificate from the Governor of New York, by which he is entitled to /^98.i6.4 Sterling, being his pay ; with a Letter of Attorney impowering you to receive it ; I know not what the Deduction will be at the Pay Office ; but desire you will give my Ace' Credit for the net Proceeds. I am in daily Expectation of a Bill from Virginia of 50 jC which I shall remit you towards the Ballance, & M'' Hall will ace": with you for those Things you have sent me, that are put in his Invoice. Our Acc^? agree, except that I have charg'd you^^'i. 9. 7. for the Ainsworth & James Read, the 6/7 being the Proportion of Charges on that Book, and the Bill on Geo Rigge my Ace!' called ^{^15.7.11. yours ^15.7.1; which is but a small Variation ; & I know not but yours may be right. I have lately sent a Printing house to Antigua, by a very sober, honest «& diligent young Man, who has already (as I am informed by divers Hands,) gain'd the Friendship of the principal People, and is like get into good Business. This will open another Market for your Books if you think fit to use it : for I am per- suaded, that if you .shall send him a Parcel with any Quantity of Stationary he may write to you for, he will make you good and punctual Returns. His name is Thomas Smith ; he is the only Printer on that Island : — had worked with me here and at mj' Printing-house in N York, 3 or 4 Years, and always behaved extremely well. M' Tho' Osborne Bookseller of London, is en- deavoirriug to open a Correspoi^dence in the Plantations for the Sale of his Books : He has accordingly sent several Parcels, i to M'' Parker of N. York, i to M'' Read here, & one to M'' Parks in Virginia. I have seen the Invoices to Parker & Read ; and observe the Books to be very high charged, so that I believe they will not sell. I recommended Parker to you for Books, but he tells me has wrote you several Letters, & in two of them sent a Guinea to purchase some small Things, but never receiv'd, any Answer. Perhaps the Guineas made the Letters miscarry. He is very honest, punc- tual Man, and Will be in the Way of selling a great many Books ; 1 think you might find your Ace' in Writing to him. M'' Read having left off Bookselling Osborne has wrote to me, & desired me to take those Books into my Hands, proposing a Correspondence, &c. but I have declin'd it in a Letter per this Ship. My .spouse will write to M" Strahan, to whom my best Respects. By this time twelve month, if nothing extra- ordinary happen to prevent it, I hope to have the Plea- sure of seeing you both in London ; being, with great Esteem & Affection, D'' Sir, Your obliged Friend & Serv' B. Franklin. P. S. You will find M"' Geo. Smith, one of the Witnesses to the Power of Attorney at the Pensilvania Coffee House. He goes over in this Ship. Franklin, Benjamin, a. I. s. Folio, 2 pages. Philadel- phia, April 18, 1754. To Wm. Strahan. With address and seal in red wax. Dear Sir Philad'' April 18. 1754 By Capt. Gibbon I recieved a Copy of yours pr the Myrtylla, but she's not yet arrived. I am glad to hear the Bills I sent you for 100/^ Slerl^-'- are accepted, and that the Goods were to be ship't soon for Connecti- cut. Bryant is arrived at New York, who left London the Middle of March ; I have not heard wether he has brought them. I now enclose you a Bill for 20^ Ster- ling, drawn by M'' Stevens on Alex'' Grant Merch' Loudon ; and what Ballance may remain unpaid, I will send as soon as I can know it. I am glad you have sent again the Things that wereship't in Davis. As to that Loss, give your self no Concern about it. It is mine, and but a Trifle. I do not know or regard what the Custom of Merchants may be in such Cases ; but when I reflect how much Trouble I have given you from time to time in my little Affairs, that you never charged me Commissions and have frequently been in Advance for me : were the Loss much greater, to be sure I should not suffer it to fall on you Benj"- Mecom writes ine that he has remitted you Thirty Pounds Sterl=- which I am pleas'dto hear. And am glad you have not sent him the great Parcel of Books, &c. which you mention he has wrote for. He is a young Lad, quite unacquainted with the World, and I fear would be much embarrass'd if he weut Sud- denly into Dealings too deep for his Stock. The People of those Islands might buy his Books, but I know they are very dull Pay, and he would find it impracticable to collect the money when it ought to be sent you. Pray keep him within Bounds, let him have good salable Sortments, but small, and not Suffer him to be more than Fifty Pounds in your Debt, if so much. It is best for him to proceed gradually, and deal more as his Stock and Experience increases. I am thankful to you for prudently delaying to Send what he so indiscretely wrote for, till you had advis'd me of it. Our Compli- ments to M''*- Strahan and your Children. I am, with great Bsteem, D'- Sir. Your most humble Servant Please to send me the B. Franklin. Philosophical Transactions from the End of Martin's Abridgement 1744 to the present time. I suppose they are not abridg'd ; Send them large as the came out. Also Dampier's Voyages. 4 vols. S^"- M''- Strahan. Franklin, Benjamin, a. I. s. 410, 2 pages. Portsmouth, Aug. 23, 1762. To Wm. Strahan. Portsmouth, Mondaj', Aug^ 23, 1762 Dear Sir, 1 I have been two Nights on board expecting to sail, but the Wind continuing contrary, am just now come on shore again, & have met with your kind Letter of the 2o'^'^- 1 thank you even for the Reproofs it contains, tho' I have not altogether deserved them. I cannot, I assure you, quit even this disagreable Place without Regret, as it carries me still farther from those I love, and from the Opportunities of hearing of their Welfare. The Attraction of Reason is at present, for the other Side of the Water, but that of Inclination will be for this side. You know which usually prevails. I shall probably make but this one Vibration and Settle here for ever. Nothing will prevent it, if I can, as I hope I can, prevail with M'" F. to accompany me ; es- pecially if we have a Peace. I will not tell you, that to be near & with you and yours, is any part of my Induce- ment : It would look like a Complement extorted from me by your pretences to Insignificancy. Nor will I own that your Persuasions & Arguments have wrought this change in my former Resolutions : tho' it is true that they have frequently intruded themselves, into my Consideration whether I would or not 1 trust, how- ever, that we shall once more see each other and be happy again together; Which God &c. My love to M''^ Strahan, & your amiable and valuable Children. Heaven bless you all ; whatever becomes of your much obliged & afEectionate Friend B. Franklin. Franklin, Benjamin, a. I. s. Folio, 3 pages. Philadelphia, Dec. 7, 1762. To Wm. Strahan. With seal and address. Philad' Dec. 7, 1762 Dear Friend, I wrote to you some time since to acquaint you with my Arrival, & the kind Reception, I met with from my old and many new Friends, notwithstanding D' Smith's false Reports