)'■: 'r-r, liiii' sill- Iky I ^^■♦. >■,■*»■' . »■*[;■, . ■..'.' I >'-•■» ' , f - > ■ ; ,:■■ !>,■«?>■;'.. '■ . <'■. • ■ • « ^ n f N .. ' ■ ' • . SHj illiii' Class £.2202. Book_ ^ Gopigttl oF^Ms CilPXRIGHT DEPOSm GPO / 1 1 \ I ^^^^^■l ^^^^^^^^^^^^K ^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^K-' Mr^' > ^^^k ~"m 'i ^^^^^^^^^^■^ ""^^ - 'l^H ^ 1 i ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^E 'X^^^Hll 1 ^ : ^^^^^^Sk' ^^^^i^^^l^HEH^T^i 1 9k' ''''' 1 1 ^ ^^^^^^^&, *'?^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^| 1 ' •'-^^MM^^iHMiNiB^^^^^^^^^^^^^H 1 ^^^^i&i. ^/^hhh^i 1 |^_J ^ ^.■^^■B ^'%^Y^9yra^^ri^ ^ I ^ CI — ^^^ ^ Benjamin Franklin By JOHN S. C. ABBOTT New York '^ Dodd, Mead and Company 1903 > ) J 1 . J J, ^— ^i "i^'j , I Bh^ J ) J ' J 11 1 > J J } i », •> ,j, jj.jjj J * j'j'i'j >>jj^j J.J J.J LIBRARY of CONGRESS Two CoDles Received JUN 16 1904 Copyrleht Entry CLASS M XXo. No. ' COPY B Copyright, 1876 BY DODD, MEAD & COMPANY Copyright, 1904, BY LAURA ABBOTT BUCK 1 1 c C 4. ::i PREFACE. Next to George Washington, we must write, upon the Catalogue of American Patriots, the name of Benjamin Franklin. He had so many virtues that there is no need of exaggerating them ; so few imperfections that they need not be concealed. The writer has endeavored to give a perfectly accurate view of his character, and of that great struggle, in which he took so conspicuous a part, which secured the Independence of the United States. Probably there can no where be found, within the same limits, so vivid a picture of Life in America, one hundred years ago, as the career of Franklin presents. This volume is the twelfth of the Library Series of Pioneers and Patriots. The series presents a graphic history of our country from its discovery. 1. Christopher Columbus reveals to us the West Indies, and gives a narrative of wonders unsurpassed in fact or fable. 2. De Soto conducts us to Florida, and leads us iv PREFACE. • through scenes of romance, crime, blood and woe — through many Indian tribes, across the continent, to the Mississippi, where he finds his melancholy grave. 3. La Salle, and his heroic companions, traversed thousands of miles of majestic lakes and unknown rivers, and introduces us to innumerable barbaric tribes. There is no other writer, who, from his own personal observation, can give one so vivid an idea of Life in the Indian village and wigwam. 4. Miles Standish was the Captain of the Pilgrims. He conducts us in the May Flower, across the Atlantic, lands us at Plymouth, and tells the never to be forgotten story of the heroism of our fathers in laying the foundations of this great republic. 5. CapteAn Kiddy and the Buccaneers, reveal to us the awful condition of North and South America, when there was no protecting law here, and when pirates swept sea and land, inflicting atrocities, the narrative of which causes the ear which hears it to tingle. 6. Peter Stuyvesant takes us by the hand, and introduces us to the Dutch settlement at the mouth of the Hudson, conveys us, in his schooner, up the solitary river, along whose forest-covered banks Indian villages were scattered ; and reveals to us all the struggles, by which the Dutch New Amsterdam was converted into the English New York. PREFACE. V f, Benjamin Franklin should chronologically take his place here. There is probably not, in the com- pass of all literature, a biography more full of enter- tainment and valuable thought, than a truthful sketch of the career of Benjamin Franklin. He leads us to Philadelphia, one hundred and fifty years ago, and makes us perfectly familiar with life there and then. He conducts us across the Atlantic to the Court of St. James, and the Court of Versailles. There is no writer, French or English, who has given such vivid sketches of the scenes which were wit- nessed there, as came from the pen of Benjamin Franklin. For half a century Franklin moved amid the most stupendous events, a graphic history of which his pen has recorded. 8. George Washington has no superior. Humanity is proud of his name. He seems to have approached as near perfection as any man who ever lived. In his wonderful career we became familiar with all the struggles of the American Revolution. With a feeble soldiery, collected from a population of less than three millions of people, he baffled all the efforts of the fleets and armies of Great Britain, the most powerful empire upon this globe. 9. Daniel Boone was the Cowper of the wilderness ; a solitary man loving the silent companionship of the woods. He leads us across the Alleghanies to VI PREFACE. • the fields of Kentucky, before any white man's foot had traversed those magnificent realms. No tale of romance could ever surpass his adventures with the Indians. 10. Kit Carson was the child of the wilderness He was by nature a gentleman, and one of the most lovable of men. His weird-like life passed rapidly away, before the introduction of railroads and steam- boats. His strange, heroic adventures are ever read with astonishment, and they invariably secure for him the respect and affection of all who become fa- miliar with his name. 1 1. Paul Jones was one of the purest patriots, and perhaps the most heroic naval hero, to whom any country has given birth. He has been so traduced, by the tory press of Great Britain, that even the Americans have not yet done him full justice^ This narrative of his astonishing achievements will, it is hoped, give him rank, in the opinion of every reader, with Washington, Franklin, Jefferson and Lafayette. 