To William Strahan (unpublished)
Passy, Mar. 5. 1785
Dear Friend,

I received your kind Letter by my Grandson. I thank you for the Civilities you show’d him when in London.

I hope to get home this ensuing Summer. I shall have an old Account to settle there with the Family of our Friend Hall. There is a particular Article of some Importance, about which we were not agreed, but were to be determined by your Opinion. It was the Value of a Copy Right in an establish’d Newspaper, of each of which from eight to ten Thousand were printed. My long Absence from that Country, and immense Employment the little Time I was there, have hitherto prevented the Settlement of all the Accounts that had been between us; tho’ we never differ’d about them, and never should if that good honest Man had continued in Being. To prevent all Dispute on the above Points with his Son it is that I now request your Decision, which I doubt not will be satisfactory to us both. With unchangeable Esteem, I am ever, my dear Friend, Yours most affectionately

B. Franklin

My Respects to Mrs Strahan
Addressed: To / Wm Strahan, Esqr / King’s Printer / New street, Shoe / Lane / London
Endorsed: Dr Franklin Mar. 5. 1785.
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