would be a Rarity to some Friends here. But I doubt you will not be able to send them.

I rejoice to learn that your Health is establish'd, and that you live pleasantly in a Country Town, with agreable Neighbours, and have your Dear Children about you. My love to every one of them. I long to see them and you; but the Times do not permit me the Hope of it. Why do you never write to me? I us'd to love to read your Letters, and I regret your long Silence. They were season'd with good Sense and Friendship, and even your Spelling pleas'd me. Polly knows I think the worst spelling the best. I do not write to her by this Conveyance. You will let her know, that I acknowledge the Receipt of her pleasing Letter, dated the 11th Instant. I shall now only observe upon it, that I wonder how the patent came to be taken out in Jacob's Name. I am sure he had no Claim to it; for when I first propos'd to him the making of such Wheels at Mr. Viny's, in the Country, he objected to it as impracticable. But Mr. Viny, who seiz'd the Thought, and carried it into Execution, had certainly the best Right to the Patent. I wish he would send me a good Drawing, with the Proportions, of the little Carriage without Horses, which his Children came once in to see us. How do they all do, and particularly my little Patient Bessum?

Since my coming here, I have been told, that Mr. Henley,1 the Linen-Draper, had said, on my going to America, that

1 This is the William Henley or Henly who experimented in electricity and whose dismal exit from life was described by Benjamin Vaughan: see p. 410. He wrote to Franklin when the latter improved his electrometer, "If I have been able to produce any experiments in electricity which Dr. Franklin can vouchsafe to bestow the epithet curious upon, my highest ambition and Vanity is then satisfied and fully so" (January 29, 1771, A. P. S.).—ED.

I had gone away in his Debt. I can hardly believe it. Let me know if you have heard such a Thing, and what is the meaning of it. I thought he had been fully paid, and still think so, and shall, till I am assur'd of the contrary. Let me know, at the same time, how my Account stands with you.

You wish to know how I live. It is in a fine House, situated in a neat Village, on high Ground, half a Mile from Paris, with a large Garden to walk in. I have abundance of Acquaintance, dine abroad Six Days in seven. Sundays I reserve to dine at home, with such Americans as pass this Way; and I then have my Grandson Ben, with some other American Children from his school.

If being treated with all the Politeness of France, and the apparent Respect and Esteem of all Ranks, from the highest to the lowest, can make a Man happy, I ought to be so. Indeed, I have nothing to complain of, but a little too much Business, and the Want of that Order and Economy in my Family, that reign'd in it when under your prudent Direction. My Paper gives me only Room to add, that I am ever yours most affectionately,

B. FRANKLIN.

946. TO MESSRS. LLOYD AND OTHERS1 (D. S. W.) Passy, January 26, 1779.

GENTLEMEN:- We had yesterday the honour of your Letter of the 21st of this Month.

1 Printed in "The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States," Wharton, Vol. III, p. 32. The letter was addressed to J. Lloyd, Daniel Blake, P. N. Fendall, J. Ross, Jo. Wharton, Lawrence Brooke, W. Blake, W. Thompson, N. Maese, Cha. Ogilvie, at Nantes.

You desire to know what Port or Ports is or are made free pursuant to the Treaty. We believe that none have as yet been determined on. At present all the Ports of France are open, to American Vessels of all Denominations, and we are at present rather doubtful whether it would be politick in us to apply to have any distinction made. If the appointment of free Ports would relieve us from the Payment of Duties, of Import or Export, we should apply immediately. But as we apprehend, this Advantage would not be the Consequence, the Limits of the free Port would be prescribed, and the same Duties must be paid upon removing Goods within or without those Limits as are now paid upon Imports and Exports. Goods, however, might be brought into such free Ports from abroad, and there Landed and stored for a time, and then exported without paying Duties; but whether this would be any great Advantage to our Trade, at present, you are better Judges than we. We shall be glad of your Advice upon this Head, and if you think of any Advantages of considerable moment that would arise we shall be always ready to apply for such an Appointment. We are sorry it is not in our Power to give you any acceptable Information respecting the eighth Article of the Treaty, which relates to the Barbary corsaires. All we can say is, that we have applied to the Ministry upon this head some Months ago, and received Satisfactory Expressions of the Disposition of this Government to do everything which is stipulated in that Article of the Treaty. But some Things remain to be determined by Congress, to whom we have written on the Subject, and we must necessarily await their Instructions.

There are two Enquiries to be made, viz.: which of all the Nations who now Trade with France is the most favor'd?

and what Duties are paid by that Nation? These Duties, and these only, we suppose, we are to pay; and as soon as Circumstances will permit, (two of us having been for a fortnight very ill, and one of us continuing so) we shall apply to the Ministry for an éclaircissement upon this Head, which we shall endeavour to communicate to you as soon as we shall obtain it.

We have received an Answer to our last Application for a Convoy from their Excellencies, the Count de Vergennes and M. de Sartine. But the Answers convinced us that M. de Sartine was under some Misinformation or Misunderstanding relative to the Business, which obliged us to write again. As soon as we shall be honor'd with an Answer, we will communicate the Result of it to you.

For the Commissioners, by B. FRANKLIN

947. FROM DAVID HARTLEY TO B. FRANKLIN

MY DEAR FRIEND,

(A. P. S.) Jan. 23. 1779

You know my constant and earnest desire for peace. You are so fully possessed of my principles upon these subjects, that you cannot doubt but that the sentiments expressed in the 4th letter on the American war, lately written by a member of Parliament in this country to his constituents, do perfectly accord with mine.

In your letter of 26th October 1778, you seem to express, that a visit from a friend would not be unwellcome, if that friend were in a character of a plenipotentiary, to treat of a sincere peace between all parties. You must know from the course of public transactions in England, that the alliance between France and America is a great stumblingblock. Whatever engagements America may have entered into, they may, at least by consent of parties, be relinquished for the purpose of removing so material an obstacle to any general treaty of free and unengaged parties. If the parties c'd meet for the sake of peace, upon free and open ground, I sh'd think that a very VOL. VII-Q

fair proposition to be offered to the people of England, and an equitable proposition in itself. The universal destruction attending war to all parties ought to be a motive for the restoration of peace, superceding all minute considerations. Knowing the sincerity of your desire for peace, I throw out to you the cursory thoughts, which present themselves to me, to take the chance of starting any idea, which may lead to that blessed end. I am yours affectionately,

G. B.

948. TO DAVID HARTLEY

DEAR SIR,

(D. S. W.)

Passy, Feb. 3, 1779.

I have just received your favour of the 23d past, in which you mention, "that the alliance between France and America is the great Stumbling Block in the way of Making Peace;" and you go on to observe, that "whatever Engagements America may have entred into, they may, (at least by consent of Parties) be relinquished, for the purpose of removing so material an Obstacle to any general Treaty of free and unengaged Parties" adding, that "if the parties could meet for the sake of Peace upon free and open Ground, you should think that a very fair Proposition to be offered to the People of England, and an equitable Proposition in itself."

The long, steady, & kind regard you have shown for the Welfare of America, by the whole Tenour of your Conduct in Parliament, satisfies me, that this Proposition never took its Rise with you, but has been suggested from some other quarter; and that your Excess of Humanity, your Love of Peace, & your fears for us, that the Destruction we are threatened with will certainly be effected, have thrown a Mist before your Eyes, which hindred you from seeing the Malignity and Mischief of it. We know that your King hates Whigs