366 Letters to Benjamin Franklin 



From St. John [de Crevecoeur]. 1788. January 30. New York. 



Asking Franklin's opinion concerning Mr. [John] Fitch's steam- 

 boat; desires to know how far he thinks it could be rendered useful 

 for inland navigation. L. S. i p. XXXVI, 13. 



From Fran[ci]s Childs. 1788. January 31. Poughkeepsie. 



Regrets that Franklin's grandson [Benjamin Franklin Bache] has 

 been disappointed. Appreciates his offer of further time; would pledge 

 himself to complete the payment by January, 1789. A. L. S. i p. 



A. Mem., on fly leaf, by Dr. Franklin. " The opposition given more 

 or less in every State to the propos'd Constitution, and from a Jealousy 

 of Power, strengthens an Opinion of mine that America is too much 

 enlightened to be enslaved; and thus the Happiness of its People is 

 less in danger from an Excess of Power in the Governors, than from 

 the Defect of due Obedience even to their own Laws, in the Governed." 



XXXVI, 14. 



From [Joseph Ignace] Guillotin. 1788. February 2. Paris. 



Forwarding letters for Messrs. Saugrain [de Vigny] and Picque, for 

 whom he begs a continuance of his kindness; their silence of fourteen 

 months very alarming ; begs for a line from Franklin. Desires infor- 

 mation and advice concerning their choice of a place of their settle- 

 ment; his desire to become an American citizen increased by the 

 splendid work of the late [Constitutional] Convention ; gives to Frank- 

 lin the chief credit for the result; foretells a fairy future for America. 

 A. L. S. 4 p. (In French.) XXXVI, 15. 



From Tench Coxe. [1788.] February 4. Monday. 



Concerning the case of Miss Lydia Frazier, of Boston, who was 

 placed as a day scholar in a convent at Auch in Gascony; induced 

 by the nuns to commit herself to the religious life; as she is an Amer- 

 ican and under age, appeals to Franklin to help in the effort to return 

 her to her relatives. A. L. S. 3 p. XL, 210. 



From Due de la Rochefoucauld. 1 788. February 6. La Rocheguyon. 



His pleasure in knowing Mr. [Thomas] Paine; his bridge approved 

 by the Academy [of Sciences] ; is aiding M. Beaumarchais in the 

 construction of a similar bridge at Paris. Affairs in France; much 



