Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 11

To the President of Congress

From C. W. F. Dumas
From Benjamin Franklin, 30 June 1781 Franklin, Benjamin JA

1781-06-30

 From Benjamin Franklin, 30 June 1781 Franklin, Benjamin Adams, John
From Benjamin Franklin
Sir Passy, June 30. 1781

This is to request that you will accept no more Bills with an Expectation of my Paying them, till you have farther Advice from me: For I find that Mr. Laurens, who went away without informing me what he had done, has made so full a Disposition of the Six Millions granted at my Request before his Arrival, that unless the Specie he 400sent to Holland is stopt there, I shall not be in a Condition to pay them.1 I have the Honour to be, Sir, Your Excellency's most obedient and most humble Servant

B Franklin

RC (Adams Papers).

1.

Franklin wrote a similar letter to William Jackson on 28 June. Despite Jackson's protests, Franklin succeeded in stopping shipment of the specie to the U.S. aboard the South Carolina. See Franklin, Papers , 35:195–196, 211–214, 219–226, 242–244.