in London of my Interest as declining here. I could not wish for a more hearty Welcome, & I never experienc'd greater Cordiality, We had a long Passage, near ten Weeks from Portsmouth to this Place, but it was a pleasant one ; for we had ten Sail in Company and a Man of War to pro- tect us ; we had pleasant Weather & fair winds, and frequently visited and dined from Ship to Ship ; we call'd too at the delightful Island of Madeira, by way of half-way House, where we replenish 'd our Stores, and took in many Refreshments. It was the time of their Vintage, and we hung the Ceiling of the Cabin with Bunches of fine Grapes which serv'd as a Desert at Dinner for some Weeks afterwards. The Reason of our being so long at Sea, was that Sailing with a Convoy, we could none of us go faster than the slowest, being oblig'd every day to shorten Sail, or lay by till they came up ; this was the only Inconvenience of our having Company, which was abundantly made up to us by the Sense of greater Safety ; the mutual good Offices daily exchanged & the other Pleasures of Society.* It was the Scarboraugh Cap't Stott, who took the greatest care of his little Convoy that can be imagined, & brought us all safely to our several Ports. I wish you would mention this to his Honour in your Paper. I have no Line from you yet, but I hope there is a Letter on its way to me. My Son is not arrived, & I begin to think he will Spend this Winter with you. M"' Hall I suppose writes by this Ship, I mention'd what you desir'd in your Letter to me at Portsmouth ; he informs me he has made some Remittances since I left England, and shall as fast as possible clear the Ace'- He blames himself for ordering so large a Cargo at once, and will keep more within Bounds hereafter. — M"' Hall sends you I believe, for sale, some Poetic Pieces of our young Geniuses ; — it would encourage them greatly if their Performance, could obtain any favourable Reception in England ; — I wish therefore you would take the proper steps to get them recom- mended to the Notice of the Publick as far at least as you may find they deserve, I know that no one can do this better than yourself. You have doubtless long .since-done Rejoining on the Conquest of the Havana. It is indeed a Conquest of great Importance ; but it has cost us dear, extremely dear, when we consider the Havock made in our little brave Army by Sickness. I hope it will, in the mak- ing of Peace, procure us some Advantages in Commerce or Possesion that may in time countervail this heavy Loss we have sustained in that Enterprise. I must joyn with David in petitioning that you would write all the Politicks ; you have an Opportunity of hearing them all and no one that is not quite in the Secre't of Affairs can judge better of them. I hope the crasy Heads that have been so long raving about Scotch- men & Scotland are by this time either broke or mended. My dear Love to M" Strahan, and bid her be well for all our sakes Remember me affectionately to Rachey & my little wife, & to your promising Sons my young Friends Billy, George & Andrew, — God bless you & let me find you well & happy when I come again to England, happy England! My Respects to M' John- son ; I hope he has got the Amonica in order before this time, & that Rachey plays daily with more & more Boldness & Grace, to the absolute charming of all her Acquaintances. In two years at farthest I hope to settle all my Affairs in such a manner, as that I may then conveniently remove to England, — provided we can persuade the good Woman to cross the Seas. That will be the great Difficulty : but you can help me a little in removing it. Present my Compliments to all the enquiring Friends, and believe me ever, My dear Friend, Yours most affectionately B. Franklin. Franklin, Benjamin, a. I. s. Folio, 3 pages. Philadelphia, Feby. 23, 1763. To. Wm. Strahan. With address and seal. Philad' Feb. 23, 1763. Dear Straney, I have only time to write one Line by this Con- veyance, just to congratulate you on the glorious Peace you have made, the most advantageous for the British Nation in my opinion of any your Annals have recorded. The Places you have left or restor'd to the French I look upon to be so much in our Power in case of a future War, as to be so many Hostages or Pledges of their good Behaviour. Love to M'" Strahan & your Children Billy joins in every affectionate Sentiment, with. Dear Friend, Your Affectionately, B. Franklin. Franklin, Benjamin, a. I. s. Folio, 3 pages. Philadelphia, Dec. 19, 1763. To Wui. Strahan. Philad" Dec. 19, 1763. Dear Strauey, I have before me your Favour.s of July 16, and Aug' 18 which is the latest- It vexes me excessively to see that Parker and Mecom are so much in Arrear with you. What is due from Parker is safe, and will be paid, I think with Interest, for he is a Man as honest as he is industrious & frugal, and has withal some Estate ; his Backwardness has been owing to his bad Partners only, of whom he is now nearly quit. But as to Mecom, he seems so dejected & friendless, that I fear little will be got of him. He has dropt his Papers, on which he built his last Hopes. I doubt I shall lose 200^ by him myself, but am taking steps to save what I can for you ; of which more fully in my next. Now I am returned from my long journeys which have consum'd the whole Summer, I shall apply myself to such a Settlement of all my Affairs, as will enable me to do what your Friendship so warmly urges. I have a great Opinion of your Wisdom (Madeira apart) and am apt enough to think that what you seem so clear in, & are so earnest about, must be right. Tho' I own, that I sometimes suspect, my Love to England & my Friends there Seduces me a little, and makes 7nv own middling Reasons for going over, appear very good ones. We shall see in a little Time how Things will turn out. Blessings on your Heart for the Feast of Politicks you gave me in your last. I could by no other means have obtained so clear a View of the present State of your public affairs as by your Letter. Most of your Observations appear to me extremely Judicious, strick- ingly clear & true. I only differ from you in some of the melancholly Apprehensions you express concerning Consequences ; and to comfort you (at the same time flattering my own Vanity) let me remind you, that I have sometimes been in the right in such Cases, when you happen'd to be in the wrong ; as I can prove upon you out of this very Letter of yours. Call to mind your former Fears for the King of Prussia, and remember my telling you that the Man's Abilities were more than equal to all the Force of his Enemies, and that he would finally extricate himself & triumph. This, by the Account you give me from Major Beckwith, is fully verified — You now fear for our virtuous young King, that the factious forming will overpower him, and render 8 his Reign uncomfortable. On the contrary, I am of Opinion, that his Virtue, and the Consciousness of his sincere Intention to make his People happy, will give him Firmness & Steadiness in his