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gress, has also expressed his wish that my grandson may be sent to Denmark. But it is not my custom to solicit employments for myself or any of my family, and I shall not do it in this case. I only hope, that if he is not employed in arrangement, I may be informed of it as soon as possible; that while I have strength left for it, I may accompany him in a tour to Italy, returning through Germany, which I think he may make to more advantage with me than alone, and which I have long promised to afford him, as a reward for his faithful service, and his tender filial attachment to me."

These intimations from foreign courts, and this honorable and satisfactory testimony from one who had rendered the most eminent services to his country, were unnoticed by the American government; they are, however, no mean consolation to the object of them.

Shortly after signing the preliminary articles of peace with Great Britain, Mr. Oswald's functions ceased; and a change in administration taking place, David Hartley, Esq. was appointed minister plenipotentiary, and repaired to Paris, invested, as expressed in his commission, with full powers there to meet and confer with the ministers of the United States of America, duly authorised, for the purpose of perfecting and establishing the peace, friendship, and good understanding so happily commenced; and for opening, promoting, and rendering perpetual, the mutual intercourse of trade and commerce between the British dominions and the United States of America.

Several private communications had taken place relative to these objects, between Dr. Franklin and Mr. Hartley, previous to the latter receiving his appointment; these, together with the subsequent propositions and various transactions that occurred, after the respective plenipotentiaries had exchanged their full powers, will be seen in tlfat Part of the Private Correspondence allotted to the negotiations in general. Those with Mr. Hartley proceeded very slowly, owing principally to his conceiving it necessary to send every proposition, either of his own or the American ministers, to his court for their approbation, and their delay in answering. Eventually, the English ministry would not agree to any of the propositions that had been made on either side; and sent over a project for the definitive treaty, consisting merely of the preliminaries formerly signed, with a short introductory paragraph, and an article at the conclusion, confirming and ratifying the said articles.

Finding nothing could be determined upon at that time with respect to commer

cial regulations, the American ministers, in order to terminate the affair, agreed to sign the plan offered them by Mr. Hartley, as the Definitive Treaty; which accordingly took place at Paris, on the 3d of Sept. 1783.

This business being accomplished, and Dr. Franklin not receiving any answer whatever from congress to his repeated official applications to be recalled; and his anxiety to return home increasing with his age and infirmities, he addressed a private request to the same effect to his friend General Mifflin, then president of congress, in order, through his interposition and influence, to obtain the wished-for object. The following is a copy of that letter.

TO HIS EXCELLENCY THO. MIFFLIN, ESQ. PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

DEAR SIR,

(Private).

Passy, Dec. 26, 1783.

I congratulate you very sincerely on your appointment to that very honorable station, the presidency of congress. Every testimony you receive of the public sense of your services and talents, gives me pleasure.

I have written to you a long letter on business, in my quality of minister. This is a private letter, respecting my personal concerns, which I presume to trouble you with on the score of our ancient friendship.

In a letter of the 12th of March, 1781,1 I stated my age and infirmities to the congress, and requested they would be pleased to recal me, that I might enjoy the little left me of the evening of life in repose, and in the sweet society of my friends and family. I was answered by the then president, that when peace should be made, if I persisted in the same request, it should be granted. I acquiesced; the preliminaries were signed in November 1782, and I then repeated my petition. A year is past, and I have no answer. Undoubtedly, if the congress should think my continuing here necessary for the public service, I ought as a good citizen to submit to their judgment and pleasure; but as they may easily supply my place to advantage, that cannot be the case; I suppose therefore that it is merely the multiplicity of more important affairs, that has put my request out of their mind. What I would then desire of you is, to put this matter in train to be moved and answered as soon as possible, that I may arrange my affairs accordingly.

