In the Year 1776, when Dr. Franklin went to France, as one of the Commissioners from the United States of America, he took with him his Grandson W. T. Franklin with the View of placing him where he might be qualified for the Profession of the Law; but the Commissioners, having no Secretary, had recourse to the Assistance of Mr. Franklin, during the time of their continuance under that Appointment.

When Dr. Franklin received his Commission from Congress of Minister Plenipotentiary, they at the same time promised him a Secretary; but none arriving, he continued to require the Assistance of Mr. Franklin, who gave it the more willingly, as having already lost so much of his time intended for the Study of the Law, and acquired a considerable Knowledge in the transacting of Public Business, he thought it might eventually be more to his Advantage to continue to gain Experience in Foreign Affairs, & thereby qualify himself to serve the United States in that Line. He was the more encouraged to this, from the Letters Dr. Franklin & Mr. Jay wrote in his Favor to Congress. (See No. 1.)

During the eight Years Dr. Franklin remained in France, Mr. Franklin acted as Secretary of the Legation. The Congress by their Resolution had voted 1000£ stg. per An. to such an Officer; Mr. Franklin however never received this; and the only Allowance he had, was at first the Amount of his Clothes, Board & Lodging; & afterwards a Salary of 300£ stg. a Year: whereby the Congress have saved, if they retain it, near 6000£ stg.

Mr. Franklin performed not only the Duties of his Office, but others that did not properly belong to it; viz. that of examining & registering the numerous Bills of Exchange drawn by Congress for Interest Money, to the Amount of two Millions & an half of Livres annually; most of the Bills being for small Sums & many for not more than 12 Dollars. This was a very confining and fatiguing Business. On the one hand the Bill Holders were impatient to have them returned accepted, and on the other, the Bills required the msot scrupulous Examination by the Registers, previous to Acceptation, as many were presented after others of the same Sets had already been accepted & paid. The Congress Banker, who had no other Trouble than paying the Bills on sight of the Acceptations; charged half per Cent Commission; whilst Mr. Franklin received no other Reward for his very great Trouble & Exactitude, than the Satisfaction of having by his Attention saved the Congress several Thousand Pounds, by detecting attempted Impositions.

During the two last Years that Dr. Franklin remained in France, he was, through bodily Infirmities, unable to bear the Journey to Versailles to wait on the Ministry & make the customary Visits once a Week to the Royal Family; and in consequence requested by Letter the Minister for Foreign Affairs to receive Mr. Franklin in his stead, & transact Business with him in future. For this Letter, together with the Minister’s Answer, in which he readily acquiesces with Dr. Franklin’s request, for No.2.

Mr. Franklin consequently acted as Charge des Affaires and regularly performed those Devoirs that appertained to the Minister Plenipotentiary: this necessity obliged thim to a greater Expence in Clothes &c. but his Allowance still remained the same.

Mr. Franklin had at all times the Satisfaction to find that his Conduct & Services were agreable to the American Commissioners & Ministers, with whom he had an Opportunity of transacting Business at Paris; of this he received a convincing Proof, when Mess. Adams, Franklin, Jay & Laurens, the four Commissioners for treating of Peace with Great Britain, appointed him, without Solicitation, Secretary to that respectable and important Commission, with the Salary allowed by Congress. This Business however lasted only one Year, at the Expiration of which Mr. Franklin was reduced to his former small Allowance. He was in hopes that this Appointment from four such respectable Characters, & his long Services, would have induced Congress to have honored him with a suitable Employment in the Diplomatic Line, in which it may be said he has been regularly brought up, an Advantage that few Americans possess: But in this Expectation he has hitherto been disappointed.

At the time of Mr. Franklin’s Residence in France, he took every Opportunity of ingratiating himself in favor at that Court, and with the Ministers from other Courts resident there; This he thought might be of Service both to himself and Constituents, if in future he should be employed in the Diplomatic Line. He had the good Fortune to be on the most intimate Terms with many of the foreign Ministers, and it was to his friendly Connection with the Count de Crutz, (formerly Ambassador at the Court of Versailles from Sweden, & afterwards Prime Minister of that Kingdom) that the Swedish Ambassador, who signed the Treaty with the United States, was directed to make known to Congress, that it would be very agreable to the King his Master, if they would appoint Mr. Franklin their Minister at his Court.

His Letter is in the possesion of Congress. This was immediately after the signing of the Treaty with Sweden, when it was so much expected that Congress would send a Minister to Stockholm, that his Swedish Majesty had already designated a Minister to reside in the United States, who waited only for Congress making the first Appointment: A Compliment always paid to crowned Heads by Republics. Congress however did not appoint a Minister to that Court, and Mr. Franklin remained unprovided for.

