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Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: History

CCLXXX: FROM WILLIAM FRANKLIN - Benjamin Franklin, The Works of Benjamin Franklin, Vol. IV Letters and Misc. Writings 1763-1768 [1904]

Edition used:

The Works of Benjamin Franklin, including the Private as well as the Official and Scientific Correspondence, together with the Unmutilated and Correct Version of the Autobiography, compiled and edited by John Bigelow (New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1904). The Federal Edition in 12 volumes. Vol. IV (Letters and Misc. Writings 1763-1768).

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CCLXXX

FROM WILLIAM FRANKLIN

Honed Father:—

I have just retd from Amboy, & have recd your letter & the Packet of May 10. Mr. Wharton’s Clerk has this Moment call’d on me to let me know he is going Express to N. Y. in hopes of overtaking the Pacquet. I have stopt him that I might send you an extract of Sr Wm’s last Letter relative to the Colony.

I before sent you an Answer to the Enquiry made by S. Alexr Dick. Mr. Pennington informs me that he has sent Mr. Penn an Acct of the Land he enquird about in N. Jersey, nor can I obtain any other Acct of it but the same Mr. Pennington has recd. He is afraid of young Penn’s selling the Manor to the proprs for much less than it could be sold for here, & wishes you wd caution him against it.

There has been lately several Murders of Indians in the different Provinces. Those committed in this Province will be duely enquired into, & the Murderers executed as soon as found guilty. They are all apprehended & secured in Gaol.

I congratulate you on the Resolutions of Parlt relative to Commerce. They are in general much approved, & I am in hopes that the people of the Colonies, particularly Persons of Property, will conduct themselves so as to give great satisfaction to the present Ministry. In New York there has been some Riots on Acct of Lands on the Great Manors; but they are now quelled, & their Chief, one Pendergrass, taken Prisoner.

All the Provinces seem in quiet, except Virga & Massachusett’s Bay. The Govr of the first won’t let his Assy meet, as he understands they are disposed to pass a Bill of Rights & act otherwise in such a Manner as to keep up the Spirit which they kindled before. In the latter, the Assy, by the Influence of that Firebrand Otis, has imprudently turned out all the Crown & other officers out of the Council.

I have come off with flying Colours in the Brush I had with the Assembly. In order to get the better in the Dispute, they asserted a Number of downright Falsehoods, & finding themselves embarras’d by this means, & that they had given me great Advantage, they fairly yielded & desired me to proceed no further in the affair. I had them, to be sure, prodigiously in my Power, but, however, like a generous Enemy, upon their crying out, They had got enough, I withheld my hand. For the future I believe they will be more cautious. I have just heard that Lord Hope is coming here Tomorrow on a Visit to me.

Before this reaches you, you will probably hear of Uncle Peter’s Death. We are very much concern’d at it, particularly as it happen’d so unxpectedly, he having lately been better to all Appearances than for many Months before. I have not heard how the Post-Office is dispos’d of, but I wish Coz. Davenport had it.

The Propry Party give out that Col. Wm Skinner (Bror to our Attorney Genl) is coming over Govr of the Province. He has an Interest with Col. Fitzroy, the D. of Grafton’s Brother, who married his relation Miss Warren. The Govr of Barbadoes has Leave to return Home for a 12month, when he expects to resign. In Haste. Your dutiful Son,

W. F.