DEAR SALLY,-I have before me your let-But I am confident that whatever may be ters of Oct. 22 and Jan. 17th: they are the only ones I received from you in the course of eighteen months. If you knew how happy your letters make me, and considered how many miscarry, I think you would write of

frugal and industrious; and I could scarce be- | any to be more so. I see they exert themlieve my eyes in reading forward, that, there selves greatly in the common cause, and do never was so much dressing and pleasure go- every thing for us they can. We can wish ing on; and that you yourself wanted black for nothing more, unless our great want of pins and feathers from France, to appear, I money should make us wish for a subsidy, to suppose, in the mode! This leads me to ima- enable us to act more vigorously in expelling gine that perhaps, it is not so much that the the enemy from their remaining posts, and regoods are grown dear, as that the money is ducing Canada. But their own expenses are grown cheap, as every thing else will do so great, that I cannot press such an addition when excessively plenty; and that people to it. I hope, however, that we shall get some are still as easy nearly in their circumstances supplies of arms and ammunition; and peras when a pair of gloves might be had for half haps, when they can be spared, some ships to a crown. The war indeed may in some de-aid in reducing New York and Rhode Island. gree raise the prices of goods, and the high taxes which are necessary to support the war may make our frugality necessary; and as 1 am always preaching that doctrine, I cannot in conscience or in decency encourage the contrary, by my example, in furnishing my children with foolish modes and luxuries. therefore send all the articles you desire that are useful and necessary, and omit the rest; for as you say you should have great pride To the same, with the sword ordered by conin wearing any thing I send, and showing it as your father's taste;' I must avoid giving you an opportunity of doing that with either lace or feathers. If you wear your cambric ruffles as I do, and take care not to mend the holes, they will come in time to be lace; and feathers, my dear girl, may be had in America from every cock's tail.

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I

If you happen again to see general Washington, assure him of my very great and sincere respect, and tell him that all the old generals here amuse themselves in studying the accounts of his operations, and approve highly of his conduct.

"Present my affectionate regards to all friends that inquire after me, particularly Mr. Duffield and family, and write oftener, my dear child, to B. FRANKLIN."

66

"PASSY, August 19, 1779.

At present I know of no good opportunity
of writing to America. There are merchant
ships continually going, but they are very un-
certain conveyances. I long to hear of your
safe arrival in England: but the winds are
adverse, and we must have patience.
"B. FRANKLIN.”

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gress.

PASSY, August 24, 1779. SIR,-The congress, sensible of your merit towards the United States, but unable adequately to reward it, determined to present you with a sword, as a small mark of their grateful acknowledgment. They directed it to be ornamented with suitable devices. Some of the principal actions of the war, in which you distinguished yourself by your bravery and conduct, are therefore represented upon it. These, with a few emblematic figures, all admirably well executed, make its principal value. By the help of the exquisite artists France affords, I find it easy to express every thing but the sense we have of your worth, and our obligations to you. For this, figures and even words are found insufficient. "I therefore only add, that with the most perfect esteem and respect, I have the honour B. FRANKLIN. to be, &c. "P.S. My grandson goes to Havre with the sword, and will have the honour of presentit to you."

The Reply.

DEAR SIR,-I have just now received your favour of the 17th. I wrote to you a day or two ago, and have little to add. You ask my opinion, what conduct the English will probably hold on this occasion, and whether they will not rather propose a negotia"HAVRE, August 29, 1779. tion for a peace: I have but one rule to go by "SIR,-Whatever expectations might have in judging of those people, which is, that been raised from the sense of past favours, the whatever is prudent for them to do they will goodness of the United States for me has ever omit; and what is most imprudent to be been such, that on every occasion it far surdone, they will do it. This, like all other passes any idea I could have conceived. A general rules, may sometime have its excep- new proof of that flattering truth, I find in tions; but I think it will hold good for the the noble present, which congress have been most part, at least while the present ministry pleased to honour me with, and which is offercontinues, or rather while the present mad-ed in such a manner by your excellency as man has the choice of ministers.