12. David Crockett was a unique man. There is no one like him. Under no institutions but ours could such a character be formed. From a log hut, more comfortless than the wigwam of the savage, and without being able either to read or write, he enters legislative halls, takes his seat in Congress, and makes the tour of our great cities, attracting crowds to hear PREFACE. Vli him speak. His life is a wild romance of undoubted truth. Such is the character of this little library of twelve volumes. The writer, who has now entered the evening of life, affectionately commends them to the young men of America, upon whose footsteps their morning sun is now rising. The life of each one, if prolonged to three score years and ten, will surely prove a stormy scene. But it may end in a serene and tranquil evening, ushering in the glories of an immortal day. John S. C. Abbott. Faui Haven. Conn. \ CON TENTS. CHAPTER I. Parentage and Early Life. FAM The parentage of Franklin — His parents emigrate to America- Character of his father — Abiah Folger, his mother — Birth and baptism — Influence of his Uncle Strong — Of the Whis tie— Childish exploits — Uncongenial employment — Skill in swimming — Early reading — Boston at that time — An in- dentured apprentice — Form of Indenture — Enters a print- ing office — Fondness for reading — Anecdotes — Habits of study — Fondness for argument — Adopts a vegetable diet— The two creeds II CHAPTER II. Developments of Character, Views of the Sabbath — Writings of Collins and Shaftsbury — The creed of Collins — Franklin at sixteen — The Courant — De- nnnciations of the paper — Franklin's mode of acquiring the art of composition — His success as a writer — The Editor prosecuted — Benjamin becomes Editor and Publisher — ^Jeal- ousy of his brother — The runaway apprentice — The voyage to New York — Great disappointment— Eventful Journey to Philadelphia — Gloomy prospects — The dawn of brighter days. 31 6 CONTENTS. V CHAPTER III. Excursion to England. tkiom Attention to dress — Receives a visit from Gov. Keith- His viiit to Boston — Collins returns to Philadelphia vith him — Sir William Keith's aid — Excursions on the Sabbath — Difficulty with Collins — Spending Mr. Vernon's money — His three friends — Engagement with Deborah Read — Voyage to Eng- land — Keith's deceit — Ralph — Franklin enters a printing house in London 59 CHAPTER IV. Mental and Moral Conflicts, Faithfulness to work — Neglect of Deborah Read — Treatise on Liberty and Necessity — Skill in swimming — Return to America — Marriage of Miss Read — Severe sickness — Death of Mr. Denham — Returns to Keimer's employ — The Junto — His Epitaph — Reformation of his treatise on Liberty and Necessity — Franklin's creed 75 CHAPTER V. The Dawn of Prosperity. Franklin takes a house — His first job — His industry — Plans a Newspaper — Enters the list as a writer — Advocates a Paper currency — Purchases Keimer's paper — Character of Meredith — Struggles of the firm — Unexpected assistance — Dissolves partnership with Meredith — Franklin's energetic conduct — His courtship, and marriage — Character of Mrs. Franklin — Increase of luxury — Plans for a library — Prosperity of Penn- sylvania — Customs in Philadelphia — Style of dress in 1726— Franklin's social position in Philadelphia — His success — ^A hard student 101 CONTENTS. 7 CHAPTER VI. Religious and Philosophic Views, PACB Studioas habits — New religion — Personal habits — Church of the Free and Easy — His many accomplishments — The career of Hemphall — Birth and Death of Franklin's son — The Min- istry of Whitefield — Remarkable friendship between the phil- osopher and the preacher — Prosperity of FrankAin — His con- vivial habits — The defense of Philadelphia — Birth of a daughter— The Philadelphia Academy 126 CHAPTER VIJ. Thg jy-adesman b^^mes a Philosopher. Franklin appointed Indian commissioner — Effects of Rum — Indian logic — Accumul^^ting honors — Benevolent enterprises — Franklin's counsel to Tennent — Efforts for city improve- ment — Anecdotes-^Franklin appointed postmaster — Rumors of War — Englan<\ enlists the Six Nations in her cause — Franklin plans * Confederacy of States — Plans rejected — Electrical experiments — Franklin's increase of income — Fearful experiments — The kite — New honors — Views of the French philosopher — Franklin's Religious views — His coun- sel to a yovn^r pleader — Post office Reforms ... 14] CHAPTER VIII. 77ie Rising Storms of War. Aristocracv — Anecdote — Conflicting laws of Nations — Franklin's scheme of colonization — Proposal of the British Court — The foresight of Franklin — Braddock's campaign — Remonstran- ces of Franklin and Washington — Franklin's interviews with Braddock — Franklin's efficiency — Confidence of Brad« dock — The conflict with the Proprietaries — The ncn-resis- 8 CONTENTS. PASM tant Quakers — Fate of the Moravian villages — The winter campaign — The camp of Gaudenhutton — Anecdote — Re- newal of the strife with the Proprietaries — Franklin recalled to assist the Assembly — Destruction of the Fort — Claim of the Proprietaries — The great controversy l68 CHAPTER IX. Franklin^ s Mission to England. New marks of respect — Tx)rd Loudoun — Gov. Denny and Frank- lin — ^Visit the Indians — Franklin commissioner to England — His constant good nature — Loudoun's delays — Wise action of an English captain — The voyagers land at Falmouth — Journey to London — Franklin's style of living in London — His electrical experiments — He teaches