may suppose yourself under to me. Enjoin him to do the same on occasion. By pursuing such a practice, much good may be done with little money. Let kind offices go round. Mankind are all of a family. I have the honor to be, Rev. Sir, &c. B. FRANKLIN. TO THE HON. DANIEL OF ST. THOMAS JENIFER, ESQ. MEMBER OF CONGRESS. SIR, Passy, Sept. 18, 1781. I received the very obliging letter you did me the honor of writing to me the 20th of June last.. It gave me great satisfaction to find, by the unanimous choice you mention, that my services had not been unacceptable to congress; and to hear also that they were favorably disposed towards my grandson, Temple Franklin. It was my desire to quit public business, fearing it might suffer in my hands through the infirmities incident to my time of life. But as they are pleased to think I may still be useful, I submit to their judgment, and shall do my best. I immediately forwarded the letter you enclosed for Mr. Lowndes; and if in any thing else I can do you service or pleasure here, please to command me freely. I have the honor to be, with great regard, sir, &e. B. FRANKLIN. TO RICHARD BACHE, ESQ. PHILADELPHIA. Mr. Wharton's pamphlet on the Indiana claims-Dr. DEAR SON, Franklin's papers lost. Passy, Sept. 13, 1781. pleasure, as it informed me of the welfare of yourself and the dear family. 1 I have read Mr. Wharton's pamphlet. The facts, as far as I know them, are as he states them. Justice is, I think, on the side of those who contracted for the lands.' But moral and political right sometimes differ, and sometimes are both subdued by might. I received and thank you for several copies of the Indian spelling-book. I received also the German and English newspapers. Among my papers in the trunk, which I unhappily left in the care of Mr. Galloway, were eight or ten quire or two quire, books, of rough drafts of my letters, containing all my correspondence, when in England, for near twenty years. I shall be very sorry if they too are lost. Don't you think it possible, by going up into that country, and inquiring a little among the neighbors, you might possibly hear of, and recover some of them? I should not have left them in his hands, if he had not deceived me, by saying, that though he was before otherwise inclined, yet that since the king had declared us out of his protection, and the parliament by an act had made our properties plunder, he would go as far in defence of his country as any man; and accordingly he had lately with pleasure given colors to a regiment of militia, and an entertainment to 400 of them before his house. I thought he was become a stanch friend to the glorious cause. I was mistaken. As he was a friend of my son's, to whom in my will 1 had left all my books and papers, I made him one of my exécutors, and put the trunk of papers into his hands, imagining them safer in his house (which was out of the way of any probable march of enemies' troops) than in my own. It was very unlucky, · The Indian grant. 2 Governor Franklin. larly necessary in your minister at this court. I am afraid therefore, that your affairs may some time or other suffer by my deficiency. I find also that the business is too heavy for me, and too confining. The constant attendance at home which is necessary for receiving and accepting your bills of exchange, (a matter foreign to my ministerial functions) to answer letters, and perform other parts of my employment, prevent my taking the air and exercise which my annual journies formerly used to afford me, and which contributed much to the preservation of my health. There are many other little personal attentions which the infirmities of age render necessary to an old man's comfort, even perhaps in some degree to the continuance of his existence, and with which business often interferes. I have been engaged in public affairs, and enjoyed public confidence in some shape or other during the long term of fifty years, an honor sufficient to satisfy any reasonable ambition, and I have now no other left but the repose which I hope the congress will grant me by sending some person to supply my place. At the same time I beg they may be assured, that it is not any the least doubt of their success in the glorious cause, nor any disgust received in their service, that induces me to decline it, but purely and simply the reasons above mentioned; and as: I cannot at present undergo the fatigues of a sea voyage, (the last having been almost too much for me) and would not again expose myself to the hazard of capture and imprison ment in this time of war, I purpose to remain here at least till the peace; perhaps it may be for the remainder of my life; and if any knowledge or experience I have acquired here, may be thought of use to my successor, I shall freely communicate it, and assist him with any influence I may be supposed to have, or counsel that may be desired of me. I have one request more to make, which, if I have served 2 the congress to their satisfaction, I hope they will not refuse me. It is this; that they will be pleased to take under their protection my grandson, William Temple Franklin. I have educated him from his infancy, and I brought him over with an intention of placing him where he might be qualified for the profession of the law, but the constant occasion I had for his services as a private secretary, during the time of the commissioners, and more extensively since their departure, has induced me to keep him always with me; and indeed being continually disappointed of the secretary congress had at different times intended me, it would have been impossible for me, without this young gentleman's assistance, to have gone through the business incumbent on me: he has thereby lost so much of the time necessary to law studies, that I think it rather advisable for him to continue, if it may be, in the line of public foreign affairs for which he seems qualified by a sagacity and judgment above his years. Great diligence and exact probity, a genteel address, a facility in speaking well the French tongue, and all the knowledge of business to be obtained by a four years' constant employment in the secretary's office, where he may be said to have served a kind of apprenticeship. After all the allowance I am capable of making for the partiality of a parent to his offspring, I cannot but think he may in time make a very able foreign minister for the congress, in whose service his fidelity may be relied on; but I do not at present propose him as such, as a few years more of experience will not be amiss. In the mean time, if they shall think fit to employ him as a secretary to their minister at any European court, I am persuaded they will have reason to be satisfied with his conduct, and I shall be thankful for his appointment as a favor to me." not be accepted; a resolution intended merely to enforce that offer. I have just received an authentic copy of the resolve containing that offer, and authorising me to make it. As I have no communication with your ministers, I send it enclosed to you. If you can find any means of negociating this business, I am sure the restoring another worthy man to his family and friends, will be an addition to your pleasure. With great and invariable respect and affection, I am, sir, your most obedient and most humble servant, B. FRANKLIN. To MESSRS. KORNMANN. Relative to a claim of relationship with Dr. Franklin. GENTLEMEN, Pussy, Nov. 21, 1781. Enclosed is the answer you desire to the letter sent me from Conigsberg. I have the honor to be, gentlemen, &c. B. FRANKLIN. Passy, Nov. 21, 1781. MADAM, I received the letter you did me the honor of writing to me the 26th of last month: in answer to which I ought to inform you, that I was born in America now near 76 years since, that I never was in Ireland till the year 1773, which was for a few weeks only, and I did not pass thence to America with any person of my name, but returned to England; nor had I ever any knowledge of the John Franklin you mention. I have exact accounts of every person my family since the year 1555, when it was established in I Wanting. of |