Measures, and in the Support of the honest Friends he has chosen to serve him ; and when that Firmness is fully perceiv'd, Faction will dissolve & be dissipated lik,e a Morning Fog before the rising Sun, leaving the rest of the Day clear, with a Sky serene & cloudless. Such after, a few of the first years, will be the future Court of his Majesty's Reign, which I predict will be happy & truly glorious. Your Fears for the Nation too, appear to me as little founded. A new War I cannot yet see Reason to apprehend. The Peace I think will long continue, and your Nation be as happy as they deserve to be, that is, as happy as their moderate Share of Virtue will allow them to be. Happier than that no outward Circumstances can make a Nation any more than a private Man — And as to their Quantity of Virtue I think it bids fair for Increasing ; if the old Saying, be true, as it certainly is, Ad Exemplum Regis, &c. My Love to M'** Strahan & j'our Children in which my Wife & Daughter join with Your ever affectionate Friend B. Franklin. First understood P. S. Extract of a Letter from Philadelphia dated Dec. 19. The western Indians about Fort Detroit now sue for Peace, having lost a great Number of their best Warriors in their vain Attempt to reduce that Fortress, and being at length assur'd by a Belt from the French Commander in the Ilinois Country, that a Peace is con- cluded between England and France, that he must evacuate the Country & deliver up his Forts, and can no longer supply or support them It is thought this will draw on a general Peace. I am only afraid it will be concluded before these Barbarians have sufficiently smarted for their perfidious breaking the last. The Governor of Detroit, Major Gladwin has granted them a Cessation of Arms, till the General's Pleasure is known W Strahan Franklin, Benjamin, a. I. s. Folio, 2 pages. Philadelphia, June 25, 1764. With address. Philad^-June 25. 1764 Dear Sir, I wrote a few Lines to go to yow via Liverpool ; but they were too late for the Ship, and now accompany this. I gave M'' Parker a Power of Attorney to act for you and myself, with respect to Mecom's Affairs, who has, under Oath, surrended all lie possess'd into his Hands, to be divided proportionably between us and his other Creditors, which are chiefly Rivington & Fletcher, and Hamilton, and Balfour. The Effects consist of a Printing Press, some tolerably good Letter, and some Books and Stationary. He has render'd particular and exact Accounts, but his All will fall vastly short of Payment. I suppose it will scarce amount to 4 / in the Pound. Parker thinks him honest, and has let him have a small Printing House at Newliaven in Connecticut, where he is now at work ; — but having a Wife & a Number of small Children, I doubt it will be long ere he gets anything beforehand, so as to lessen much of his old Debt. I think it would be well for each of his Creditors to take again what remains unfold of their respective Goods, of which there are separate Accounts, and join in impowering M'' Parker to sell the Remain- der, to be divided among us. Tho' , on second Thought, perhaps the fairest Way, is to sell and divide the whole You can obtain their Sentiments, and send me your own. — As to what Parker owes you, it is very safe, and you must have Interest. I hope the Bath will fully re-establish good M'"- Strahan's Health. I enjoy the Pleasure with which you speak of your Children. God has been very good to you, from whence I think you may be assiued that he loves you, and that he will take at least as good care of your future Happiness as he has done of your pres- ent. What assurance of the Future can be better founded, than thnt which has been built on Experience cA'Ca^ past? Thank me for giving you this Hint, by the Help of which you may die as chearfuily as you live. If you had Christain Faith, quantum .suff. This might not be necessary ; — But as Matters are, it may be of Use. Your Political Letters are Oracles here. I be- seech you to continue them. With unfeigned Esteem, I am, as ever, Dear Friend, Yours affectionately M'' Strahan. B. Franklin. lO Franklin, Benjamin, a. I. s. Folio, 3 pages. Philadelphia, Sept. I, 1764. To Win. Strahan. With address. Philad'' Sept. i 1764 Dear Stranej^ I received your obliging Letter of June 5. 1 find bj' my Letter Book that I wrote to you May i. and June 25. 1 thought I had sent you one of my Narra- tives You cannot conceive the Number of Bitter Enemies that little Piece has rais'd me among the Irish Presbyterians I now send you a Pamphlet that I have written since in favor of our projected Change of Gov- ernment : and M'' Galloway's Speech with a Preface of mine against the Proprietary Party with whom I am still at War. and who will ere long either demolish me or I them. If the former happens, as possibly it may, Behold me a Londoner for the rest of my Days. At present I am here as much the Butt of Party Rage & Malice, express' d in Pamphlets and Prints, and have as many pelted at my Head in proportion, as if I had the Misfortune of being your Prime Minister. I wrote to you that Mecom's Effects were in Parker's Hands. The following is a Copy of the Receipt he gave for them. Parker will write to you by the next Packet ; at least I shall urge him to do it. New York, April 30, 1764. " Received of Benjamin Mecom, in Behalf of his " Creditors, and as Attorney particularly appointed by " Benjamin Franklin Esq. of Philadelphia and M'- " William Strahan of London Sundry Boxes of Books, " A Printing Press, and Printing Materials lately in the " said B. Mecom's Posession, as particularis'd in his Ac- " counts with said Benjamin Franklin, William Strahan, " Rivington & Fletcher, and Hamilton and Balfour, "all which I am to account for to my Constituents " which said Ledger is received by me As also the cash " cf sundry of said Mecom's Effects. Sold at Auction " amounting to ^28.10.7}^ an Ace* of which, and Re- " ceipt for it, is also rendered to him for the same Pur- " pose per me " James Parker." You will consult the others what steps to take for your common Benefit. I thank you for your Intelligence concerning your Publick Affairs : — accompanied with your judi- cious political Reflections. You can scarcely concieve II how acceptable and satisfactory your Letters always are on that Topic to me and my Friends. For my Part, I rely entirely on voiir Acc^^ & Sentiments ; only making a small Abatement where you forbode any Mis- fortunes. But that is mere Temper in me, which always loves to view the bright Sides of things Will continues very happy in his Government and the affections of the People. He and his Wife were well a few Davs since and desir'd their respectful Com- pliments to you and yours. M'^- Franklin and Sally [oin me in every good Wish for you and M''' Strahan cV your valuable Set of Children. God bless 'em all, and my Peggy as mickle as any two o' them. I want to hear Rachev upon the Armonica ; but her Atten- tion is piobabiv withdrawn from that, by her new Play- thing, the