FO-From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 26 September 1774.md

FO-From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 26 September 1774

10 reprints from 1774-09-26 to 1899-11-18

FO-From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 26 September 1774

by Franklin, Benjamin

From unknown source

1774-09-26

iams. I hope you continue in health, as I do, Thanks to God. But I wish to know how you fare in the present Distress of our dear Country. I am apprehensive that the Letters between us, tho’ very innocent ones, are intercepted. They might restore me yours at least, after reading them; especially as I never complain of broken patch’d-up Seals, (of late very common) because I know not whom to fix the Fact on. I see in a Boston Paper of Aug. 18. an Article expressing “that it is now generally believed Dr. Franklin has received a Promise of being restored to the royal Favour, and promoted to an Office superior to that which he resigned.” I have made no public Answer to any of the Abuses I have received in the Papers here, nor shall I to this. But as I am anxious to preserve your good Opinion, and as I know your Sentiments, and that you must be much afflicted your self, and even despise me, if you thought me capable of accepting any Office from this Government while it is acting with so much Hostility towards my native Country, I cannot miss this first Opportunity of assuring you that there is not the least Foundation for such Report; that so far from having any Promise of royal Favour, I hear of nothing but royal and ministerial Displeasure, which indeed, as things at present stand, I consider as an Honour. I have seen no Minister since January, nor had the least Communication with them. The generous and noble Friends of America in both Houses do indeed favour me with their Notice and Regard, but they are in Disgrace at Court as well as myself. Be satisfied, my dear Sister, that I shall do nothing to lessen my-self in your Esteem or my own: I shall not by the least Concurrence with the present Measures merit any Court Favour, nor accept of any if it were offered me, which however is not at all likely to happen. Mrs. Stevenson presents her Respects to you. Her Daughter Mrs. Hewson, who lost her Husband in May, has lately got a third Child, a Girl, born 5 Months after its Father’s Death: A melancholy Circumstance! But her Aunt, a Sister of Mrs. Stevenson, dying lately, and leaving her Fortune to Mrs. Hewson, which was considerable, puts her into easy Circumstances, and will enable her to bring up her Children decently. As those here who most interest themselves in behalf of America, conceive that my being present at the Arrival of the Proceedings of the Congress and the Meeting of Parliament, may be of Use, I submit to their Judgment, and think it now likely that I shall not return till Spring

---

Franklin's Familiar Letters

From United States' telegraph.

1833-06-29 · Washington City [D.C.]

[This text is not available under an open license.]

---

From The North American Review (1821-1940)

1833-07-01 · Boston

to his character for patriotism. ‘I see in a Boston paper of August 18th, an article expressing, “‘ that it is generally believed Dr. Franklin has received a pro- mise of being restored to the royal favor, and promoted to an office superior to that which he resigned.” I have made no public answer to any of the abuse I have received in the papers here, nor shall I to this. But as I am anxious to preserve your good opinion, and as I know your sentiments, and that you must be much afflicted yourself, and even despise me, if you thought me capable of accepting any office from this government, while it is acting with so much hostility towards my native country, I cannot miss this first opportunity of assuring you, that there is not the least foundation for such a report ; that, so far from hav- ing any promise of royal favor, I hear of nothing but royal and ministerial displeasure, which, ‘indeed, as things at present stand, I consider as an honor. I have seen no minister since January, nor had the least communication with them. The generous and noble friends of America in both Houses do indeed favor me

---

From The North American Review (1821-1940)

1833-07-01 · Boston

with their notice and regard; but they are in disgrace at court, as well as myself. Be satisfied, that I shall do nothing to lessen me in your esteem, or my own. [I shall not, by the least con- currence with the present measures, merit any court favor, nor accept of any, if it were offered me, which, however, is not at all likely to happen.’

---

From The American Monthly Review (1832-1833)

1833-08-01 · Cambridge

paper, that he had “received a promise of being restored to the royal favor, and promoted to an office superior to that which he had resigned,” — as follows : “‘T have made no public answer to any of the abuses I have received in the papers here, nor shall Ido this. But as I am anx- ious to preserve your good opinion, and as I know your senti- ments, and that you must be much afflicted yourself, and even despise me, if you thought me capable of accepting any office from this government, while it is acting with so much hostility towards my native country, I cannot miss this first opportunity of assuring you, that there is not the least foundation for such a report; that, so far from having any promise of royal favor, I[ hear of nothing but royal and ministerial displeasure, which, indeed, as things at present stand, I consider an honor. I have seen no minister since January, nor had the least communication with them. The generous and noble friends of America, in both Houses, do indeed favor me with their notice and regard, but they are in disgrace at court, as well as myself.” pp. 150, 151. The office which he had resigned, and which was allude

---

From The Monthly Review 1749-1844

1833-10-01

of his being restored to favour in the court of England, or that he was appointed by this government to an office superior to that which he had previously resigned. So far from having any hope or promise of royal favour, he declared that he heard of nothing but royal and ministerial displeasure; which, however, as matters then stood, he regarded asan honour. ‘This letter was dated Sep- tember, 1774; and in it he assured his correspondent that he had neither seen nor held any communication with the ministry or any one of its members since the January before. The only public individuals with whom he conversed were the generous and noble friends of America in both houses of Parliament. The office spoken of as that which Franklin had resigned was the situation of deputy-postmaster; and the integrity and unflinch- ing virtue with which he performed his duty in that office, he ha

---

From Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science (1871-1885)

1879-07-01 · Philadelphia

reconciliation so loyally as to bring on himself the suspicion of the colonial As- semblies. He has to assure his constit- uents of the falseness of reports that he is still under royal and ministerial favor. ““T have seen no minister since January, nor had the least communication with them. The generous and noble friends of America in both Houses do indeed favor me with their notice and regard, but they are in disgrace at court, as well . as myself.”” These generous and noble friends did their best indeed to atone fo

---

From Littell's Living Age (1844-1896)

1879-08-02 · Boston

nial Assemblies. He has to assure his constituents of the falseness of reports that he is still in favor at court and with the ministers. ‘“ I have seen no minister since January, nor had the least communica- tion with them. The generous and noble friends of America in both Houses do in- deed favor me with their notice and re- gard, but they are in disgrace at court, as well as myself.” These generous and no- ble friends did their best indeed to aton

---

From The Eclectic Magazine of Foreign Literature (1844-1898)

1879-09-01 · New York

“ I have seen no minister since January, nor had the least communication with them. The generous and noble friends of America in both Houses do indeed favor me with their notice and regard, but they are in disgrace at Court, as well as myself.” These generous and noble friends did their best indeed t

---

From The daily morning journal and courier.

1899-11-18 · New Haven, Conn.

vania in London, was constantly an­ noyed by having his correspondence ri­ fled, and its contents known before he could find them out and make use of them. He wrote to his sister in Bos­ ton: "I am apprehensive that the let­ ters between, us, though very innocent ones, are intercepted. They might re­ store to me yours at least after reading them; especially as I never complained of broken and patched up seals." Hi

---