the Cambridge pro- fessor — Complimentary action of St. Andrews — Gov. Denny displaced, and dark clouds arising — Franklin's successful diplomacy — His son appointed Governor of New Jersey — Great opposition — The homeward voyage — Savage horrors^ Retaliating cruelties — Franklin's efiforts in behalf of the Moravian Indians igO CHAPTER X. FranklirCs Second Mission to England, Fiendish conduct of John Penn — Petition to the crown — Debt of England — Two causes of conflict — Franklin sent to Eng- land — His embarkation — ^Wise counsel to his daughter— The stamp act — American resolves — Edmund Burke — Examina- tion of Franklin — Words of Lord Chatham — Dangers to English operatives — Repeal of the stamp act — Joy in Amer- ica — Ross Mackay — New taxes levied — Character of George III — ^Accumulation of honors to Franklin — Warlike prep- arations — Human conscientiousness — Unpopularity of Wil- liam Franklin — Marriage of Sarah Franklin — Franklin's Taried investigations — Efforts to civilize the Sandwich Islands. , %\\ CONTENTS. 9r CHAPTER XI. TTte Intolerance of King and Court, Parties in England — Franklin the favorite of the opposition- Plans of the Tories — Christian III — Letter of Franklin — Dr. Priestley — Parisian courtesy — Louis XV — ^Visit to Ireland — Attempted alteration of the Prayer Book — Letter to his son — Astounding letters from America — Words of John Adams — Petition of the Assembly — ^Violent conspiracy against Franklin — His bearing in the court-room — Wedderbum's infamous charges — Letter of Franklin — Bitter words of Dr. Johnson — Morals of English lords — Commercial value of the Colonies — Dangers threatening Franklin 24a CHAPTER XII. The Bloodhounds of War Unleashed. The mission of Josiah Quincy — Love of England by the Ameri* cans — Petition to the king — Sickness and death of Mrs. Franklin — Lord Chatham — His speech in favor of the col- onists — Lord Howe — His interview with Franklin — Firm- ness of Franklin — His indignation — His mirth — Franklin's fable — He embarks for Philadelphia — Feeble condition of the colonies — England's expressions of contempt — Franklin's reception at Philadelphia — His letter to Edmund Burke — Post office arrangements — Defection and conduct of William Franklin — His arrest 265 CHAPTER XIII. Progress of the Wary both of Diplomacy and the Sword. Letter of Henry Laurens — Franklin visits the army before Boston —Letter of Mrs. Adams— Burning of Falmouth — Franklin's journey to Montreal — The Declaration of Independence-* lO CONTENTS. PAGB Anecdote of the Hatter — Framing the Constitution — Lord Howe's Declaration — Franklin's reply — The Conference — Encouraging letter from France — Franklin's embassy to France — The two parties in France — The voyage — The reception ir. France 393 CHAPTER XIV. The Struggles of Diplomacy, Anecdote of Gibbon — ^John Adams — Residence at Passy — La fayette introduced — Cruise of the Reprisal — Paul Jones — Capture of Burgoyne — Alliance with France — Anecdote of the Cake — Excitement in England — Franklin's introduction to the king — ^Joy in America — Extraordinary letter of Count Wissenstein — The reply — Injustice to Paul Jones — French troops in America — Character of John Adams — Franklin's mature views of human nature — Anecdote of the Angel- Capture of Comwallis — Its effect in England — Prejudices of Mr. Jay — Testimony of Dr. Sparks — Jealousy of Franklin — Shrewd diplomatic act — The treaty signed 331 CHAPTER XV. Lifers Closing Scenes, Advice to Thomas Paine— Scenes at Passy — Journey to the Coast — Return to America — Elected Governor of Pennsylvania- Attends the Constitutional Convention — Proposes prayers- Remarkable speech — Letter to Dr. Stiles — Christ on the Cross — Last sickness and death 356 Benjamin Franklin. CHAPTER I. Parentage and Early Life. rhr parentage of Franklin. — His parents emigrate to America. — Char- acter of his father. — Abiah Folger, his mother. — Birth and bap- tism. — Influence of his Uncle Strong. — Of the Whistle. — Childish exploits. — Uncongenial employment. — Skill in swimming. — Early reading. — Boston at that time. — An indentured apprentice. — Form of Indenture. — Enters a printing office. — Fondness for reading. — Anecdotes. — Habits of study. — Fondness for argument. — Adopts a vegetable diet. — The two creeds. About the year 1685, Josiah Franklin, with his wife and three children, emigrated from Banbury, England, to seek his fortune in this new world. He was in all respects a very worthy man, intelligent, industrious, and influenced to conduct by high moral and religious principles. Several of Josiah Franklin's neighbors accompanied him in his re- moval. Boston was then a straggling village, of five or ,12 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. ■ six thousand inhabitants. In front spread out its magnificent bay, with its beautiful islands. In the ■rear the primeval forest extended, almost unbroken through unexplored wilds to the Pacific. His trade was that of a dyer. Finding, however, but little em- ployment in that business, he set up as a tallow chandler and soap boiler. Four years of life's usual joys and sorrows passed away when Mrs. Franklin died, leaving six children. The eldest was but eleven years of age. This motherless little family needed a maternal guardian. Within the year, Mr. Franklin married Abiah Folger, of Nantucket. She was the youngest daughter of Peter Folger, a man illustrious for many virtues, and of whom it has been well said, that "he was worthy to