Baby, which furnishes more agreeable Musick. I am, my dear Friend, with sincere Esteem, Yours most affectionately B. Franklin. P S News is just arriv'd [ Please to send the of a Peace concluded at Presquisle ) Pamphlets to M'. with the Delawares & Shawness ] Small & D'- Hawks by Col. Bradstreet. I worth as directed I believe I complain 'd to you before that M^ Beeket neglected me. The reason I cannot conceive, and wish vou would tell me I wrote to him last Year for 'the following Books, and have never since heard a Word from him. 1 now request you to send them to me I know not what they will cost ; but on your showing the Acc't and this Letter to M"- Heuton Brown, Banker, he will immediately pay it Debates of the House of Commons by Architel Gray, Esq. Print of the Earl of Bute by Rylaud, if good 2 of them. Astronomical Tables & Precepts for Calculating the Times of the new & full moons, projecting Eclipses, &c. to A. D. 7800 by James Ferguson. Concise Acct. of the Rise of the Society of Aits. Hooper, Fielding, Universal Mentor. Philosophical Transaction Part I of Vol 49 Part I of Vol 50 Also Vol. 52, 53. & 54 all in blue Covers.— 12 Franklin, Benjamin. His Original Autograph Report of the Speech of Wm. Pitt, on the Stamp Act, and which Franklin sent to Strahan. 4to, 5 pages. With addre.ss and seal. " M'' Pitt spoke some time before one could divine on which side of tlie Question relating to America he would be, but beginning fir^t to mention the Stamp Act by the lose Term of that unhappy Act, he went on, and ever}' Time he had Occasion to mention it, it was by a Term still stronger, as unconsiihciiojial tcnjusl oppressive &c. till he finally declar'd in express Terms that the British Parliameut had in his Opinion no Right to raise internal Taxes in America, tho' it had to regu- late their Commerce &even restrain their Manufactures. He said many Things in favour of America, particularly that they had always readily granted Aids to the Crown in all our Wars, on Requisitions made to their several Assemblies, and particularly in the last War far beyond their Abilities, which the Pari' here considering has made them some Compensation ; that the Act was there- fore unnecessary ; that no Minister before the last, naming all the Ministers in order from the Revolution, & giving their Characters, some of whom were remark- able for their Firmness and Resolution, as well as their Understanding, had ever tlionght fit or ventnr'd to tax the Colonies ; that he himself was sometimes represented as rash enough for any thing, & there had not been wanting some during his Adm" that urg'd him to it as a thing that would have been acceptable to Gentlemen here, but they could not get him to burn his fingers, with so unnecessary, so unjust, and therefore so odious a Measure; The Arguments of virtual Representation, of the Case of the Colonies being the same with that of Corporations in England or of the Non Electors here, he treated with great Contempt as Trifling insignificant & ridiculous ; asserted that Representation in Pari' was originally & properly of Landed Property ; that every 40"' a Year of lauded Property in England still is repre- sented by the Owners having a right to vote in Country Elec'^but that tho' a Man in America had looo;^ a Year in Land, it gave him no right to vote for a single Mem- of Parliam''- That the Representation of the Commons, was not an original Part of the Constitution ; — the Owners of Lands only were call'd to Parliam'- & all the Lands in Englan were divided between the King, the Church, & the Barons. The Church, God bless it, had one Third at least. The Commons, were mere Tenants or Copy holders. — But now the Case was greatly alter'd. The Church was stript of most of its Lands, & the Nobles had sold so much of theirs, that what remain'd in their 13 Hands was but like a Drop of the Bucket compar'd to what was now iu the Hands of the Commons. It was therefore on Ace' of their Land properly that the Com- mons were represented in Parliament. As to the Repre- sentation of Burroughs, it was wrong to suffer their sitting in Parlim'"- It was the rotten Part of our Con- stitution, & could not stand another Century. How could we with any Face maintain, that a Burrough of half a Dozen Houses ought to have a Representative in in Pari' to take care of its interests ; & yet that three Millions of People iu America with many Millions of Landed Property should not have a single Vote in the Election of any one Member. Mr. Grenville saying in Defense of the Act that he had before the Measure was entredinto, call'd upon the House, & ask'd if there was any one Member that doubted the Right of Parliament to lay an internal Tax on America; & and there was not one, M'' Pitt answered, that, That by no means prov'd the Rectitude of the Measure, for that there had long been in the House a Tenderness of opposing Ministerial Measures, a kind of what shall I call it — Modesty, that made the Members rather doubt their own judge- ments. He wished therefore that the young Members would apply themselves more to the Study of Publick Affairs, & qualifie themselves better to judge of them. — That their Silence should be no Proof of the goodness of a ministerial Measure, he reminded the House, that from Year to Year he had in the same Manner call'd upon the House, to know if any one dislik'd our then Continental Connections, and but one ever took the Freedom to speak his Mind on that Head, & he should like him the better for it as long as he liv'd ; "for he indeed said franklj^ "that he did not like what he was pleas'd to call my German War" But with the rest it went down glibly. — That Oppositions were generally inter- ested ; but his Sentiments of this Act had always been the same ; & he had ever dislik'd it as destructive to Liberty ; a Word often made use of by ambitious Men only as a Horse on which they might mount and ride itito Preferment but he had no such Views. M'' Conway remark'd on this, that the Preferment he was in was not of his own seeking ; and that whenever the hon'''*- Gentleman, for whose Abilities Integrity he had the highest Veneration, should be, as he sincerely hop'd he soon be, appointed to supersede him, he should with great Pleasure mo2:nt his Horse & ride out agatJi. These are the Particulars you chiefly desir'd an Ace' of 'Tis the best I can give you. But I am sensible the Expression is far short of that used by the Speakers. 