On the final Resignation of Dr. Franklin, it was expected by many of the Friends of America in France, that Mr. Franklin, from his Connection, his long Experience in the Diplomatic Line, his intimate Acquaintance with the Affairs at the Court of France (where he had resided eight Years, and for the two last acted as Charge des Affaires) would have succeeded his aged Relation. Congress however ordered otherwise, & Mr. Franklin returned to America with Dr. Franklin, after having spend so many Years in Public Service, without any other Advantage to himself, than an Experience & Knowledge in Public foreign Affairs, which will be of little Service unless brought into Action.

On Mr. Franklin’s leaving France, Mr. Jefferson and the Marquis de la Fayette gave him several Letters to Persons of Distinction in this Country, in which they were pleased to speak of him in the most favorable Terms. Several of the Gentlemen to whom the Letters were addressed, have since testified to Mr. Franklin their desire of serving him; and his Vanity will not permit him, on this Occasion, to conceal the flattering Expression of the illustrious General Washington, (see his Letter No. 3)

From the foregoing Statement of Mr. Franklin’s Services, the Approbation of those who have had an Opportunity of judging of his Merits, & his Experience in Public Business, to which he has devoted every other Prospect in Life; He flatters himself he has some Claim to the Patronage of Congress, and humbly offers them his Services in any way they may judge suitable: At the same time he takes the Liberty of suggesting, that it would be most agreable to him to continue his Career in the Diplomatic Line, in which he has been regularly trained; and, from his Knowledge of this Business, his Acquaintance with Foreigners of Distinction, his bearing the Name & being the Descendant of one whose Reputation is great throughout Europe (a Circumstance tho possibly of no Consequence here, would there have its weight) he would in that situation be more likely to serve the United States with Honor & Advantage.

I have one Request more to make, which if I have served the Congress to their Satisfaction, I hope they will not refuse me. It is that they will be pleased to take under their Protection my Grandson William Temple Franklin. I have educated him from his Infancy, and I brought him over with an Intention of placing him where he might be qualified for the Profession of the Law; but the constant Occasion I had for his Service as a private Secretary during the time of the Commissioners and more extensively since their Departure, has induced me to keep him always with me; and indeed being continually disappointed of the Secretary Congress had at different times intended me, it would have been impossible for me, without this young Gentleman’s Assistance, to have gone thro the Business incumbent on me. He has thereby lost so much of the time necessary for Law Studies, that I think it rather adviseable for him to continue, if it may be, in the Line of Public Foreign Affairs, for which he seems qualified, by a Sagacity and Judgment above his Years, great Diligence and Activity, exact Probity, a genteel Address, a Facility in speaking well the French Tongue, and all the Knowledge of Business to be obtained by a four Years constant Employment in the Secretary’s Office, where he may be said to have served a kind of Apprenticeship. After all the Allowance [?] making for the Partiality of a Parent to his Offspring, I cannot but think he may, in time, make a very able foreign Minister for the Congress, in whose Service his Fidelity may be relied on. (When this Letter was written Mr. Franklin was but just of Age; he has since had eight Years additional Knowledge of Men and Business.)

The affectionate mention Dr. Franklin makes of his only Descendant, on whom the Support of his Name and Family will devolve, is extremely amiable & flows in a delicate manner from that virtuous Sensibility by which Nature kindly extends the Benefits of Parental Affection to a Period beyond the Limits of our Lives. This is an affecting Subject, & Minds susceptible of the finer Sensations are insensibly led at least to wish, that the Feelings of an antient Patriot, going, in the Evening of a long Life early devoted to the Public, to enjoy Repose in the Bosom of Philosophic Retirement, may be gratified by seeing some little Sparks of the Affection of his Country rest on the only Support of his Age & Hope of his Family. Such are the Effusions of my Heart on this occasion, and I pour them into your’s from a Persuasion that they will meet with a hospitable Reception from congenial Emotions.

Being now disabled by the Stone, which in the easiest Carriage gives me Pain, wounds my Bladder & occasions me to make bloody Urine, I find I can no longer pay my Devoirs personally at Versailles, which I hope will be excused. I have yet received from Congress no Answer to my Request of being recalled. In the meantime I must beg your Excellency to receive my Respects by my Grandson, with such Matters as I may occasionally have to communicate, he being Secretary of the Legation. I am, with great and sincere Respect, Sir, &c.

I received, Sir, the Letter you did me the Honor to write to me the 6th. of this Month. You cannot doubt of the Grief I experience from the Alteration you suffer in your Health. I hope it will not be of long Continuance and I sincerely desire your Re-establishment. I shall receive your Grandson with Pleasure, and willingly confer with him on such Matters as he may have to treat with me, on your Part.

I have the Honor to be &c.

The last Post gave me the Pleasure of receiving your Favor of the 20th. Inst. covering among others a Letter from the Marquis de la Fayette who speaks of you in very advantageous Terms; but your own Merits, Sir, of which I have heard frequent mention are alone sufficient to impress me with very favorable Sentiments of you; of which I should be happy to give your personal Assurances at this Place, if Inclination or Business should induce you to visit this Part of the United States.

I am, Sir, &c.