essential Points of Form necessary towards authenticating the Validity of the Instrument." The Situation of Seals and Signatures, in public Instruments differs in different Countries, tho' all equally valid; for, when all the Parts of an Instrument are connected by a Ribband, whose Ends are secured under the Impression of the Seal, the Signature and Seal, wherever plac'd, are understood as relating to and authenticating the whole. Our usage is to place them both together in the broad Margin near the Beginning of the Piece; and so they stand in the present Ratification, the concluding Words of which declare the Intention of such Signing and Sealing to be giving authenticity to the whole Instrument, viz. "In Testimony whereof, We have caused the Seal of the United States to be hereunto affixed; Witness his Excellency Thomas Mifflin, Esq', President;" and the Date supposed to be omitted, (perhaps from its not appearing in Figures) is nevertheless to be found written in Words at length, viz. "this fourteenth Day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-four," which made the Figures unnecessary. With great Esteem and Respect, I have the honour to be, &c. B. FRANKLIN. 1510. TO CONDE DE CAMPOMANES (A. P. S.) Passy, June 5, 1784. SIR, I have received much Instruction and Pleasure in reading your excellent Writings. I wish it were in my Power to make you a suitable Return of the same kind. I embrace the Opportunity, my much esteemed Friend Mr. Carmichael affords me, of sending you a late Collection of some of my occasional Pieces, of which, if I should live to get home, I hope to publish another Edition much larger, more correct, and less unworthy of your Acceptance. You are engaged in a great Work, reforming the ancient Habitudes, removing the Prejudices, and promoting the Industry of your Nation. You have in the Spanish People good Stuff to work upon, and by a steady Perseverance you will obtain perhaps a Success beyond your Expectation; for it is incredible the quantity of Good that may be done in a Country by a single Man, who will make a Business of it, and not suffer himself to be diverted from that Purpose by different Avocations, Studies, or Amusements. There are two Opinions prevalent in Europe, which have mischievous Effects in diminishing national Felicity; the one, That useful Labour is dishonourable; the other, that Families may be perpetuated with Estates. In America we have neither of these Prejudices, which is a great Advantage to us. You will see our Ideas respecting the first, in a little Piece I send you, called Information to those who would remove to America. The second is mathematically demonstrable to be an Impossibility under the present Rules of Law and Religion. Since tho' the Estate may remain entire, the Family is continually dividing. For a man's Son is but half of his Family, his Grandson but a Fourth, his Great Grandson but an Eighth, the next but a Sixteenth of his Family; and, by the same Progression, in only nine Generations the present Proprietor's Part in the then Possessor of the Estate will be but a 512th, supposing the Fidelity of all the succeeding Wives equally certain with that of those now existing: Too small a Portion, methinks, to be anxious about, so as to oppose a legal Liberty of breaking Entails and dividing Estates, which would contribute so much to the Prosperity of the Country. With great and sincere Esteem and Respect, and best Wishes for the Success of your patriotic Undertaking, I have the honour to be, Sir, &c. B. FRANKLIN.1 1 To this letter Campomanes replied, July 26, 1784 (A. P. S.) : "I have received, by the hands of my friend Mr. Carmichael, your estimable letter of the 5th of June, the collection of your miscellaneous writings, and the piece entitled, Information to those who would remove to America. All these writings exhibit proofs of their having proceeded from a statesman, endowed with foresight, and vigilant for the best interests of his country, according to the political combinations and systems of government under which they were composed; and they manifest, at the same time, an ardent desire for the general happiness of mankind, founded on principles and calculations carried to as high a degree of demonstration, as the vicissitude and inconsistency of the various systems adopted for the government of men will admit. . . . "The frankness, with which you dissuade people in Europe from emigrating inconsiderately to America, is a proof of your general philanthropy, and of a candor peculiar to a good man, true philosopher, and genuine patriot. You extend this same benevolence to Spain, in your remarks respecting the honour that is due to labour, and against the entailment of estates. The former is now confirmed among us by a recent law, a copy of which I send herewith, declaring the honourable light in which every description of artisans should be regarded. Labourers were always honoured and favoured by our laws. As to what regards entailments, I refer you to what I wrote in the year 1765, at the end of my treatise upon Mortmain, in which I think I have demonstrated, that another regulation ought to precede this in the progress of legislation. I add also, that there is some diversity of circumstances between a monarchical and democratical constitution in this respect. "I should have great pleasure in extending these reflections, if time would permit, although your penetration and sagacity would render them unnecessary. The honour conferred upon me by The American Philosophical Society, in electing me a member on the 16th of January, lays me under the pleasing obligation of expressing my gratitude through you, the worthy President of the Society. Desirous of reciprocating in some manner this act of courtesy, I proposed you as an honourary member of the Royal Academy of History, of which I am President. The proposal was responded to by universal acclamation; the Academy feeling in the highest degree honoured by having on its list the name of a man so eminent in the world of letters, and so distinguished for the part he has acted in a Revolution, the most memorable in the history of modern times." — ED. 1511. TO CHARLES THOMSON 1 DEAR SIR 1 Passy, June 14, 1784. I received yours of April 19th,2 with the information you obtained from our old neighbour, Reuben Haines, respecting Marggrander, for which I thank you. I am much pestered with applications to make such enquiries, and often obliged to promise that I will transmit them; but I would not wish you to take more trouble, than to ask questions of the members of Congress, or others that fall in your way, and communicate to me their answers, if of any importance. I have also a multitude of projects sent to me, with requests that I would lay them before Congress. They are plans and schemes of Government and Legislation, Education, Defence, Manufactures, Commerce, &c., form'd by people who have great good will to us, but are totally ignorant of our affairs and circumstances; whence their projects are for the most part wild and impracticable, or unfit to be presented to Congress, as not pertaining to their jurisdiction. I have therefore not forwarded them; but will now and then send some of them for your amusement, if you should ever have any leisure, that you may see how people make shoes for feet they have never measured. As your letter mentions nothing of publick affairs, I imagined I might have had, by the same conveyance, some 1 From the original in New York Historical Society. - ED. 3 Adam Marggrander was employed by Reuben Haines as a brewer and cooper. He enlisted as a substitute in the militia and marched into Northumberland County. Nothing further was known of him. — ED. dispatches from Congress, perhaps in the care of some passenger; but a fortnight has past since the arrival of the packetboat, and no Letters appear; so that I have nothing from Congress later than the 14 of January, and continue in great uncertainty as to my return. Mr. Norris' came here, after residing some time at Liege. He staid but a week or two at Paris, and then removed to a country town not far distant, where nothing but French is spoken, in order to improve himself in that language. He seems a sensible, discreet young man, and I should with pleasure render him any service that may be in my power. The King of Sweden is now at this court, enjoying the various splendid entertainments provided for him. The Danish Minister is astonished, that the Congress are so long without taking any notice of the proposed Treaty. With great esteem, I am ever, my Dear Friend, yours most affectionately, SIR, B. FRANKLIN. 1512. TO THOMAS MIFFLIN (L. C.) Passy, June 16, 1784. My Letter by Mr. Jay acquainted your Excellency, that the Ratifications of the Definitive Treaty were exchanged. A Copy of the British part was also sent by him. Mr. Hartley remained here expecting Instructions to treat with us on the Subject of Commerce. The Bustle attending a new Election and Meeting of Parliament, he imagined might occasion the long Delay of those Instructions. He 1 Son of Isaac Norris, Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly. - Ed. VOL. IX-Q |