"You desire to know whether I am satisfied with the ministers here? It is impossible for

will exceed any thing, but the feelings of my unbounded gratitude. Some of the devices I cannot help finding too honourable a reward

"Assurances of gratitude, which I beg leave to present to your excellency, are much inadequate to my feelings, and nothing, but those sentiments may properly acknowledge your kindness towards me. The polite manner in which Mr. Temple Franklin was pleased to deliver that inestimable sword, lays me under great obligations to him, and demands my particular thanks.-With the most perfect respect, I have the honour to be, &c. “LA FAYETTE.”

"James Lovell.

"PASSY, September 30, 1779 2, P. M.

for those slight services, which in concert | since come to hand. The metal seems to be with my fellow-soldiers, and under the god- very good, and the price reasonable, but I like American hero's orders, I had the good have not yet received the orders necessary to luck to render. The sight of these actions, justify my making the purchase proposed. where I was a witness of American bravery There has indeed been an intention to strike and patriotic spirit, I shall ever enjoy with that copper coin, that may not only be useful as pleasure which becomes a heart glowing with small change, but serve other purposes. Inlove for the nation, and the most ardent zeal stead of repeating continually upon every for their glory and happiness. half-penny the dull story that every body knows, (and what would have been no loss to mankind if nobody had ever known,) that George III. is King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, &c. &c. To put on one side some important Proverb of Solomon, some pious moral, prudential, or economical precept, the frequent inculcation of which, by seeing it every time one receives a piece of money, might make an impression upon the mind, especially of young persons, and tend to regulate their conduct; such as on some, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; on others, Honesty is the best policy; on others, He that by the plow would thrive, himself must either hold or drive; on others, Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee; on others, A penny saved is a penny got; on others, He that buys what he has no need of, will soon be forced to sell his necessaries; on others, Early to bed and early to rise, will make a man healthy, wealthy, and wise; and so on to a great variety. The other side it was proposed to fill with good designs, drawn and engraved by the best artists in France, of all the different species of barbarity with which the English have carried on the war in America, expressing every abominable circumstance of their cruelty and inhumanity, that figures can express, to make an impression on the minds of posterity as strong and durable as that on the copper. This resolution has been a long time foreborne, but the late burning of defenceless towns in Connecticut, on the flimsy pretence that the people fired from behind their houses, when it is known to have been premeditated and ordered from England, will probably give the finishing provocation, and may occasion a vast demand for your metal.

"SIR,-I have received within these few days a number of despatches from you, which have arrived by the Mercury and other vessels. Hearing but this instant of an opportunity from Bourdeaux, and that the courier sets out from Versailles at five this evening, I embrace it just to let you know, that I have delivered the letters from congress to the king, and have laid the invoices of supplies desired (with a translation) before the ministers, and though I have not yet received a positive answer, I have good reason to believe I shall obtain most of them, if not all: but as this demand will cost the court a vast sum, and their expenses in the war is prodigious, I beg I may not be put under the necessity, by occasional drafts on me, to ask for more money than is required to pay our bills for interest. I must protest those I have advice of from Martinico and New Orleans (even if they were drawn by permission of congress) for want of money; and I wish the committee of commerce would caution their correspondents not to embarrass me with their bills. I put into my pocket nothing of the allowance congress has been pleased to make me, I shall pay it all in honouring their drafts, and supporting their credit, but do not let me be burdened with supporting the credit of every one who has claims on the boards of commerce or the navy. I shall write fully by the Mercury; I send you some of the latest newspapers, and have the honour to be, &c.

66

B. FRANKLIN."

"Mr. Brigden, London.

"PASSY, October 2, 1779. "DEAR SIR,-I received your favour of the 17th past, and the two samples of copper are VOL. I.... .2 U 29

"I thank you for your kind wishes respecting my health, I return them most cordially fourfold into your own bosom.

Adieu.

"B. FRANKLIN."

"John Jay, Esq. President of Congress.

"PASSY, October 4th, 1779.