be the grand- father of Benjamin Franklin." She proved to be a -noble woman, and was all that either husband or children could wish for. Ten children were the fruit of this union. Benjamin was born on the sixth of January, (O. S.) 1706. He was born in the morning of a" Sabbath day. His father then resided directly opposite the Old South Church, in Milk street. The same day, the babe, whose renown it was then little imagined would subsequently fill the civilized world, was wrapped in blankets, and carried by his father across the street through the wintry air, to the Old South PARENTAGE AND EARLY IJFE. 1 3 Church, where he was baptized by the Rev. Dr. Willard. He was named Benjamin, after a much beloved uncle then residing in England. This uncle was a man of some property, of decided literary tastes, and of the simple, fervent piety, which char- acterized the best people of those days. He took an ever increasing interest in Benjamin. He event- ually came over to this country, and exerted a powerful influence in moulding the character of his nephew, whose brilliant intellect he appreciated. Soon after the birth of Benjamin, his father removed to a humble but comfortable dwelling at the corner of Hanover and Union streets. Here he passed the remainder of his days. When Franklin had attained the age of five years, a terrible confla- gration took place, since known as the Great Boston Fire. Just as the cold blasts of winter began to sweep the streets, this great calamity occurred. The whole heart of the thriving little town was laid in ashes. Over a hundred families found therii- selves in destitution in the streets. An incident took place when Franklin was about seven years of age, which left so indelible an im- pression upon his mind, that it cannot be omitted in any faithful record of his life He gave the follow- ing acccunt of the event in his autobiography, writ- ten after the lapse of sixty-six years : 14 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. ** My friends, on a holiday, filled my pockets with coppers. I went directly to a shop where they sold toys for children ; and being charmed with the sound of a whistle that I met by the way in the hands of another boy, I voluntarily gave all my money for one. I then came home and went whist- Hng all over the house, much pleased with my whistle, but disturbing all the family. My brothers and sisters and cousins, understanding the bargain I had made, told me that I had given four times as much for it as it was worth ; put me in mind what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money ; and laughed at me so much for my folly, that I cried with vexation ; and the reflection gave me more chagrin than the whistle gave me pleasure." This story, as published by Franklin, with his keen practical reflections, has become as a house- hold word in all the families of England and Ameri- ca ; and has been translated into nearly all the lan- guages of modern Europe. From early childhood Franklin was celebrated for his physical beauty, his athletic vigor and his imperturbable good nature. His companions inva- riably recognized him as their natural leader. He was in no respect what would be called a religious boy, but in many things he had a high sense of honor PARENTAGE AND EARLY LIFE. I J There was a marsh, flooded at high tides, where the boys used to fish for minnows. Much tram pling had converted the spot into a quagmire. A man was about to build a house near by, and had carted a large quantity of stones for the cellar. Franklin called the boys together and suggested that they should go in the evening, take those stones, and build a wharf upon which they could stand with dry feet. It was done. And under the skilful engineering of the youthful Franklin, it was quite scientifically done. Complaints and detection followed. Josiah Franklin severely reproved Benja- min for the dishonest act, but it does not appear that the conscience of the precocious boy was much troubled. He argued very forcibly that the utility of the measure proved its necessity. At the age of eight years, Benjamin entered the Boston Grammar School. His progress was very rapid, and at the close of the year he was at the head of his class. The father had hoped to give his promising boy a liberal education ; but his large family and straitened circumstances rendered it necessary for him to abandon the plan. At the age of ten years his school life was completed, and he was taken into his father's shop to run of errands, and to attend to the details of candle-making, cut- ting wicks, filling moulds, and waiting upon cus- t6 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • tomers. He could write a good hand, could re fluently, could express himself with ease on paper, but in all arithmetical studies was very backward. There is scarcely any sport which has such a charm for boys as swimming. Franklin excelled all his companions. It is reported that his skill was wonderful ; and that at any time between his twelfth and sixtieth year, he could with ease have swum across the Hellespont. In his earliest years, in all his amusements and employments, his inventive genius was at work in searching out expedients. To facilitate rapidity in swimming he formed two oval pallets, much resembling those used by paint- ers, about ^ten inches long, and six broad. A hole was cut for the thumb and they were bound fast to the palm of the hand. Sandals of a somewhat similar construction were bound to the soles of the feet. With