me faire Gouverneur, & jai en la Foiblesse de consentir; ainsi me voila aussi occupé que jamais. - Si je peux faire du bien pour mon Peuple, cela me consolera. Autrement, je souhaiterai que javois acceptois votre Invitation amicale de passer le reste de mes jours chez vous. Adieu, ma chere Amie, aimez moi toujours, comme je vous aime. Embrassez pour moi tous mes Amis de votre Cercle, & me croyez toujours attaché a vous avez les Siens de plus forte affection. [B. F.] (P. C.) Philad Oct. 20. 1785. 1608. TO FERDINAND GRAND1 DEAR SIR, I have written to you twice since my Arrival, but have not yet drawn any Bills on you from hence. Perhaps I may soon draw for the Amount of the Interest that will be due on my Money in the Funds; and I hope soon to hear from you and to receive my Acc'. Inclos'd I send you a second Bill of M' Houdon's, for which when receiv'd you will credit me. He is this Evening return'd well from Gen. Washington's, having finish'd his Business there, and is preparing to return directly. I have this Day receiv'd several Letters from Passy, dated Aug. 10. but no Line from you, I suppose you did not hear of the Opportunity. My eldest Grandson is at New York, the other, Benjamin, joins in Respects & best Wishes for you & yours, with Dear Sir, Your most obedt & most humble Serv B FRANKLIN 1 From the private collection of Mr. E. B. Holden. — ED. 1609. TO DAVID HARTLEY' DEAR SIR, Philadelphia, October 27, 1785. I received at Havre de Grace 6 copies of your print, which I have brought with me hither. I shall frame and keep one of them in my best room. I shall send one to Mr. Jay, and give the others among some friends who esteem and respect you as we do. Your newspapers are filled with accounts of distresses and miseries, that these States are plunged into since their separation from Britain. You may believe me when I tell you, that there is no truth in those accounts. I find all property in lands and houses augmented vastly in value; that of houses in towns at least fourfold. The crops have been plentiful, and yet the produce sells high, to the great profit of the farmer. At the same time, all imported goods sell at low rates, some cheaper than the first cost. Working people have plenty of employ and high pay for their labour. These appear to me as certain signs of public prosperity. Some traders, indeed, complain that trade is dead; but this pretended evil is not an effect of inability in the people to buy, pay for, and consume the usual articles of commerce, as far as they have occasion for them; it is owing merely to there being too many traders, who have crowded hither from all parts of Europe with more goods than the natural demand of the country requires. And what in Europe is called the debt of America, is chiefly the debt of these adventurers and super 1 From "The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin" (1818), Vol. I, p. 197.-ED. cargoes to their principals, with which the settled inhabitants of America, who never paid better for what they want and buy, have nothing to do. As to the contentment of the inhabitants with the change of government, methinks a stronger proof cannot be desired, than what they have given in my reception. You know the part I had in that change, and you see in the papers the addresses from all ranks with which your friend was welcomed home, and the sentiments they contain confirmed yesterday in the choice of him for President by the Council and new Assembly, which was unanimous, a single voice in seventy-seven excepted. I remember you used to wish for newspapers from America. Herewith I send a few, and you shall be regularly supplied, if you can put me in a way of sending them, so as that you may not be obliged to pay postage. With unchangeable esteem and respect I am, my dear friend, yours most affectionately, B. FRANKLIN. 1610. TO MRS. MARY HEWSON1 (P. C.) Philada, Oct. 30, 1785. I received my dear Friend's Letter of July 23, at Southampton, where I arrived the 24th, and staid till the 28th. I believe I acquainted you by a Line, immediately after my Arrival here, that we had a pleasant, and not a long Passage, in which there was but one Day, a Day of violent Storm, in which I was glad you were not with us. I had the Happiness of finding my family well, and of being very kindly received by my Country folks. 1 From the original in the possession of T. Hewson Bradford, M.D. - ED. I say nothing to persuade your Coming, because I said in a former Letter, I would leave you entirely to your own Judgment, which is very good. I would only mention a Fact, that, on Enquiry I am inform'd the usual Apprentice-Fee given to a Mercantile House of Eminence, is from 100 to £150 Sterling. I am plung'd again into public Business, as deep as ever; and can now only add my Love to the dear Children, in which this Family all join. Temple is just gone to look at his Lands, and Ben is at College to compleat his Studies. I am ever, my dear Friend, yours most affectionately, B. FRANKLIN. 1611. TO SAMUEL ELBERT1 (P. C.) Philada, Nov. 5, 1785. SIR, I had the honour formerly of serving the Province of Georgia as their Agent in England, being appointed by Acts of the Assembly, with a Salary of One hundred Pounds per Annum. On my return to America I left my Account with my Successor; and the Troubles coming on I have ever since been so fully occupied in the Public Affairs of the United States either here or abroad, that the obtaining a Settlement of that Account has been omitted. Inclosed is a copy of it, which I request your Excellency would be so good as to lay before your Assembly, who will, I make no doubt, in 1 From the private collection of Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan. S. Elbert (17431788) was elected governor of Georgia in 1785, succeeding John Houston. He had been a soldier in the Revolution, was present at the surrender of Cornwallis, and received the brevet of brigadier-general, November 3, 1783.- ED. adjusting it, consider equitably the long Delay and expedite the Payment. With great Respect I have the honour to be, Sir, B. FRANKLIN 1612. TO MESSRS. SEARS AND SMITH1 (A. P. S.) GENTLEMEN, Philada. Nov. 14. 1785. I receiv'd your Letter of the 13th past. Sometime last Summer the Marquis de la Fayette wrote to me about your Affair, and finding by a Letter from you that you had not receiv'd my Answer of Aug. 4. 1784 to yours of May 18, I sent him a Copy of that Answer to be forwarded by him to you, and I wonder you have not yet received it. Since the Receipt of yours of the 13th past, I have endeavoured to find among my Papers, disordered by Removal, another Copy of the same Answer: which I could not meet with till yesterday. I now enclose it, and am, with great Regard, Gentlemen, Your most obedient B. FRANKLIN 1 A business house in New York. They had written to Franklin May 18, 1784 (A. P. S.), and repeated their appeal October 13, 1785 (A. P. S.), informing him that they had engaged in a voyage to the coast of Africa to barter their cargo for gold and ivory. Contrary to expectations the captain of the vessel took a cargo of slaves who were carried to Martinico and sold. The revenue officers of Martinique required a heavy duty upon the slaves; Sears & Smith begged Franklin to use his influence to have the affair settled so as to prevent the payment of so heavy a duty. - ED. |