14 Franklin, Benjamin, a. I. s. 4to. Loudon, March 19, 1767. To his son \Vm. Franklin. London, March 19, 1767. Dear Son Dining to day with M'' ^otts, I hear that Letters go by this Night's Post to Falmouth for the Chance of reaching the Packet. Therefore I write this Line just to say, that I received yesterday a Line from the Treasury acquainting me that M' Kollock is appointed upon my Recommendation to be Collector of Levies. I shall be more particular in my next. Your affectionate Father B. Franklin. Franklin, Benjamin. a. I. s. 410. Edinburgh, Oct. 27, 1771. To Wm. Strahan. With address. Edinburgh, Oct. 27 Dear Friend 1771 Thro' Storms & Floods I arrived here on Satur- day night, late, & was lodg'd miserably at an Inn : But that excellent Christian David Hume, agreable to the Precepts of the Gospel, has received the Stranger, and I now live with him at his House in the new Town most happily I purpose staying about a Fortnight, and shall be glad to hear from you, I congratulate you on certain political Events that I know gives you Pleasure. Let me know how it is with you & yours, how my wife does, and Sir John Pringle, and our other Friends. With sincerest Esteem I am, my Dear Friend. Your most affectionately B. Franklin. Franklin, Benjamin, a. I. s. 4to. Passy, Oct. 12, 1777. To Monsieur La Marquis de Condorcet. With address and seal. Passy, Oct. 12, 1777. Dear Sir. I send you enclos'd the Letter you desire. But as I am apprehensive that the young Gentleman may have flattered himself with Expectations that are never likely to be answered in that Country, I wish he would 15 consider it well before he undertakes such a Voyage. If he will take the Trouble of calling on me, perhaps I may afford him some useful Lights on the Subject I have not yet seen in the Vol. of 1773 what you mention I am glad to hear that Mad'' la Duchesse d'Enville & the amiable Family were well. With the greatest Esteem & Respect. Your most humble Servant B. Franklin. P. S. I have read with the highest Pleasure your ex- cellent eloge de M C'Hopital. — I knew you before as a great Mathematician. I now consider you as one of the first among the Politicans of Europe. Franklin, William, a. I. s. Folio, 2 pages. Burlington, Oct. 14, 1763. To Wm. Strahan. With address. Burlington, Oct. 14, 1763 Dear Strahan, In the Name of God what have I said or done to you, that so many months' should elapse, & so many Vessels arrive, without my having the Pleasure, of a single Line from you since my arrival in America. I can't help imagining that you must have wrote, & the Letter miscarried ; but MS F': says, she thinks you have quite forgot us, now we have left England, & that you will not trouble yourself about us any more. I hope she is mistaken, & that you will enable me to prove her so. I know you have a deal of business on your Hands, & perhaps have not had time to attend to the little Affairs which you were so kind as to undertake to transact for me. If this is the Case, I beg you would not put yourself to any inconvenience on my Account, but acquaint me with it as soon as you can conveniently, that I may employ some other Friend, who has more leisure, I wrote to you on the 25th of April & on the 27th of June. In the last I sent you an Order on H Brown & Sons for 25 £ on my Account. I find by a Letter from MessS Sargent & Aufrere, that they have paid you a Ballance due to me of £6. 4. i They have since received the Return for my Insurance, amountintr to 51 £ which I have wrote to them, by this vessel, to pay to i6 you 071 your Order. I hope vou have long before this receiv'd the 50^ due to me from Goble. Mrs. F has wrote to Miss Clarke to purchase some Shoes &c for her, & to draw upon you for the Money, which please to pay & charge to my Account. — I should be glad you would send me a State of my Accoinut with you, as soon as is couvenient. Queries. Pray have you receiv'd the King's Pic- ture &c from the Jewel OiSce? Have you got my Pic- ture from Wilson ? and the Miniatures from Meyers or Jefferies? Has Chamberlyne got the Prints done? Have you sent me the Letter containing the Will , which I desired you to do from Plymouth ? As I hear my good Frieiid Parson Smith has taken the Liberty (even before he could hear of my Ar- rival here) to propagate a Report that my Appointment to this Government was disagreeable to the People, I could have wish'd that you had publish'd some of the Addresses to me, & my Speech, &c which were sent over to you. I believe no Governor was ever more af- fectionately receiv'd by all Ranks of People. Even with' those from whom I might have expected opposi- tion I am upon very good Terms. And as a convincing Proof of my luiluence, I have carried two Points which the Crown has long had at Heart, & which former Gov- ernors have often unsuccessfully attempted. In short, there is no more Foundation for Smith's Report than there is for believing him an honest Man. I am oblig'd to write this in a great Hurry less I. miss the Opportunity; which prevents my adding any Thing of News, or other Affairs. I must therefore refer you to M' Hall's Papers, & to the Bearer, M' Reed, a young Gent" of this Province who goes over for his Improvement in the Law ; and whom I take the liberty of recommending to your Notice as a Friend of mine, & a Person of Merit. M'^ F says .she cannot help loving you for all and joins in good Wishes for you & M'^ Strahan, with Dear Sir, Your most humble Servant, Wm. Franklin Please to insert the Addresses of the Trustees of the College, which you will see in one of the last Papers. I suppose you have already inserted the Speech. 17 Franklin, William, a.l.s. 410, 3 pages. Burlington, Nov. 5, 1763. ToWm. Straban. With address and seal. Burlington, NovV 15, 1763 Sir. The Assembly of this Province have just met upon my Summons, in order to raise some Men to go against the Indians, & and I am this Moment to make my Speech to them, so that this can little more than serve to acknowledge the Receipt of your letter by Tillet, & to desire your Care of the Enclosed, the Post- age of which you must charge to me. The Reason of my giving you this Trouble is because I have heard that some of my Letters to the Publick OiEcers have some how or other miscarried. — Lord Egremont I hear is dead, but the Letter should notwithstanding be left at Whitehall & I should be oblig'd to you to give the Letter for the Board of Trade to M': Pownall, & to have Lord Shelburne's Letter lef at his House. If the several Things which you mention to be of Crimson Damask are not made up before this comes to hand, I should be glad you would prevent it, & let the whole Quantity of Crimson Silk Damask to be given me, be changed for as much Yellow Silk & Worsted Da- mask as comes to the same Value. As the latter is cheaper than the other I may probably get by the Ex- change sufficient for three Window Curtains, to suit some Yellow Damask Chairs & Furniture I have in my Dining Room. The Fringe may likewise be changed for Yellow Fringe or Binding as may be judged most proper for the Curtains by the Upholsterer M"'^- F desires you will employ M'- Timothy Golding Uphol- sterer in Brewer Street near Golden Square, as she is acquainted with him, & thinks he will do it in best & most reasonable manner when he knows it is for her. The Curtains are to be 3 yards & ){ long, & 4 Breadths in each Curtain ; — to be hung Festoon Fashion He will probably take the Trouble of getting the Damask chang'd — If the Things should however be made up, the Office will I believe allow you for the Value of them in Money as they will do for other Governors ; — If