these appliances Franklin found that he could swim more rapidly, but his wrists soon became greatly fatigued. The sandals also he found of little avail, as in swimming, the propelling stroke is partly given by the inside of the feet and ankles, and not entirely by the soles of the feet. In the vicinity of Boston there was a pond a mile wide. Franklin made a large paper kite, and when the wind blew strongly across the pond, he raised it, and entering the water and throwing him- PARENTAGE AND EARLY LIFE. 1 7 self upon his back was borne rapidly to the opposite shore. ** The motion," he says, " was exceedingly agreeable." A boy carried his clothes around. Subsequently he wrote to M. Duborg, ** I have never since that time practiced this singular mode of swimming ; though I think it not impossible to cross in this manner from Dover to Calais. The packet boat, however, is still pre- ferable." * The taste for reading of this wonderful boy was insatiable. He had access, comparatively, to few books, but those he devoured with the utmost eager- ness. Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress was, so to speak, his first love. Having read and re-read it until his whole spirit was incorporated with its nature, he sold the volume and purchased Burton's Historical Collections. This consisted of quite a series of anecdotes and adventures, written in an attractive style, and published at a low price. In those early years he read another book which exerted a power- ful influence in the formation of his character. When eighty years of age he alludes as follows to this work in a letter to Mr. Samuel Mather, who was son of the author. Cotton Mather, " When I was a boy I met with a book entitled Essays to do Good,* which I think was written by ♦ SparlcR* Life and Works of Franklin, Vol 6 p. 291. i8 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. your father. It had been so little regarded by a former possessor that several leaves of it were toin out ; but the remainder gave me such a turn of thinking, as to have an influence on my conduct through life ; for I have always set a greater value on the character of a doer of good, than on any other kind of a reputation ; and if I have been, as you seem to think, a useful citizen, the public owe the advantage of it to that book." * When Franklin was twelve years of age, the population of Boston had increased to about ten thousand. An incident is recorded of Franklin at this time, which strikingly illustrates the peculiarity of his mental structure and the want of reverence with which he gradually accustomed himself to re- gard religious things. His father's habit, in the long graces which preceded each meal, rather wearied the temper of his son. Tb^ precocious young skeptic, with characteristic irreverence, ventured to say, " I think, father, that if you were to say grace over the whole cask, once for all, it would save time." t This was the remark of a boy but twelve years of age. Though it does not indicate a very devout ♦ This volume has been re-published by the Mass. S. S. Society. f Works of Dr. Franklin by W. Temple Franklin. Vol i,p. 447. PARENTAGE AND EARLY LIFE. I9 Spirit, it certainly gives evidence of an intellect of unusual acuteness. Franklin ever spoke of his boyhood as the very happy period of a lemarkably happy life. His pe- culiar temperament enabled him to be happy under circumstances in which others would have been very miserable. His affections in after years ever yearned toward Boston ; he was accustomed to speak of it as ** that beloved place." In one of his letters to John Lathrop he wrote, ** The Boston manner, the turn of phrase, and even tone of voice and accent in pronunciation, all please and seem to revive and refresh me." For two years Benjamin continued to assist his father in the business of soap and candle making. He was continually looking for an opportunity to escape the drudgery of that employment and enter upon some more congenial business. Like most adventurous boys, he thought much of the romance of a sea-life. An elder brother had run away, had gone to sea, and for years had not been heard from. Benjamin's father became very anxious as he wit- nessed the discontent of his son. This anxiety was increased when an elder brother married, removed to Rhode Island, and set up a soap and candle establishment for himself. This seemed to Benja- min to rivet the chains which bound him at homQ 20 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. Apparently his father could not spare him from the business. Thus he seemed doomed to spend the remainder of his days in employment which proved to him increasingly uncongenial. The judicious father, apprehensive that his son might be lured secretly to embark for some distant voyage, visited with his son all the varied work- shops of Boston, that he might select that trade which to him would seem most desirable. Benja- min examined all these workshops with intensest interest. He selected the employment of a cutler, and entered upon the business for a few days ; but at that time a boy who was about to learn a trade was apprenticed to a master. As a premium for learning the business he usually had to pay about one hundred dollars. Then after a series of years,, during which he worked for nothing, he was entitled for a time to receive journeyman's wages. But his father, Josiah Franklin, was unable to settle satisfac- torily the terms of indenture, and the cutlery trade was given up. We have mentioned that