The following letter from Dr. Franklin to the Marquis de la Fayette, then serving in the American army, also makes mention of Arnold's treason, and hints at the price or reward he received from the British government for his treachery. This letter will also be found interesting in other respects.

TO THE MARQUIS DE LA FAYETTE. DEAR SIR,

Passy, May 14, 1781. You are a very good correspondent, which I do not deserve, as I am a bad one. The truth is I have too much business upon my hands, a great deal of it foreign to my function as a minister, which interferes with my writing regularly to my friends. But I am nevertheless extremely sensible of your kindness in sending me such frequent and full intelligence of the state of affairs on your side of the water, and in letting me see, by your letters, that your health continues, as well as your zeal, for our cause and country.

I hope that by this time the ship which has the honor of bearing your name, is safely arrived. She carries clothing for near 20,000 men, with arms, ammunition, &c. which will supply some of your wants; and Colonel Laurens will bring a considerable addition, if Providence favors his passage. You will receive from him the particulars, which makes my writing more fully by him unne

cessary.

Your friends have heard of your being gone

against the traitor ARNOLD, and are anxious to hear of your success, and that you have brought him to punishment. Enclosed is a copy of a letter from his agent in England,' captured by one of

I

* Copy of letter from Mr. Meyrick, army agent in London, to General Arnold.

SIR,

Parliament Street, Jan. 30, 1781.

I am honored with your several letters enclosing bills on Harley and Drummond to the amount of 5000l., the receipt of which I have regularly by packet acknowledged. On the day they were paid I invested the amount in the fund you mentioned, and it was a very favorable time. I flatter myself it will meet your approbation, also the mode in which it was done.

As it is possible some directions might come from you for disposing of the money in some other mode, I thought it might not be so advantageous to lock it up totally, as it might be a long while before I could receive a power of attorney from you to transfer, had I put it in your name; and meantime the dividend could not be received for your use, The mode I have adopted has been used in like cases, and can be instantly altered to any you direct, on your favoring me with a letter. The account is as follows, viz.

Bought by Samuel and William Scholey, stock-brokers, for Major-General Arnold, 7000l. stock, in new 4 per cents. a. 71, as follows:

In name of Major-General Benedict Arnold.

1007. stock a. 711 new 4 per cent. consols. 69007. stock a. 714 in name of James Meyrick, Esq.

70001.

Commission paid to brokers

Letter of attorney to receive dividends

Paid

£4987 10 0

8 15 0 0.1 6

£4996 6 6

our cruisers, and by which the price or reward he received for his treachery may be guessed at. Judas sold only one man, Arnold three millions. Judas got for his one man thirty pieces of silver; Arnold not a halfpenny a head. halfpenny a head. A miserable

There then remains of the 5000l. three pounds thirteen shillings and sixpence.

Thus, by this method, if I receive any instructions from you for employing your money in a different manner, I can sell out the 6900l., and dispose of your money agreeable to your directions before this letter reaches you; and, if it is your wish that it should remain in the funds, it can be placed under your name by my transferring the 6,9001. and joining it to your 1007. The reason of my purchasing the latter sum in your name was, that you might have an account open. Also, the power of attorney now enclosed, will enable me to receive the dividends on the whole 7000l. stock, after I have made the transfer, should you choose I should do so. I hope I have made myself properly understood, and can assure you I have, to the best of my abilities, acted for you as myself. I have the honor to be, Sir, your obedient, and most humble servant,

JAMES MEYRICK.

Major-General Arnold.

N.B. In addition to this supposed purchase-money of the general himself, the following pensions were afterwards granted to his family. By warrant dated July 20, 1783.

bargain! especially when one considers the quantity of infamy he has acquired to himself, and entailed on his family.

The English are in a fair way of gaining still more enemies: they play a desperate game. Fortune may favor them as it sometimes does a drunken dicer. But by their tyranny in the East they have at length roused the powers there against them; and I do not know that they have in the West a single friend. If they lose their India commerce, (which is one of their present great supports,) and one battle at sea, there credit is gone, and their power follows. Thus empires by pride, folly, and extravagance, ruin themselves like individuals. M. la Mote Piquet has snatched from between their teeth a good deal of their West India prey, having taken twenty-two sail of their homewardbound prizes. One of our American privateers has taken two more, and brought them into Brest, and two were burnt: there were thirty-four in company, with two men of war of the line and two frigates, who saved themselves by flight; but we do not hear of their being yet got in.

I think it was a wise measure to send Colonel Laurens here, who could speak knowingly of the state of the army. It has been attended with all the success that perhaps could reasonably be expected, though not with all that was wished. He has fully justified your character of him, and returns thoroughly possessed of my esteem; but

that cannot and ought not to please him so much as a little more money would have done for his beloved army. This court continues firm and steady in its friendship, and does every thing it can for us. Can we not do a little more for ourselves? My successor (for I have desired the congress to send me one) will find it in the best disposition towards us, and I hope he will take care to cultivate that disposition. You, who know the leading people of both countries, can perhaps judge better than any member of the congress of a person suitable for this station. I wish you may be in the way to give your advice when the matter is agitated in that assembly. I have been long tired of the trade of minister, and wished for a little repose before I went to sleep for good and all. I thought I might have held out till the peace; but as that seems at a greater distance than the end of my days, I grow impatient. I would not, however, quit the service of the public, if I did not sincerely think that it would be easy for the congress, with your counsel, to find a fitter man. God bless you, and crown all your labors with success. With the highest regard and most sincere affection, I am, dear Sir, &c. &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

Notwithstanding Dr. Franklin's various and important occupations, he occasionally amused himself in composing and printing, by means of a small set of types, and a press he had in his house,