132 Letters to Benjamin Franklin 



From Anthony Benezet. 1772. April 27. Philadelphia. 



Looking forward to holding converse with Franklin in the winter 

 evenings on past dangers and better future prospects. Concerning the 

 grievous iniquities practiced towards the negroes ; asks him to consider 

 whether he may not be able to do something effectual towards the re- 

 moval of that terrible evil; at the same time that he sent the tracts on 

 the slave trade to Franklin, sent them to the most weighty of their 

 friends in London ; desired them to consider whether it might not be 

 their duty to lay the iniquity and dreadful consequence of the slave trade 

 before the Parliament. Realizes the opposition they are likely to en- 

 counter from those " who sell their countr}^ and their God for gold " ; 

 pleads the cause however with great eloquence and fervor; number of 

 slaves in English colonies; many opposed to it in New England, and 

 also in Virginia, who will add their weight to any reform. A. L. S. 

 2 p. Ill, 95. 



From . 1772. May i. Philadelphia. 



Remarks and suggestions relative to the settlement and government 

 of the new grant. L. 4 p. LVIII, 37. 



From William Smith. 1772. May 16. Philadelphia. 



On receipt of Franklin's obliging letter was preparing to embark for 

 Carolina where he was lucky enough to get 1000 guineas for their 

 College, which is in high repute. Enclosing sheet missing in Dr. Fother- 

 gill's book. Sends also a box containing copies of the [Philosophical 

 Society's] Transactions for those societies whose names he gives; any 

 more copies can be had by applying to Dilly, the bookseller; only forty 

 copies left for the use of the Society ; £200 in debt ; reason for having 

 the title-page of the Transactions in English instead of Latin ; the 

 Society in receipt of a letter from Mr. White, treasurer of the Found- 

 ling Hospital; great work he is carrying on entitled Musasum Britan- 

 nicum; he desires some knowledge as to American animals; asks Frank- 

 lin to give him the enclosed. A. L. S. 3 p. Ill, 96. 



From Tho[ma]s Foxcroft. 1772. May 16. Philadelphia. 



Enclosing bill of lading for two barrels of flour; his brother-in-law in 

 Virginia; all Franklin's family well. Had the misfortune to break his 

 arm six days previous. A. L. S. i p. Ill, 97* 



