William Franklin to Benjamin Franklin
22 July 1784

Dear and Honoured Father,

       Ever since the Termination of the unhappy Contest between Great Britain and America, I have been anxious to write to you, and to endeavour to revive that affectionate Intercourse and Connexion which till the Commencement of the late Troubles had been the Pride and Happiness of my Life. Uncertain, however, whether the decided and active Part I took in Opposition to the Measures you thought proper to adopt, might not have left some unfavourable Impressions on your Mind; or, if that should not be the Case, whether you might not have some political Reasons for avoiding such Correspondence while you retained your present Employ under the Congress, I was induced to postpone my Intention of writing till I could by some Means or other learn whether your Inclinations were likely to meet my Wishes in that respect. I was, besides, led to expect an Opportunity of a personal Interview from the Accounts I frequently heard from some of your Friends in London, and particularly from a Letter which Temple wrote to Mr. Whitefoord about a Twelvemonth ago, intimating that you had Thoughts of soon returning to America, and would probably visit England in your Way. In that Letter he likewise mentioned that he should have wrote to me, but that he was apprehensive it might, if known, excite Suspicions among some jealous People for whom you acted. This was an additional Motive for my delaying to write, as the Reason he gave why it was improper for him to write to me, operated equally against my writing to you or him, while in your present Situation. There are narrow illiberal Minds in all Parties. In that which I took, and on whose Account I have so much suffered, there have not been wanting some who have insinuated that my Conduct has been founded on Collusion with you, that one of us might succeed which ever Party should prevail. Similar Collusions, they say, were known to have existed between Father and Son during the civil Wars in England and Scotland. The Falsity of such Insinuation in our Case you well know, and I am happy that I can with Confidence appeal not only to you but to my God, that I have uniformly acted from a strong Sense of what I conceived my Duty to my King, and Regard to my Country, required. If I have been mistaken, I cannot help it. It is an Error of Judgment that the maturest Reflection I am capable of cannot recify; and I verily believe were the same Circumstances to occur again Tomorrow, my Conduct would be exactly similar to what it was heretofore, notwithstanding the cruel Sufferings, scandalous Neglects, and Ill-treatment which we poor unfortunate Loyalists have in general experienced.— On a Subject so disagreeable I have no Desire to say more, and I hope every thing which has happened relative to it may be mutually forgotten. Encouraged by what passed lately between you, and that good-hearted Man Colonel Wadsworth, I flatter myself that you are actuated by the same Disposition, and that my Advances towards a Renewal of our former affectionate Intercourse will be as acceptable to you as they are agreeable to myself.

       It gave me great Pleasure to hear from the Colonel, Mrs. Montgomery, and others, that my Son, who owes so much to you for his Education and other Advantages, has conducted himself to your Satisfaction. The Character given of him by a Variety of Persons who have known him at Paris does him great Credit, and cannot fail to heighthen that natural Affection which always interests me in whatever concerns his Welfare. Please to give my Love to him, and let him know that I wish he would write to me soon, and inform me whether he received a Letter from Mr. Galloway some Months ago, inclosing a Paper belonging to you, as Mr. G is uneasy lest it has miscarried.

       Now I have broken the Ice, many Things occur which I much want an Opportunity to mention; too many, indeed, for the Limits of a Letter, and some of them respecting private Family Affairs, of a very important Nature, that cannot well be adjusted without a personal Interview. I shall therefore, if you are not likely to be soon in England, be happy to have your Approbation to wait on you at Paris. In the mean Time I beg you to be assured of my constant Prayers for your Health and Happiness, and that I am, as ever, Your very dutiful and affectionate Son

Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin
16 August 1784

I received your Letter of the 22d past, and am glad to find that you desire to revive the affectionate Intercourse that formerly existed between us. It will be very agreable to me. Indeed nothing has ever hurt me so much and affected me with such keen Sensations, as to find my self deserted in my old Age by my only Son; and not only deserted, but to find him taking up Arms against me, in a Cause wherein my good Fame, Fortune and Life were all at Stake. You conceived, you say, that your Duty to your King & Regard for your Country requir’d this. I ought not to blame you for differing in Sentiments with me in Public Affairs. We are Men, all subject to Errors. Our Opinions are not in our own Power; they are form’d and govern’d much by Circumstances that are often as inexplicable as they are irresistible. – Your Situation was such that few would have censured your remaining Neuter, tho’ there are Natural Duties which precede political Ones, and cannot be extinguish’d by them. This is a disagreeable Subject. I drop it. And we will endeavour as you propose mutually to forget what has happened relating to it, as well as we can. –

            I send your Son over to pay his Duty to you. You will find him much improv’d. He is greatly esteem’d and belov’d in this Country, and will make his Way any where. It is my Desire that he should Study the Law, as a necessary Part of Knowledge for a public Man, and profitable if he should have occasion to practice it. I would have you therefore put into his Hands those Law-books and have viz. Blackstone, Coke, Bacon, Viner, &c. &c. He will inform you, that he received the Letter sent him by Mr Galloway, and the Paper it enclose’d, safe. On my leaving America I deposited with that Friend for you a Chest of Papers, among which was a Manuscript of 9 or 10 Volumes relating to Manufactures, Agriculture, Commerce, Finance, &c. which cost me in England about 70 Guineas; and Eight Quire Books containing the Rough Drafts of all my Letters while I liv’d in London. These are missing. I hope you have got them. If not, they are lost. – Mr Vaughan has publish’d in London a Volume of what he calls my Political Works. He proposes a second Edition. But as the first was very incompleat, and you had many Things that were omitted, for I used to send you sometimes the Rough Drafts, & sometimes the printed Pieces I wrote in London, I have directed him to apply to you for what may be in your Power to furnish him with, or to delay his Publication till I can be home again – if that may ever happen. I did intend returning this Year; but the Congress,  instead of giving me Leave to do so, have sent me another Commission, which will keep me here at least a Year longer; and perhaps I may then be too old and feeble to bear the Voyage, am here among a People that love and respect me, a most amiable Nation to live with, and perhaps I may conclude to die among them; for my Friends in America are dying off one after another, and I have been so long abroad that I should now be almost a Stranger in my own Country. I shall be glad to see you when convenient, but would not have you come here at present. You may confide to your Son the Family Affairs you wished to confer upon with me, for he is discreet. And I trust that you will prudently avoid introducing him to Company that it may be improper for him to be seen with. I shall hear from you by him, and any Letters to me afterwards, will come safe, under Cover directed to Mr Ferdinand Grand, banker at Paris.

            Wishing you Health, and more Happiness than it seems you have lately experienced, I remain, Your affectionate Father.

B. Franklin