"SIR,-I received the letter your excellency did me the honour to write to me of the of June last, enclosing acts of congress, respecting bills of exchange for two millions four hundred thousands livres tournois, drawn on me in favour of M. de Beaumarchais. The bills have not yet appeared, but I shall accept

them when they do, relying on the care of congress to enable me to pay them. As to the accounts of that gentleman, neither the commissioners when we were all together, nor myself since, have ever been able to obtain a sight of them, though repeatedly promised, and I begin to give over all expectation of them; indeed if I had them, I should not be able to do much with them, or to controvert any thing I might doubt in them, being unacquainted with the transactions and agreements on which they must be founded, and having small skill in accounts. Mr. Ross and Mr. Williams pressing me to examine and settle theirs, I have been obliged to request indifferent persons, expert in such business, to do it for me, subject to the revision of congress; and I should wish that my time and attention were not taken up by any concerns in mercantile affairs, and thereby diverted from others more important.

it was done by the other house, who, he said, could do no more, being destitute of the interest which he possessed. I did not care abruptly to change a house, that had in other respects been very friendly and serviceable to us, and thereby throw a slur upon their credit without a certainty of mending our affairs by it; and therefore, told Mr. Neufville that if he could procure and show me a list of subscribers amounting to the sum he mentioned, or near it, I would comply with his proposition. This he readily and confidently undertook to do. But after three months, during which he acquainted me from time to time, that the favourable moment was not yet come, I received instead of the subscription, a new set of propositions, among the terms of which were an additional one per cent. and a patent from congress, appointing him and his sons commissioners for trade and navigation, and treasurers of the general con"The letters of congress to the king were gress, and of every private state of the thirvery graciously received; I have earnestly teen United States of North America, through pressed the supplies desired, and the ministers the seven United Provinces' with other ex(who are extremly well disposed towards us) travagancies, which I mention, that it may be are now actually studying the means of fur- understood, why I have dropt correspondence nishing them. The assistance of Spain is on this subject, with a man who seemed to hoped for. We expect to hear from thence me a vain promiser, extremely self interested, in a few days. The quantity is great, and will and aiming chiefly to make an appearance cost a vast sum. I have this day accepted without solidity; and who, I understand inthree of your drafts, part of the three hundred tends applying directly to congress, some of and sixty thousand livres drawn for on the 9th his friends censuring me as neglecting the of June: but when I ask for money to pay public interest in not coming into his meathem, I must mention that as they were drawn sures. The truth is, that I have no expecto purchase military stores, an abatement tations from Holland, whilst interest received equal to the value may be made of the quan- there from other nations is so high, and our tity demanded from hence. For I am really credit there so low; while particular Ameriashamed to be always worrying the ministers can states offer higher interest than the confor more money. And as to the private loans gress; and even our offering to raise our inexpected, I wrote in a former letter that our terest tends to sink our credit. My sole depublic credit was not yet sufficiently establish- pendence now is upon this court: I think ed, and that the loan in Holland had not ex- reasonable assistance may be obtained here, ceeded eighty thousand florins, to which there but I wish I may not be obliged to fatigue it has since been no addition. A Mr. Neufville too much with my applications, lest it should came from thence to me last spring, propos- grow tired of the connexion. Mr. Ross has ing to procure great sums if he might be em- lately demanded of me near twenty thousand ployed for that purpose, and the business pounds sterling, due to him from the comtaken away from the house that had com-mittee of commerce, but I have been obliged menced it. His terms at first were very extravagant, such as that all the estates real and personal in the thirteen provinces should be mortgaged to him, that a fifth part of the capital sum borrowed should every year for five years be laid out in commodities and sent to Holland consigned to him, to remain in his hands till the term (ten years) stipulated for final payment was completed, as a security for the punctuality of it; when he was to draw the usual commissions: that all vessels or merchandize, coming from America to Europe, should be consigned to him or his correspondents, &c. &c. As I rejected these with some indignation, he came down to the more reasonable ones of doing the business as

to refuse him, as well as an application made last week by Mr. Izard for more money, though he has already had 2,500 guineas, and another from Mr. Arthur Lee, though he has had five hundred guineas, since the news of his being out of this commission. He writes me that he will return to America forthwith if I do not undertake to supply his expenses: as I see no likelihood of his being received at Madrid, I could not but approve his resolution.