they should not produce sufficient for the Curtains, let the Remainder be purchased, & charged to my Account ; & when I know the Amount of Golding's Bill I will remit the Money. — The Pictures &c. may be sent as soon as convenient. My Father desires M'- Chamberlyn would make a good Copy of his Picture which was done for Col. Ltidwell. Let it be put in a handsome Gilt Frame, & i8 sent over, as soon as it can be well done, to him. — We are all well & join in Love to you & M'^- Strahau — I am Dear Sir. Yours &c. W*^- Franklin. Dear Sir. Burling"- May i, 1764 Yours of the 26^*^ of Dec"- with a short Post- script of Jan'- 30, is come to hand. The above is a Copy of the Letter I sent per Friend which you mention not to have received. I suppose it is now too late to have the Contents comply'd with. Be pleased in that Case, to tell M'' Golding to make the Curtains notwith- standing, according to the above Directions, & I will remit the Money as soon as I know the Amount. And if the Plate be not sent away before this reaches you, I should be glad to have it commuted for a handsome Silver Waiter, large enough to hold four Cups & Saucers with the Cream Pot ; — a Quart Tankard with a Top to it ; — a /*/«/ Cann ; — & a half Pint Cann. The Tayikard & Canns to be quite plain. M'- Jeffries has done these kind of Things for other Governors, & I doubt not will do the same for me. Should there be a Ballance coming to him let him charge it to me, as I shall have other Dealings with him. — The Bible & three of the Prayer Books may be sent over, & the rest may be disposed of — I hope you have rec'd the 31 £ from Mess'"- S. & Aufrere, if you have not 'twill be paid on your sending for it. — Next Week I entend going to Philad"- when I shall purchase a Bill & send you, & write you more particularly than I can at present. — My Reason for not writing you anj' American Politics was because this Province aff'orded nothing of any Conse- quence, & I have been so taken up as not to attend to the Affairs of others. As to what passes in Pensylv."^ I suppose my Father & M'- Hall give you full Accounts. Both that Province & Maryland seem to be in a State of Anarchy, & unless the King takes them under his immediate Government (which all but the Proprietary officers & Dependants are anxious for) the worst of Consequences will probably ensue. — I believe (but you must not mention it) that you will see my Father again in England shortly, as the Inhabitants are very desirous he should take another Voyage there, in order to obtain a Change of Government. He has published two Pamphlets lately, One called a Narrative of the Murder of the Indians at Conestogce, & another Cool Thoughts, &c. which are not too large for your Chron. & I believe 19 most of your Readers will be glad to see them there, I suppose M'- H. sends them. A Period will probably be put to the Indian War this Summer. Sir Wm. Johnson has made Peace with the Senecas. They de- liver up the Indians who first fell upon our Frontiers ; grant a large Tract round Niagara to the King & his Heirs, with a free Transportation over that Portage to all His Majesty's Subjects, without Fee or Reward. They have given Hostages for the Performance of the Articles ; & have joined the rest of the Confederated Nations against our Enemies Sir Wm. expects great Things from all of them : Near 400 are now out against the Enemy Indians — I was much entertained with your Letter to my Father. It made me imagine myself pre- sent at the Debates. — M''^- F. is uneasy at not receiving a Box which Miss Clarke mentions to have been d''- to you the 8'^'- of Jan. '5 ■ We continue well & happy. Our best Wishes atteud you & M"'^- Strahan — I am, Dear Sir, Yours aflfectionately Wm. Franklin. Franklin, William, a. I. s. 2 pages. Burlington, Dec. 18, 1763. To Wm. Strahan. With address and seal. Burlington, Dec''- 18, 1763. Dear Sir, I have by Capt. Friend acknowledged the Receipt of yours by Tillet, together with the Tea & Cheese. Since which I have receiv'd yours of Oct'- 8, by Handle, but the 2 Boxes from M" Hughes, & the one contain- ing th Metzotintos, are not yet got to hand, owing to the Ice which has rendered the River impassable for the Stage Boats. This same Ice too has I hear frightened Budden so, that he intends to put ofi immediately, less he should be shut up for the Winter. As we are not likely to have another Vessel sail from hence till the Spring, I intended to have wrote you a long Letter, but it is now out of my Power, and I question if even these few Lines will be in Time for Budden. I am much obliged to you for inserting my first Speech, & and I know desire you will insert my Second, together with the Assembly's Address in Answer. They will give you an Idea of our Situation with regard to the Indians. You will find them both in M'- Hall'^ Papers sent by this Opportunity. The Title of the Governor, if put at length to the Speech, should be the same as that to the Address, the first being wrong printed And in the last Part of the Paragraph relative to the Mililia Law, 20 instead of the Words [to 3'ou as absolutely necessary] insert [so your Consideration]. 1 have still a perfect Harmony with every Body in the Province, & shall not fail to follow the good Advice you give me for that Pur- pose. My hearty Thanks are due to you on that as well as many other Occasions. I wish the King & Queen's Pictures were finished, as there is no Picture of either of them (except the Prints) yet sent to N. America Please to tell M'- Myers if it is possible that he has not yet finish'd the Miniatures) that M™- Franklin would be glad to have them made a little fatter, as I have increas'd considerably in Flesh since I left London ; But Care must be taken not to alter the Likeness. She would likewise be glad to have my Father's Picture from M'- Chamberlyne's (which I wrote for in my Last) & mine from M'- Wilson's, as our Dining Room remains unfurnised for Want of them. — Please to ask M''- Wilson if he receiv'd a Letter I wrote to him soon after my Arrival here? — I refer you to my Letter per Friend, with regard to what I would have done with the Crimson Damask, &c. which you were to receive for me. I hope you have receiv'd the ^i£ from Mess"- S. & Aufrere. I dont believe I shall have Morey enough in your Hands to answer all the Demands that will be made on you for sundry Things I have ordered from England, but I shall soon remit you a Bill. Miss Clark will have I believe upward of 30^ to receive. Miss Smith ^£ besides what I wrote to you to pay M'- Small, &c. — I should be glad Becket w"? send me all the Vols, of Rutt- head, Statues now published, & the other Vols, as they come out ; Also the Numbers printed of Mills's Husbandry, & those monthly Pieces of some Gent"- of the Society of Arts. These may be directed for me to the Care of M'- Hall, as I w? have every thing you send for me. We are greatly rejoic'd to hear M"- Strahan is so well recovered. You have both of you our Wishes for a long uninterrupted State of Health & Happiness. — I am. Dear Sir, Yours affectionately Wm. Frankun. P. S. Hall has promis'd to send me the Politics of your Letters, but he has not done it. — The Things which Miss Clarke may send please to for- ward to M"^- Hall, & insure them with his goods. I will settle it with him. Excuse Haste. Franklin, William, a. I. s. Folio, 4 pages. Burlington, Feby 18, 1765. To Wm. Strahan. Burlington, Feb'7 18, 1765 Dear Sir. I perceive by the Chronicle that my Letter to you of Sept.'"