Benjamin Franklin to Dumas, Charles-Guillaume-Frédéric

The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States, Volume 4, Page 240 ; 7 Bigelow's Franklin, 190.

Passy, January 18, 1781.


Surely there never was a more unjust war; it is manifestly such from their own manifesto.
If God governs, as I firmly believe, it is impossible such wickedness should long prosper.

Letters of Delegates to Congress: Volume 11, p. 518, October 1, 1778 - January 31, 1779 --Oliver Ellsworth to Theodore Hinsdale

Revd & dear Sir Philada. Jany 26, 1779
Your kind letter of the 29 Decr. I have recd. & sincerely thank you for.
I am waiting, Sir, as well as you, tho' perhaps with less concern & more doubt, to see how the great events now taking place in the world will affect the moral State of it. Whatever light you may obtain in this matter from prophecies, I confess I have none from Congress nor the book of nature. Of this only I am satisfied, that whatever be the design of Providence in this respect, the powers at war have very little design about it & terminate their views with wealth & empire, leaving religion pretty much out of the question.
With regard to the court of France, in particular, if I am rightly informed, they have themselves no religion at all; & care much less than in former reigns, what or whether any the nation has. They are shifting their policy from superstition to dessipation. Paris, a place not of business, but enjoyment, is made the gayest city in the world & furnished with every amusement and gratification in the compass of nature, to draw together (S drain & drain) there men that from having property & time for brooding, might be dangerous in the country. A standing army does for the rest, & they have less & less occasion for popery. Nor do I apprehend there is any more danger of its (visiting us) spreading in this Country since the alliance than before. I wish I could add the same of Deism, which besides the advantage of high fashion, has its way paved by a dissolution of manners too incident to a state of war. But it is sufficient, dear Sir, that God governs the world, & that his purposes of Grace will be accomplished.
For my thots, on the present state of our political affairs, especially [Page 519] on the state of our paper currency, I will refer you to a short piece you have seen or will see in Hartford paper under the signature of observator.(2)
2 See Oliver Ellsworth's Thoughts on the Paper Currency, January 20, 1779.

Letters of Delegates to Congress: Volume 19 August 1, 1782 - March 11, 1783
Eliphalet Dyer to William Williams

Dear Sir Philadelphia March 2nd 1783

God almighty Governs the World, he has Delivered us out of many Troubles & fears, he still is able, let our Trust be in him & we are Calm. Let Tempest roar, he can still their rage & the Tumult of the People. We know many things are wrong. They always have been so and allways will, which requires more Labor, Patience, and Exertion.