Your celebrated Person and Character, which has reflected so much Honour upon these United States, has inspired us with such an Alliance in your Candour and Benevolence, that we have presumed to trouble your Excellence with a few Lines Originating from the following Causes. In june last, we (being of the Inhabitants of the Town of Franklin in the State of Massachusetts Newengland) were legally warned to attend a Town Meeting, when we were publickly informed of your distinguished Liberallity, in presenting to the Town a valuable Collection of Books, Our Hearts glowed afresh in Admiration of your extensive Benificence. We chearfully joined in that Tribute oz Thanks which was publickly voted in consequence of your signal Favour to this Town, at which Meeting, to our Surprize some Queries arose by certain Individuals oz the Town. Whether all the Inhabitants were to receive a Privilege by the Books, or not, and urged the Propriety of a Part being excluded therefrom. Some Reason (as they were called) were offered to shew the propriety of the Exclusion. We wishing that nothing might take place in anywise different from the original Intention of the Donor, were willing to rest the whole upon your Pleasure. Upon which a Clause of your Excellency’s Letter was construed by them for their Purpose, by which they would Understand, that none were to be benefitted by your Excellency’s Donation, except those who did statedly attend on the Ministration oz the Minister setled in the Town, by which Construction a considerable Part of the Inhabitants must quit all Pretentions to any Right in the Privilege. Our Town lying in such a form that it was more convenient for several Families to attend public Worship out of the Town, and a Number of respectable Families had this Privilege (viz. of attending on public Worship in another Town) conceded to them heretofore by a public Vote of the Town. Several Families in another Part of our Town from Principle as well as for Convenience attend public worship out of the Town enjoying this Privilege also by a Vote of the Town.

But fearing to transgress upon your excellency’s Patience by enumerating too many Particulars, we are entirely Willing to submit it to your Excellencys Decision, and shall remain perfectly satisfied in knowing your primary Intention in this Donation whether you designed that the wished for Advantage arising from such a judicious Collection of Books might diffuse itself thro’ every Part of the Town, bearing your Excellencys Name, or whether it be circumscribed and limited in the Manner above proposed. Your Excellencys own Explanation of what you have already written signified to us by a few Lines will be received with singular Satisfaction, and with Sentiments of the highest Esteem for your Excellency’s Person by Your most humble and Obedient Servants In behalf of a Part of the Town of Franklin