The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787/Volume 3/Appendix A/XII

by Max Farrand

XII. Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Jordan.^[1]

Philadelphia, May 18, 1787.

I received your very kind letter of February 27th, together with the cask of porter you have been so good as to send me. We have here at present what the French call une assemblée des notables a convention composed of some of the principal people from the several States of our confederation. They did me the honor of dining with me last Wednesday,^[2] when the cask was broached, and its contents met with the most cordial reception and universal approbation. In short, the company agreed unanimously, that it was the best porter they had ever tasted.

1. Smyth, Writings of Benjamin Franklin, IX, 582.
2. Jameson (Studies, 93) cites another letter of Franklin’s to his sister, to the effect that his new dining-room would enable him to have a dinner-party of only twenty-four, which would be about the number of delegates in attendance on the 16th.