ssarily to injure your
private interests; and the public is often niggardly even of its
thanks, while you are sure of being censured by malevolent critics and
bug-writers, who will abuse you while you are serving them, and wound
your character in nameless pamphlets; thereby resembling those little
dirty insects, that attack us only in the dark, disturb our repose,
molesting and wounding us, while our sweat and blood are contributing
to their subsistence. Every assistance that my situation here, as long
as it continues, may enable me to afford you, shall certainly be
given; for, besides my affection for the glorious cause we are both
engaged in, I value myself upon your friendship, and shall be happy if
mine can be made of any use to you.

With great and sincere esteem, I am ever, Dear Sir, &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

* * * * *

B. FRANKLIN TO ROBERT MORRIS.

Passy, July 26th, 1781.

Dear Sir,

I have received the letter you honored me with, of the 8th of June
past, acquainting me, that as Superintendent of Finance, you have
named Messrs Couteulx, & Co. at Paris to receive from his Majesty's
Ministers the money granted to Congress, that they may be enabled to
honor your bills whenever they appear; and you intimate a desire to be
informed of the responsibility of that house.

With regard to the six millions given by the King in aid of our
operation's for the present campaign, before the arrival of Mr
Laurens, 2,500,000 of it went in the same ship with him in cash;
stores equivalent to 2,200,000 more of it were ordered by him, and are
shipped; 1,500,000 were sent to Holland, to go in the ship commanded
by Commodore Gillon. Add to this, that Captain Jackson, by his orders,
purchased clothing and stores in Holland, to the value of about
L50,000 sterling, for which he has drawn bills on me, which bills I
accepted, and also agreed to pay those drawn on Messrs Laurens, Jay,
and Adams; expecting aid from a projected loan of 10,000,000 of livres
for our use in Holland. But this loan meeting with unforeseen
difficulties, and its success uncertain, I have found myself obliged
to stop the money in Holland, in order to be able to save the honor of
the Congress drafts, and to comply with my engagements. By these means
you have really at present no funds here to draw upon. I hope,