Franklin was one of a large family of children. By the two marriages of his father, there were sixteen sons and daughters around the family hearth. One of the sons, James, had been sent to London to learn the trade of a printer. He returned to Boston and set up business PARENTAGE AND EARLY LIFE. 21 on his own account, when Benjamin was eleven years of age. It was decided to bind Benjamii. to this business. Reluctantly Benjamin consented to place himself in such subordination to his brother. He was, however, bound to him for a period of nine years, from twelve to twenty-one. During the last year he was to receive a journeyman's wages.. The following extract from this form of indenture of apprenticeship, which was in common use in the reign of George the First, will be read with interest. " He shall neither buy nor sell without his mas- ter's license. Taverns, inns, or alehouses he shall not haunt. At cards, dice, tables, or any other unlaw- ful game he shall not play. Matrimony he shall not contract ; nor from the service of his said master day nor night absent himself, but in all things, as an honest and faithful apprentice, shall and will demean and behave himself towards his said master and all his, during said term. And the said James Frank- lin, the master, for and in consideration of the sum of ten pounds of lawful British money to him in hand paid by the said Josiah Franklin, the father, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the said apprentice in the art of a printer which he now useth, shall teach and instruct or cause to be taught and instructed the best way and manner that he can, 22 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN finding and allowing unto the said apprentice, meat, drink, washing, lodging and all other necessaries during the said term." Benjamin devoted himself with great assidvity to learn the trade of a printer. The office in which he worked, stood at the corner of Franklin avenue and Court street. For three years, Franklin was thus employed, apparently never seeking recreation, and never having a moment of leisure save such as he could rescue from sleep or from his meals There were at that time several bookstores in Boston. The eminent men of that province had brought with' them to the New World, literary and scientific tastes of a high order. Even then the axe of the settler had been heard but at a short distance in the primeval forests, which still encircled all the large towns. Bears were not unfrequently shot from Long Wharf, as they swam from island to island, or endeavored to cross the solitary bay. It is said that at that time twenty bears were often shot in a week. Benjamin Franklin, inspired by his love of read- ing, cultivated friendly relations with the clerks in the bookstores. From them he borrowed interest- ing volumes, which he took home in the evening with the utmost care, and having spent most of the night in reading, would return them at an early hour PARENTAGE AND EARLY LIFE. 23 in the morning, before the master of the shop had time to miss them. Something in the demeanor of Franklin at- tracted the attention of a merchant in Boston by the name of Matthew Adam3. He invited him to his library and loaned him books. The lad's Uncle Benjamin, in England, who was very fond of compos- ing rhymes which he called poetry, sent many of his effusions to his favorite nephew, and opened quite a brisk correspondence with him. Thus Benjamin soon became a fluent rhymester, and wrote sundry ballads which were sold in the streets and became quite popular. There was a great demand at that time for narratives of the exploits of pirates, the doom of murderers, and wild love adventures. It is said that one of the Boston publishers, in the sale of ballads alone, found a very lucrative business. Benjamin, who found it very easy to write doggerel verse, wrote one ballad called " The Lighthouse Tragedy." It was a graphic, and what would be called at the present day, a sensational account of a shipwreck, in which the captain and his two daugh- ters perished. He wrote another which was still more captivating, and which in all its main features was historically true. It was an account of the world -renowned pirate, Edward Teach, usually called Blackbeard. The reader will find a minute 24 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • narrative of the career of that monster in the vol- ume of this series of Pioneers and Patriots entitled " Captain Kidd ; or the early American Buccaneers.*' One stanza has descended to us which it is said composed a portion of this ballad, and which is cer- tainly a fair specimen of the popular style then in vogue. " Come all you jolly sailors You all so stout and brave, Come hearken and I'll tell you, What happened on the wave. Oh 'tis of that bloody Blackbeard I'm going now for to tell And as how by gallant Maynard He soon was sent to Hell. ' With a down, down, derry down.** This was indeed wretched stuff, as Franklin aftei- wards admitted ; but it is to be remembered he wafr then but a boy of fifteen. Having composed the ballad and set in type and printed it, he was then sent to hawk it through the streets. This was cer- tainly are markable achievement for a lad of his years. The eagerness with which both of the ballads were seized by the public must have greatly gratified the self-esteem of the young writer. Addison was a bungler in talk, but every sentence from his pen was elegant. He once said, " I carry no loose change in my pocket, but I can draw for a thou- sand pounds.