To His Excellency Doctor Benjamin Franklin Minister and Plenipotentiary of the United States of North America at the Court of France.

The Memorial of James Cheston of the State of of Maryland

That your Memorialist from the Year 1769 to the last of the Year 1775. was a Partner in a house in Bristol, under the Firm of Stevenson Randolph and Cheston, who did considerable Business in Maryland, where Your Memorialist has Resided from 1767 till the first of last August. when he embarked on Board the Brigantine Nesbit Capt. James Forbes, And Arrived here the 9th Day of September following. That your Memorialist from the Nature of his Trading connections with his Partners in England has long and complicated Accounts to settle with them and Effects to a considerable Amount, which he wishes to draw out of their hands And the Kingdom of Great Brittain. Both of which, from the War that subsists between the United States of America and Great Britttain, he has found it absolutely impracticable to do, without being on the Spot, to Demand in Person his Just dues. That Your Memorialist knowing some Instances, where Persons had been Suffered to go to England for the settlement of their private Affairs, he set out from Maryland Solely with the Same View and intended when he first Arrived here, to have proceeded to Paris, when he was Informed He Must wait on Your Excellency for Passports to go on Farther. But afterwards Meeting with a Flemish Vessel here, Bound to Ostend, Your Memorialist took his Passage on Board of her, thinking it wou’d Save both time and Expence. His Ignorance with respect to the Forms Necessary for every American to observe here, led Your Memorialist to enquire, as he did before when he intended to take Paris in his Route, what was Necessary to be done, previous to His Intended Departure by Sea, And was told, A Passport from this place, was all that was Necessary. This Your Memorialist Obtained, But on the eve of his Embarking, Some Gentlemen, who having heard of his Intentions to go to England, of which your Memorialist Had Made No Secret either here or In Maryland, but on the contrary, conscious of the rectitude of them, in the most open and candid Manner avowed, Thinking it not proper in the Present Situation of Affairs, that Any Person Shou’d go to that Kingdom without Your previous Approbation Applied to the Count de Maillé Commandant in Bretagne, who demanded a Parole that your Memorialist wou’d Not proceed any farther in his Intended Embarkation, Untill an Answer, was Received from Your Excellency respecting the premises. Your Memorialist begs leave further to add, That he was born in Maryland, received the greatest Part of his Education in England and has at present in the first Mentioned State a Wife and three Children and considerable property. That tho’ he has been unfortunate enough hitherto to have Differed with the great Majority of America in Sentiments with respect to the present dispute between the United States and Great Brittain, Yet as he allways conducted himself in a Most open and candid Manner, and at the Same time, avoided every the least Step, which in the most distant degree, cou’d counteract the Efforts America was Making, he Met with the greatest Indulgence from his Countrymen, who generously Made Allowance for the Difference of Opinion that must necessarily take place on every point that can possibly be agitated. Your Memorialist for Some time past, being convinced, the United States of America Must succeed in Establishing their Independence on the firmest Ground and thinking he cou’d live happier in his Nation State than any other Part of the World, he had Determined, Notwithstanding his former prejudice to become a good Subject of the Government under which he intended to reside, in every Sense of the word; but as he had declined taking the Oath of Allegiance, when it was first required, he thought he cou’d not suffer by Delaying it a little Longer, On Account of the Difficulties it might probably lay him under, in the Settlement of his Affairs in England, and withdrawing from thence his Effects, which he Meant to carry with him to America in as short a time as possible. What Strengthned this Opinion the more, was That Your Memorialist before he left Maryland had complied with an Act of the Legislature, lately passed, which took off every Disability from (except the Incapacity of electing or being elected) Upon their furnishing an Extra Quota of Supplies in Proportion to the Amount of their Estates, In Waggons or Horses for General Washingtons Army. Your Excellency will please Pardon Your Memorialist for dwelling on Matters of little Importance but to Himself And on Every American, in Difficult Situations in this Country, has only Your Excellency to look up to, for Releif, He hopes it will plead his Excuse for requesting Your Interposition. Shou’d it be Your Excellency’s Determination, that consistent with sound Policy, it wou’d be improper for a Person under Your Memorialists Circumstances to go to Great Brittain, he will, with your permission Return immediatley to Maryland. But on the contrary, Shou’d your Excellency think, that your Memorialist may be Suffer’d to proceed to Settle his private Affairs in and withdraw his Effects from Great Britain, he flatters himself Your Excellency will condescend to furnish him with passports, He, Your Memorialist coming under any restrictions or complying with any requisition Your Excellency May think proper to make.

Your Excellency will please Still further pardon Him for Adding, it has been Sugghested here, that your Memorialist, left Maryland in a clandestine Secret Manner, Than which nothing can be More Injurious or Unjust To prove it so, He takes the liberty of troubling Your Excellency with an advertisement, he inserted in the Baltimore Gazette last May And a certificate of Capt. Forbes’s with whom he came here.

And Your Memorialist is With the greatest Respect Your Excellencies Most Obedient Humble Servant