- 21 (which enclosed you a second Bill for 30^ Sterling) has got safe to hand, as you have therein pub- lished an Extract of it, for which I am much obliged to you. But wether you receiv'd mine of May r, 1764, containing Wi^ first Bill for 30/^, I have not heard. The last Letter I have receiv'd from you is dated Mar. 23, 1764. But as I have since receiv'd some Tea and Shoes which you were so good as to forward for me to M'- Hall, I doubt not but you have also wrote, tho' I have not had the Pleasure of receiving your Letter. I have a great Suspicion that some of the Proprietary Politi- cians in Pennsylvania have been mean enough to inter- cept many of my Letters from England, in hopes of finding something of which they may take advantage ; for I have of late receiv'd several Things from different Persons in England without any Letter accompaning them. For the future, be pleased to send your Letters to me under Cover to Mess'* Baynton and Warton Mer- chants in Philadelphia. I have no Copy of the Letter I sent you in June, but I remember it contain 'd X\ie. first Bill for 30^, and an Acknowledgment of the Receipt of the Trunk con- taining the Common Prayer Books, Damask, &c. In mine of NovL' 15, 1763. I desired you get the Silk Da- mask changed for some Silk & Worsted Damask, & to have it made into Curtains for my Dining Room by M'- Timothy Golding, Upholsterer in Brewer Street near Golden Square, who having formerly work'd for M'''- Franklin & her Brother's Family would perhaps make them more reasonably than others. But as that Letter miscarried, & as I thought the Damask would probably be sent over. I desired you in my Letter of May i, to tell M"' Golding to make the Curtains notwithstanding, ac- cording to these Directions, viz. "Three Curtains of F.f//ozf " Silk and Worsted Damask ; Each Curtain to be Three " Yards & a Quarter long.— to contain four Breadths of "the Damask — and to be hung Festoon Fashion." And I likewise desired that if the Chapel Plate was not sent away, that you would have it commuted for a handsome Silver Waiter (large enough to hold four Cups & Sau- cers with the Cream Pot). A Quart Tankard with a 22 Top— a Pint Cann,— & a half Pint Cann. The Tank- ard & Canns to be quite plain. — If you have not receiv'd those Letters, and already sent the Things, I should be glad you would as soon after the Receipt of this as you can conveniently. — The Canns indeed if not sent, may be omitted, as I have been obliged to purchase such here. — M'' Jefferies, the King's Cutler, has been used to commute Things ot this kind for other Governors, & will I doubt not readily do the same for me I should be glad to have your Account as soon suits your Conve- nience. The Ballance due to you, I desired my Father to pay, which he promised. — I have not receiv'd the Books from Becket which I wrote for, & perhaps he has omitted to send them. We have not heard anything from my Father since he sail'd, but I hope he has been safely landed in England at least two Months ago. Since he left us, M'- Allen, one of the principal Prop''^- Tools in Pensylvania, has employ'd that Miscreant Parson Smith, & two or three other Prostitude Writers to asperse his Character, in which they have been very industrious. However, they have lately receiv'd a terrible Shock from M''- Hughes, one of my Father's Friends, who being in- censed at their base Conduct published an Advertise- ment sign'd with his Name, in which he promised that if M'- Allen, or any Gent"- of Character, would undertake to justify the Charges brought against M'- Franklin, he would pay lo £, to the Hospital for every one they should prove to the Satisfaction of impartial Persons, provided they would pay 5 £ for every Falshood helshould prove they had alledg'd against M'' Franklin. But this Challenge they were afraid to accept, & therefore still kept their Names concealed ; but as they thought that something must be done, they endeavoured to turn M'' Hughes's Challenge into Ridicule, & raise the Laugh against him by an anonymous Answer. He, however, published a Reply, with his Name subscribed, in which he has lash'd them very severely for their Baseness. Not being able to answer this, they em- plo3''d one Dove, a Fellow who has some Talent, for the lowest kind of Scurrility, to publish a Print, with some Verses annex'd, vilifying my Father & some of the most worthy Men of the Province. By way of Re- venge some Writer has attack'd them in their own Way, & turn'd all Dove's Verses against M'- Allen, he being the Head of the Prop''''' Party. This has enraged him excessively as those Verses & the Print had cost him upwards of 25 £. You will probably have seen, 23 before this reaches you, the Advertisement, Answer, & Reply, as they were printed in M'- Hall's Newspaper, & therefore I send you the enclosed Pamphlet, which is likely to put a Stop to that kind of writing here for the future, as was the Intention of the Author. The Malice of the Prop'^ Party against my Father, on Ac- count of his wanting to bring about a Change of Govern- ment, is beyond all Bounds. They glory in saying & doing Things to destroy his Character that would make even Devils blush If he does not succeed I know not what will become of the Province as there is such a rooted Hatred among a great Majority of the People against the Prop'*- Family. — Do let me hear what you think of his Undertaking, &c. &c. — Pray hasten M'- Ramsay with the King & Queen Picture, & send it over with mine at M'- Wil.sons. M''- Stockton, the Gentleman who will deliver you this, is a considerable Lawyer of this Province, & a particular Friend of mine. Give me leave to recom- mend him to your Acquaintance, and to desire that you would treat him with the Sight of S'- Johnson, & a few more of your Authors ; for we Americans when we go to England, have as much Curiosity to .see a live Author as Englishmen have to .see a live Ostrich, or Cherokee Sachem. M"'^- Franklin joins in Love to good M''^- Strahan & yourself with, Dear Sir. Your sincere Friend & obliged hum. Serv'- \Vm. Franklin. P. S. I hope you have paid M'- Small and also M' Jackson of the Temple, agreeable to what I wrote you before. The latter is about 27 / To Wm. Strahan 24 Franklin, WiLUAM. a.l.s. 410,4 pages. Burlington, Jany 29, 1769. To Wm. Strahan. Burlington, Jan.