* Burke said of Goldsmith, ** He writes PARENTAGE AND EARLY LIFE. 2$ like an angel, but he talks like poor Poll/* Frank- lin was by no means a bungler in his speech, but he was not fluent. He hesitated, and was at a loss for words, but whatever he wrote had a wonderful flow of harmony. The right word was always in the right place. Doubtless had he devoted as much attention to the acquirement of conversational ease, as he did to skill in writing, he would have been as successful in the one art as in the other. From early life it was his great ambition to be not merely a fine but a forcible writer. He did not seek splen- dor of diction, but that perspicuity, that transpa- rency of expression which would convey the thought most directly to the mind. An odd volume of the Spectator fell in his way. He was charmed with the style. Selecting some interesting incident, he would read it with the closest care ; he would then close the book, endeavoring to retain the thought only without regard to the ex- pression. Then with pen, in hand, he would sit down and relate the anecdote or the incident in the most forceful and graphic words his vocabulary would afford. This he would correct and re-correct,, minutely attending to the capitals and the punctua- tion until he had made it in all respects as perfect as it was in his power. He then compared his nar- rative with that in the Spectator. Of course he usually 26 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN found many faults which he had committed, but oc- casionally he could not but admit he had improved upon his original. This encouraged him with the hope that by long continued practice, he might become an able writer of the English language. This practice he continued for months, varying it in many ways. He continued to rhyme, though he admitted that there was little poetry in his verse. The exercise, however, he thought useful in giving him a mastery of language. Though Franklin wrote ballads, he seemed to be mainly interested in reading books of the most elevated and instructive character. Locke's ** Essay on the Human Understanding," he studied thor- oughly. " The Art of Thinking," by the Messrs. de Port Royal, engrossed all his energies. But perhaps there was no book, at that time, which pro- duced so deep and abiding impression on his mind as the "Memorabilia of Socrates," by Xenophon. Franklin was fond of arguing ; he was naturally disputatious. With his keen intellect, he was pretty sure to come off as victor, at least in his own judgment, in discussions with his associates. But the Socratic method of argumentation, so different from that in which he had been accustomed to indulge, at once secured his approval and admira- tion. Socrates was never guilty of the discourtesy PARENTAGE AND EARLY LIFE. 2J of assailing an opponent with flat contradiction or positive assertion. With a politeness which never failed him, and a modesty of demeanor which won the regard of all others, he would lead his fellow disputant, by a series of questions, to assent to the views which he advocated. Franklin immediately commenced practicing upon this newly discovered art. He was remarkably successful, and became one of the most agreeable and beloved of companions. But ere long he became satisfied of the folly of these disputations, in which each party struggles, not foi truth, but for victory. It is simply an exercise of intellectual gladiatorship, in which the man who has the most skill and muscle discomfits his antagonist. Jefferson warned his nephew to avoid disputation. He says, **/I have never known, during my long life, any persons engage in a dispute in which they did not separate, each more firmly convinced than be- fore of the correctness of his own views." Franklin enjoyed marvellous health. His diges- tive powers were perfect. He could live upon any thing and almost upon nothing without experienc- ing any inconvenience. A book advocating purely vegetable diet accidentally fell into his hands. It urged the pecuniary economy and the saving of time in adopting a vegetarian diet. Eagerly he adopted the views presented. He could safely do so, had '28 BElNjAMIN FRANKLIN. • , the author advocated raw onions and carrots. The stomach of Franklin would have received them and assimilated them without any remonstrance. He succeeded in inducing his brother to relinquish one half of his board and allow him to board himself. Benjamin found that in this way, he saved much time and much money. A handful of raisins, a roll of bread, and a glass of water afforded him a dinner. . This he could dispose of in from five to ten minutes, and have the remainder of the dinner hour for reading. The hours of the night were his own. He often sat up late and rose early, his soul all absorbed in intel- lectual vigils. There are two platforms of morality, in some respects inseparably blended, in others quite dis- , tinctly separated from each other. The one of these platforms constitutes the low standard of mere worldly morality. It says, You must not kill, you must not steal, you must not lie, you must not slander your neighbor, you must not cheat him in a bargain. But there is another platform which not only includes all this, but which introduces principles of an infinitely higher grade. It is the platform en forced by Jesus Christ as essential to a life which shall be pleasing to our Heavenly Father. Our Saviour says. You must love God in whom you live PARENTAGE AND EARLY LIFE. 29 