1 See Priv. Corr. 8vo. ed. vol. 1. p. 75.

2 See Letter to Rob. R. Livingston, Esq. of Dec. 5, 1782, Priv. Corr. 8vo. ed. vol. 2. p. 307,

In the first letter above-mentioned, to which I beg leave to refer you, I gave a character of my grandson, William Temple Franklin, and solicited for him the favor and protection of congress. I have nothing to abate of that character; on the contrary, I think him so much improved as to be capable of executing with credit to himself and advantage to the public, any employment in Europe the congress may think fit to honor him with. He has been seven years in the service, and is much esteemed by all that know him, particularly by the minister here, who, since my new disorder (the stone) makes my going to Versailles inconvenient to me, transacts our business with him in the most obliging and friendly manner. It is natural for me, who love him, to wish to see him settled before I die, in some employ that may probably be permanent; and I hope you will be so good to me, as to get that affair likewise moved and carried through in his favor. He has, I think, this additional merit to plead, that he has served in my office as secretary several years, for the small salary of 300 louis a year, while the congress gave 1000 a year to the secretaries of other ministers, who had not half the employ for a secretary that I had. For it was long before a consul was sent here, and we had all that business on our hands, with a great deal of admiralty business in examining and condemning captures taken by our cruisers, and by the French cruisers under American commissions; besides the constant attendance in examining and recording the acceptances of the congress bills of exchange, which has been, from the immense number, very fatiguing; with many other extra affairs, not usually occurring to other ministers, such as the care of the prisoners in England, and the constant correspondence relating to them, in all which he served me as secretary, with the assistance only of a clerk at low wages (50 louis a year), so that the saving has been very considerable to the public.

Some months after this, Dr. Franklin again repeated the same earnest requests, to his friends and former colleagues, Mr. Jay and Mr. Laurens, then on the point of returning to the United States with their families.

To Mr. and Mrs. Jay he thus writes:

Passy, May 13, 1784.

My dear friends, I find I shall not be able to see you again as I intended. My best wishes, however, go with you, that you may have a prosperous voyage and a happy sight of your friends and families.

Mr. Jay was so kind as to offer his friendly services to me in America. He will oblige me much by endeavoring to forward my discharge from this employment. Repose is now my only ambition.—If too he should think with me, that my grandson is qualified to serve the States as secretary to a future minister at this court, or as chargé des affaires, and will be kind enough to recommend such an appointment, it will exceedingly oblige me. I have twice mentioned this in my letter to congress, but have not been favored with any answer; which is hard, because the suspense prevents my endeavoring to promote him in some other way. I would not however be importunate; and therefore if Mr. Jay should use his interest without effect, I will trouble them no more on the subject. My grandson's acquaintance with the language, with the court and customis here, and the particular regard M. de Vergennes has for him, are circumstances in his favor.

God bless and protect you both. Embrace my little friend for me, and believe me ever yours, &c.

To Mr. Laurens, he writes thus ;

B. FRANKLIN.”

Passy, May 13, 1784.

"I am sorry for the numerous disappointments you have lately met with. The world it is true is full of disappointments, but they are not equally divided, and you have had more than your share.

The ratifications of the definitive treaty are now exchanged; but Mr. Hartley waits for instructions respecting a treaty of commerce, which, from what you observe, may probably never arrive. I shall however be glad to receive what you are so good as to promise me, your thoughts on the subject of such a treaty.

You have been so kind as to offer me your friendly services in America. You will oblige me greatly in forwarding my dismission from this employment, for I long much to be at home: and if you should think my grandson qualified to serve the states as secretary to my successor, or chargé des affaires till a successor arrives, I shall thank you for recommending him. His knowledge of this court, and acquaintance with the language; and the esteem the minister has for him, are circumstances in his favor: his long experience in the business here is another, he having served an apprenticeship to it for more than seven years. His intelligence, discre

tion and address, you can judge better of than myself, who may be partial. His fidelity and exactitude in performing his duty, I can answer for.

My best wishes attend you, your very valuable son, and amiable daughter. God bless you all, and give you a good voyage, and a happy meeting with your friends, with long life, health and prosperity, is the sincere prayer of your affectionate, humble servant,

B. Franklin.

Dr. Franklin, as will have been previously seen, occasionally kept a private journal. The following extracts from one kept about this time, may not be found void of interest.

Private Journal.

Passy, June 26, 1784.

Mr. Waltersdorff called on me, and acquainted me with a duel that had been fought yesterday morning, between a French officer,1 and a Swedish gentleman of that king's suite, in which the latter was killed on the spot, and the other dangerously wounded:—that the king does not resent it, as he thinks his subject was in

the wrong.

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He asked me if I had seen the king of Sweden ?—I had not yet had that honor. He said his behaviour here was not liked: that he took little notice of his own ambassador, who being acquainted with the usages of this court, was capable of advising him, but was not consulted. That he was always talking of himself, and vainly boasting of his revolution, though it was known to have been the work of M. De Vergennes. That they began to be tired of him here, and wished him gone: but he proposed staying till the 12th July. That he had now laid aside his project of invading Norway, as he found Denmark had made preparations to receive him. That he pretended the Danes had designed to invade Sweden, though it was a known fact, that the Danes had made no military preparations, even for defence, till six months after his began. I asked if it was clear that he had had an intention to invade Norway? He said that the marching and disposition of his troops, and the fortifications he had erected, indicated it very plainly. He added, that Sweden was at present greatly distressed for provisions; that many people had actually died

VOL. I.

The Count de la Marck.

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