[dateline] Passi September 22 1778
[salute] Sir
<In order that <I> We may <be> understand one another,> Upon looking over the Account
1 of the Expenditure of the Money for which We have jointly drawn upon the Banker Since
my Arrival at Passi, I find some Articles charged, for Similar ones to which I have
paid in my seperate Capacity. I dont mean to be difficult about these Things but that
<each of Us may> We may have a Plan, for the future, I beg leave to propose. That the Wages and Expences
of the Maitre D'hotel and Cook, and of all the servants, their Cloaths and every other
Expence for them, the Wages, Cloaths and other Expences of the Coachman, the Hire
of the Horses and Carriage, the Expences of Postage of Letters, of Expresses to Versailles
and Paris, and else where of Stationary Ware, and all the Expences of the Family,
should be paid out of the Money to be drawn from the Banker by our joint order.
If to these, Dr. Franklin chuses to add the, Washer womans Accounts, for our servants
&c. as well as ourselves, I have no objection. Receipts to be taken for Payments of
Money, and each Party furnished with a Copy of the Account and a sight of the Recipts
once a Month if he desires it.
The Expence of a Clerk for each, may be added if Dr. Franklin pleases or this may
be a seperate Expence, as he chuses.
Expences for Cloaths Books and other Things and transient pocket Expences to be seperate.
Or if any other Plan is more agreable to Dr. Franklin, Mr. Adams begs him to propose
it.
The accounts for our sons at school may be added if Dr. Franklin chooses it, to the
General Account—or other wise. For my own Part, when I left America I expected, and
had no other Thought, but to be at the Expence of My sons subsistence and Education
here in my private Capacity, and I shall still be very contented to do this, if Congress
should desire it. But while other Gentlemen are maintaining and educating large familys
here, and enjoying the exquisite Felicity of their Company at the Same time, perhaps
Congress may think it proper to allow this Article to Us as well as to them, and I
am sure I do not desire it, nor would I choose to accept it, if it was not allowed
to
{ 63 } others, altho, perhaps the Duties Labours and Anxieties of our station may be
<as> greater
<as that of> than those of others.
2
I am sir your Inmate and obedient servant