"We had reason to expect some great events, from the action of the fleets this summer in the Channel, but they are all now in port without having effected any thing. The junction was late, and the length of time the

Brest squadron was at sea, equal to an East | small cutter, which was fitted out as a priIndia voyage, partly on the hot Spanish coast, vateer at Dunkirk, called the Black Prince, occasioned a sickness among the people that has taken, ransomed, burnt, and destroyed made their return necessary: they had chas- above thirty sail of their vessels within these ed the English fleet, which refused the com- three months. The owners are about to give bat.-The sick men are recovering fast since her a consort, called the Black Princess, for they were landed; and the proposed descent whom they ask a commission. The prisoners on England does not yet seem to be quite given brought in, serve to exchange our countryup, as the troops are not withdrawn from the men, which makes me more willing to encouports. Holland has not yet granted the suc- rage such armaments, though they occasion cours required by the English, nor even given a good deal of trouble. an answer to the requisition presented by sir Captain, now commodore, Jones, put to Joseph York. The aids will be refused, and sea this summer with a little squadron consistas the refusal must be disagreeable, it is post-ing of a ship of forty guns, the Alliance, anoponed from time to time. The expectations of assistance from Russia and Prussia seem also to have failed the English, and they are as much at a loss to find effective friends in Europe, as they have been in America. Portugal seems to have a better disposition towards us than heretofore. About thirty of our people taken, and set ashore on one of her islands by the English, were maintained comfortably by the governor during their stay there, furnished with every necessary, and sent to Lisbon, where, on inquiry to whom payment was to be made for the expense they had occasioned, they were told that no reimbursement was expected, that it was the queen's bounty, who had a pleasure in showing hospitality to strangers in distress. I have presented thanks by the Portuguese ambassador here in behalf of the congress: and I am given to understand that probably, in a little time, the ports of that nation will be as open to us as those of Spain. What relates to Spain I suppose Mr. Lee informs you of.

ther frigate of twenty, with some armed cutters, all under American colours, with congress commissions. He has sent in several prizes, has greatly alarmed the coast of Ireland and Scotland; and we just now hear, that going north about, he fell in with a number of ships from the Baltic, convoyed by a fifty gun ship and a twenty-four gun frigate, both of which he took after an obstinate engagement, and forced several of the others ashore. This news is believed, but we wait the confirmation and the particulars.

"The blank commissions remaining of those sent to us here, are all signed by Mr. Hancock, which occasions some difficulty. If congress approves of my continuing to issue such commissions, I wish to have a fresh supply, with the other necessary papers, instructions, rules, bonds, &c. of which none are now left.

"M. le comte de Maillebois, esteemed one of the best generals in this country, and who loves our cause, has given me a memorial, "The sword ordered by congress for the containing a project for raising a corps here marquis de la Fayette, being at length finished, for your service, which I promised to lay beI sent it down to him at Havre, where he was fore congress, and accordingly enclose a copy: with the troops intended for the invasion. II know nothing of the sentiments of congress wrote a letter with it, and received an answer, copies of both which I enclose, together with a description of the sword, and drawings of the work upon it, which was executed by the best artists in Paris, and cost altogether two hundred guineas. The present has given him great pleasure, and some of the circumstances have been agreeable to the nation.

"Our cartel goes on: a second cargo of American prisoners, one hundred and nineteen in number, being arrived and exchanged. Our privateers have dismissed a great number at sea, taking their written paroles to be given up in exchange for so many of our people in their gaols. This is not yet quite agreed to on the other side, but some expectations are given me that it may take place. Certainly humanity would find its account in the practice of exchanging upon parole, as all the horrors of imprisonment, with the loss of time and health, might be prevented by it.

"We continue to insult the coasts of these lords of the ocean with our little cruisers. A

on the subject of introducing foreign troops among us, and therefore could give no expectation that the plan would be adopted. It will, however, be a pleasure to him to know, that his good will to serve them has been acceptable to congress.

"A major Borre, who has been in America, and some other officers who have quitted our service in disgust, endeavour to give an idea here that our nation does not love the French. I take all occasions to place in view the regard shown by congress to good French officers, as a proof that the slight these gentlemen complain of is particular to themselves, and probably the effect of their own misbehaviour. I wish for the future, whenever any of this sort of people leave our armies to come home, some little sketch of their conduct or character may be sent me, with the real causes of their resigning or departure, that I may be more able to justify our country.