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Ben Franklin to return home?
Ben Franklin to return home?
Item # 674413
November 01, 1783
THE LONDON CHRONICLE, England, Nov. 1, 1783
* Benjamin Franklin
The back page has a short but very notable item: "A letter from Paris says that Dr. Franklin is sent for to America, in order to have his advice in making a code of laws for the better government of the United States; and that Mr. Laurens, jun. is to reside at Paris in quality of their Ambassador until some other appointment is made."
Records indicate that he did not return to America, and would not do so until 1785, when shortly after his arrival he would participate in the Constitutional Convention.
Eight pages, 8 1/4 by 11 1/4 inches, very nice condition.
history notes: In 1783, Benjamin Franklin was at the height of his diplomatic career in France, serving as one of the American commissioners tasked with negotiating peace with Britain after the Revolutionary War. Living at his residence in Passy, just outside Paris, Franklin was both a statesman and a cultural icon, admired in French society for his wit, scientific reputation, and embodiment of republican ideals. That year, he worked closely with John Adams and John Jay in often delicate talks with British representatives, balancing French interests with the pressing American goal of securing recognition of independence and favorable territorial terms. His skill in diplomacy, patience, and prestige helped smooth tensions among the negotiators, and on September 3, 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed, officially ending the war and acknowledging the United States as a sovereign nation. Beyond politics, Franklin remained a celebrated figure in Parisian salons, where philosophers, writers, and statesmen sought his company, reinforcing his unique role as both diplomat and symbol of the Enlightenment.
Category: Revolutionary War
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