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may enjoy the remainder of your days in ease and honor. The official despatches respecting the peace are looked for every day, and great pageantries are preparing for the joyful proclamation.

You flatter my vanity by approving of my piece respecting the Trees. The law was repealed, and the innocents were saved from slaughter.

I amused myself one snowy day with devising a new game at cards. I enclose you a copy of the rules, printed on the wrapping paper of each pack, and also a couple of the cards as a sample. They are not so well executed as I could wish, but may serve for a first essay. My object was to make my children dexterous and critical in spelling, and to give them a knowledge of the use of letters in the formation of words. These cards are getting into great vogue. Adieu, and be assured I am ever your faithful and affectionate FRANCIS HOPKINSON.

FROM DAVID HARTLEY TO B. FRANKLIN.

Communicating a Supplemental Treaty.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

London, 31 March, 1783.

I send you a paper entitled Supplemental Treaty,† the substance of which I sent you some time ago, as I read it in part of a speech in the House of Commons. I have given a copy of it to Mr. L, as the grounds upon which my friend, the Duke of Portland, would have wished that any administration, in

* See a piece entitled A New Game with Cards for the Improvement of Orthography, contained in HOPKINSON'S Miscellaneous Essays, &c., Vol. I. p. 290.

+ See Diplomatic Correspondence, Vol. IV. p. 92.

which he might have taken a part, should have treated with the American ministers. All negotiations for the formation of a ministry in concert with the Duke of Portland are at an end.

The tenth article, which is supposed to be referred to the definitive treaty, is a renewal of the same proposition, which I moved in Parliament some years ago, viz. on the 9th of April, 1778. I see nothing inconsistent with that proposition, either in the declaration of independence, or in the treaty with France. Let it therefore remain, and emerge after the war, as a point untouched by the war. I assure you my consent should not be wanting to extend this principle between all the nations upon earth. I know full well, that those nations, to which you and I are bound by birth and consanguinity, would reap the earliest fruits from it. Owing no man hate, and envying no man's happiness, I should rejoice in the lot of my own country, and on her part say to America, Nos duo turba sumus. I send you, likewise, enclosed with this, some sentiments respecting the principles of some late negotiations, drawn up in the shape of Parliamentary motions by my brother, who joins with me in the sincerest good wishes to you for health and happiness, and for the peace of our respective countries and of mankind. Your ever affectionate D. HARTLEY.

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The imminent danger to which the vessels of your nation were exposed, which sailed in March last from

Marseilles, and which owed their safety to the god of the seas alone, emboldens me to call your attention to this point.

Some secret enemies (whom I know) having given information to this Regency of their departure, nine armed ships immediately sailed to wait for them at Cape Palos. It is to be presumed, that the Americans had passed the Straits.

Algiers has many ships, and the politics of certain European powers do not restrain them from paying tribute to enjoy peace; they make use of these human harpies as a terror to the belligerent nations, whose commerce they chain to the car of Algerine piracy. We saw an example of this, when his Imperial Majesty, to protect his flag, made use of the firman of the Sublime Porte. It was attacked, and five prizes were brought into this port in 1781, four of which with ballast were restored in February, 1782, at the claim of a Capapigi Bashaw of the Porte, and of M. Timone, the Imperial agent, who was expelled, and whose correspondent I am, having been his secretary on this occasion, and having revealed to his Highness, Prince Kaunitz-Rietberg, minister at the court of Vienna, horrors and crimes, which would have remained unpunished but for my pen.

Humanity alone, Sir, has engaged me to give you this advice. I request you will be pleased to keep it secret; your prudence will effect what may be necessary on this occasion.

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I have the honor to offer you every information respecting this port, and flatter myself that I shall succeed therein. I think to depart from this in May or June next for Marseilles, and to leave these barbarian pirates. I have the honor to be, &c.

SALVA.

FROM COUNT DE VERGENNES TO B. FRANKLIN.

Translation.

Versailles, 5 April, 1783.

SIR,

I have communicated to the Keeper of the Seals the request you have made for publishing a translation of the book of the Constitutions of the United States. The Keeper of the Seals has answered me, that he has authorized M. Pierres, the printer, to commence an impression of this work, on condition of his sending the sheets, as fast as they shall be printed, to M. de Neville, the director-general of the press, in order that he may intrust them to a censor for examination. The rules relative to the press make this last formality indispensable. I have the honor to be very sincerely, Sir, &c.

DE VERGENNES.

TO THE GRAND MASTER OF MALTA.

MY LORD,

Passy, 6 April, 1783.

I have the honor to address to your Eminent Highness the medal, which I have lately had struck. It is a homage of gratitude, my Lord, which is due to the interest you have taken in our cause; and we no less owe it to your virtues, and to your Eminent Highness's wise administration of government." *

* This medal has already been described; see above, p. 173. It was executed according to a device suggested by Dr. Franklin. Several medals have also been struck at different times in honor of Franklin. The following list of some of them has been furnished by Mr. Joshua Francis Fisher, of Philadelphia. They are likewise in part described

Permit me, my Lord, to demand your protection for such of our citizens as circumstances may lead to your ports. I hope that your Eminent Highness will be pleased to grant it to them, and kindly receive the assurances of the profound respect with which I am, my Lord, &c. B. FRANKLIN.

by Dr. Mease, in the Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Vol. IV., 3d Series.

1. A medal apparently struck in England.

Obverse. Full face of Franklin in a cap and with open shirt collar; likeness not good.

Legend.
Reverse.

B. FRANKLIN OF PHILADELPHIA, LL. D. & F. R. S.
An Oak Tree struck by lightning.

Legend. NON IRRITA FULMINA CURAT.

Exergue.-1777.

2. French Medal.

Obverse. A Head of Franklin.

Legend.

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BENJ'N FRANKLIN MINIST. PLÉN. DES ETATS UNIS DE L'AMÉRIQ. SEPT. MDCCLXXXIII.

Reverse. The Temple of Independence; three of the Nine Sisters

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are engaged in working at the columns; four are chiseling a block of stone; two are conversing.

Legend. DE LEURS TRAVAUX NAÎTRE LEUR GLOIRE.

3. French Medal.

Obverse. -Head and Bust of Franklin; his locks flowing down over the shoulders. Engraved by Dupré.

Legend.

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- BENJ. FRANKLIN NATUS BOSTON. XVII. JAN. MDCCVI.

Reverse. Figure of an Angel standing, with one hand pointing to the lightning in the clouds, and the other to a broken sceptre and crown at his feet. In the back ground a Temple with a Conductor. Legend. Exergue. SCULPSIT ET DICAVIT AUG. DUPRÉ, ANNO MDCCLXXXIV. 4. French Medal.

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ERIPUIT CELO FULMEN SCEPTRUMQUE TYRANNIS.

Obverse. The same as the last.

Reverse. ERIPUIT CELO FULMEN SCEPTRUMQUE TYRANNIS, surrounded with a wreath of oak leaves.

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Exergue. SCULPSIT ET DICAVIT AUG. Dupré, anno MDCCLXXXV, 5. Masonic Medal.

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Reverse.-Masonic symbols; the serpent ring, carpenter's square and
compass. In the centre, a triangle and the sacred name in Hebrew.
Legend.
DES 9 SŒURS 0.. DE PARIS 5, 778-5829.

LES. MAÇ FRANÇÀ FRANKLIN. M.. DE LA L

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