^y 29, 1769 — Dear Sir— If a due Sense of one's Fault is any Step towards Amendment, I may hope that I shall hereafter become a more regular Correspondent; for never was Man more asham'd of, nor angry with, himself, than I have been on Account of my having so long neglected ac- knowledging the Receipt of your Favor by M'- Alexan- der. I have nothing to plead in Excuse, bnt that it was constantly in my Intention to write, and that tho' I have somehow or other, from time to time, omitted doing it, yet it was never owing to any Abatement of that Regard and Friendship which I have ever enter- tain 'd for you, from our first Acquaintance. It gives me, indeed, much Concern, that there should be such a Chasm in our Correspondence; But as the Business of my Office occasions me a great deal of Writing, and as my Income (my necessary Expences considered) will not allow me to keep even a private Secretary or Clerk to copy iny Dispatches, it is not possible that I should keep up so constant & regular a Correspondence with my Friends as I could wish. I have shewn, and shall continue to shew. M'' Alex'.' all the Civilities, & render him all the Service in my Power, both on his own Ac- count and your Recommendation. He has been for several Weeks together at my House, and I employ'd him in doing as much Painting as came to ninety Gui- neas, besides getting him Business in that way from several of my Friends. So that if he don't succeed in recovering his Lands (which, however, I believe he will) he cannot be any great Loser by his Voyage. He was last Year depriv'd of the Use of his Limbs by a fit of Sickness, but is since recovered & got to work again. This will be delivered to you by a particular Friend of mine, M'' Samuel Wharton Merchant of Phil- adelphia; who I beg leave to recommend to your Civili- ties. He is a Gentleman of Character & Abilities, and, from what he has heard me say of you, is very desirous of the pleasure of being of your Acquaintance. — I dare say you will like him, and I am sure he will like you — I long much to have a Chat with you on our American Affairs, which are really become very critical. But I durst not trust my Sentiments on that Subject to a Letter for fear of Accident. M'- Wharton, however, is capable of giving you very exact Information of the 25 state of Affairs on this Side the Water. We wait with Impatience to hear the Result of this Session of Parlia- ment with respect to America — Your Letters of political Intelligence, which MV- Hall generally publishes in his Paper, afford ns, from time to time, the best Informa- tion we receive of what is doing in Parliament, it con- taining many interesting Particulars, & little Anecdotes, which we have not thro' any other Channel. M'^- Franklin & I were much concern 'd at the Loss you sustain'd in the Death of your very amiable Daughter Johnston. We hope her Children are well, & afford you & M"- Strahan a good deal of Comfort. Our best wishes attend you both — Remember me kindly to your Son William, and to my young Mother, who, I suppose, is now grown a Woman, and will, ere long add to her & your Happiness, by taking unto herself a Hus- band. I heartily wish her a good one, and am, with the sincerest Regards, Dear Sir, Your most faithful & obedient Servant M'- Wm. Strahan. Wm. Franklin. by M'- Wharton. Franklin, William, a. I. s. Folio. Burlington, June 21, 1771. To Wm. Strahan. Burlington, June 21, 1771. Dear Friend, I am obliged to you for yours of June 17, & for the Care you took in sending my Letter from my Father. It is dated April 24. It mentions the Ohio Affair being in a prosperous Way, but directs me not to say any thing about it, as many Things happen between the Cup & Lip. If the present administ" stand their Ground, we may expect, I think, to hear of something decisive on that Head soon The Boat is just going — Yours affecty W. Franklin. 26 Franklin, William, a. I. s. Folio. Perth Amboy, May 7, 1775. To Wm. Strahan. Perth Amboy, May 7, 1775 Dear Sir, I sent the enclosed Packet to New York this Day, in order to go by Capt. Lawrence, but was returned to me by my Friend there, with an Acc^ of Capt. Lawrence having sailed yesterday. But as Cap! Coupar is to sail from thence to London on Tuesday, my Friend advises me to put my Packet undercover to .some private Person in London, in whom I can confide, and send it by him. I have therefore taken the Liberty to enclose it to you, as otherwise there would be danger of its being opened by some of the Sons of Liberty at New York if seen in Cap*- Coupar's Bag, or, perhaps by some of his Passen- gers. This too will excuse me for not directing to you as Member of Parliament or King's Printer. Your Favor of th 5"'- of Feb''''- by Falconer came to hand last week, and shall be answered fully as soon as I have any Leisure. At present I have scarcely Time to subscribe myself. Wm. Strahan, Esq'"- Your affectionate Friend & most obed'- Serv*- Wm. Franklin. P. S. I have this Moment heard that my Father ar- rived at Philad"-on Friday evening last which is quite unexpected News to me. Franklin, William, a. I. s. Folio. New York, May 19, 1780. To William Strahan. With address. New York, May ig**^- 1780 Dear Sir, My last to you was dated the 30*^- of November. This is just to advise you that I have this Day drawn on you, in two Sets of Exchange, for Two hundred and forty-three Pounds Fifteen Shillings Sterling, payable to M'- Frederic W'" Geyer, or Order, Tens Days after sight. — One Set for 100^ and the other for ^143. 15:0 — This is for a half Year's Allowance, after the Deduction of Six-pence in the Pound, There was a Year's allow- ance due on the s\^ of last Month, the whole of which, I suppose, you have received Quarterly as it became due. We have no News of any Consequence but what you will see in the public Papers. If what is con- tained in that published this Day (as brought from the 27 West Indies) prove true it must be attended with the greatest Advantages to the British Interest In haste, but ever Yours affectionately Wm. Franklin. W™ Strahan, Esq'' Franklin, William, a. I. s. Folio. New York, Nov. 6, 1 78 1. To Wm. Strahan. With address. New York, Nov'- 6, 1781 Dear Sir. Since the unhappy surrender of Lord Cornwallis every Per.son is anxious to get his Property remitted to Great Britain, A Friend of mine, Isaac Bonnel, Esq'- formerly High Sheriff at Amboy, having no Acquaint- ance in England, has requested me to get you to re- ceive the Money for the four inclosed Bills of Exchange, amounting to ^ 1999 • 7 • 5 sterling, and lodge it in the Funds, in his Name, in such Manner as you may think will be most for his Advantage. You to receive the Interests from Time as it may l)ecome due, and to let it lay in your Hands until he may draw for it, or other- wise direct. In Complying with his Request you will add to the many Obligations already conferred on. Dear Sir, Your most obedient Servant Wm. Franklin. P. S. The Bills are drawn by Gordon «& Crowder on Harley and Drummond viz— I for 300:0:0 I 325:0:0 I 1200:0:0 I for 174:7:5 first Set /; 1999:7:5 Sterling Inclosed is a Rebel Papar or two, I have not Time to write to any Body but Lord Geo. Germain excuse haste LBN 14 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 011 782 248 5 §