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Very significant Franklin letter written to this newspaper: the Hutchinson Letters Affair...
Very significant Franklin letter written to this newspaper: the Hutchinson Letters Affair...
Item # 701455
December 25, 1773
THE LONDON CHRONICLE, England, Dec. 25, 1773 The back page contains an extremely significant letter signed in type by B. Franklin, as the agent in London for the Mass. legislature.
This letter was a critical piece in the "Hutchinson Letters Affair", an incident that increased tensions between the colonists and England before the Revolution. In general, a series of letters written by Gov. Hutchinson & Andrew Oliver to Parliament were received by Ben Franklin & sent to key people in Mass. with strict orders they were not to be published. The letters caused outrage, and at the time the "mole" was not revealed until a duel was fought between two who suspected each other of releasing the letters.
As one website notes: "...Finally Franklin decided to end this nonsense and ‘fess up in a December 25, 1773 editorial in the London Chronicle. In it, he took full responsibility as the person who had received the letters. Ben made the case that the letters “...were written by public officers to persons in public stations, on public affairs...” and stated outright that “...Their tendency was to incense the Mother Country against her Colonies and, by the steps recommended, to widen the breach...”.
Eight pages, 8 1/2 by 11 1/4 inches, very nice condition.
Category: The 1600's and 1700's
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$185.00
