TO MR. GRAND.

New York, April 23, 1790.

Dear Sir,

You may remember that we were together at the Hôtel de la Monnoye, to
see Mr. Drost strike coins in his new manner, and that you were so kind
as to speak with him afterwards on the subject of his coming to America.
We are now in a condition to establish a mint, and should be desirous
of engaging him in it. I suppose him to be at present in the service
of Watt and Bolton, the latter of whom you may remember to have been
present with us at the Monnoye. I know no means of communicating our
dispositions to Drost so effectually as through your friendly agency,
and therefore take the liberty of asking you to write to him, to know
what emoluments he receives from Watts and Bolton, and whether he would
be willing to come to us for the same? If he will, you may give him an
expectation, but without an absolute engagement, that we will call for
him immediately, and that with himself, we may probably take and pay him
for all the implements of coinage he may have, suited to our purpose. If
he asks higher terms, he will naturally tell you so, and what they are;
and we must reserve a right to consider of them. In either case, I will
ask your answer as soon as possible. I need not observe to you, that
this negotiation should be known to nobody but yourself, Drost, and Mr.
Short. The good old Dr. Franklin, so long the ornament of our country,
and, I may say, of the world, has at length closed his eminent career.
He died on the 17th instant, of an imposthume of his lungs, which having
suppurated and burst, he had not strength to throw off the matter, and
was suffocated by it. His illness from this imposthume was of sixteen
days. Congress wear mourning for him, by a resolve of their body.