and move and have your being : you must daily pray to him with gratitude for the favors you re- ceive. In the great conflict, raging here below, between sin and holiness, your whole heart must yearn with the desire that God's "kingdom may come and that His will may be done on earth as in Heaven." Imitating the example of your Saviour, who was God manifest in the flesh that by His life He might show men how to live, you must do every- thing in your power to lead your neighbors and friends to love God, to avoid everything in thought, word, or deed, which you think will be displeasing to Him ; and you must do all in your power to prepare your heart for that world of purity and love where the spirits of the just are made perfect. No one can be blind to the fact that these principles are infinitely above the principles of mere worldly morality. They are not a substitute for those prin- ciples, but an addition to them. At the age of sixteen, Franklin was disposed to adopt the lower of these creeds as his rule of life ; at times affirming that it was superior to the teach- ings of Jesus Christ ; while again there would be the very clear and inconsistent avowal that, in this wicked world, something more was needed than teachings which he could plainly see seldom, if evei 30 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. influenced a lost and degraded man, to be changed from a Saul of Tarsus to a Paul the Apostle. No one can understand the peculiar religious and moral character of Benjamin Franklin, without bearing in mind these distinctions. CHAPTER 11. Developments of Character* ▼ iews of the Sabbath — Writings of Collins and Shaftsb iry— The creed of Collins — Franklin at sixteen — The Courant — Denunci- ations of the paper — Franklin's mode of acquiring the art of composition — His success as a writer — The Editor prosecuted— Benjamin becomes Editor and Publisher — Jealousy of his brother — The runaway apprentice — The voyage to New York — Great disappointment — Eventful Journey to Philadelphia — Gloomy prospects — The dawn of brighter days. Franklin was never scrupulous in the observ- ance of the Sabbath. Still, though he but occasion- ally attended church, he at times very earnestly urged that duty upon his young friends. It is not proba- ble that the preaching he heard in those days was calculated to interest him. While a child under the parental roof, he ordinarily accompanied his parents and seemed to regard it as his duty to do so. He now, however, with an increasing sense of independence, very much preferred to spend his precious hours in his chamber, reading books which engrossed his most intense interest. Unfortunately many treatises fell into his hands in which unchris- tian sentiments were conveyed to his mind, by men 32 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • of the highest intellectual character, and whose writings were invested with the most fascinating charms of eloquence. Robert Boyle, an Irish nobleman of wealth and fervent piety, had established at Oxford a lecture- ship, the object of which was to prove the truth of the Christian religion. These lectures had found their way in tracts to the little library of Franklin's father. When but fifteen years of age the boy read them, with a far keener relish than most school-boys now read the flashy novels of the day. In order to refute the arguments of the deists, the lecturers were bound to produce those arguments fairly and forcibly. But to this young boy's piercing mind, the arguments against Christianity seemed stronger than those which were brought forward to refute them. Thus the lad became, not a positive unbe- liever, but an honest doubter. He now sought earnestly for other works upon that all-important subject. The two most important, influential and popular writers of that day were perhaps Anthony Collins and the Earl of Shaftsbury. These were both men of fortune, of polished education, and of great rhetorical tnd argumentative skill. Their influence over young .ninds was greatly increased by the courtesy and candor which pervaded all their writings. They ever DEVELOPMENTS OF CHARACTER. 33 wrote like gentlemen addressing gentlemen ; and the views they urged were presented with the modesty of men who were earnestly seeking for the truth. The main attack of both of these men was di- rected against the miracles of the Bible. It was very evident that, the Divine authority of the Bible being overthrown, the whole structure of the Christian religion and morality must pass away. Mr. Parton, in his admirable Life of Franklin, says, "Any one who will turn over an edition of Shaftsbury, and try to read it with the mind of this merry and receptive printer's boy, will perceive how entirely captivating it must have been to him. The raillery that was always the raillery of a gentleman ; the irony so delicate as really to deceive some men who passed for acute ; the fine urbanity that pervades even the passages called severe ; the genuine rever- ence of the author for virtue ; the spectacle revealed of a man uniting in himself all that is good in sense, with all that is agreeable in the man of the world, — how pleasing it must all have been to our inky apprentice as he munched his noon-day crust." The practical creed of CoUins and Shaftsbury, so far as it can be gleaned from the obscurity of their brilliant pages, consisted in the entire renunciation of all that is deemed the spirituahty of the Christian creed, and the simple enforcement of the ordinary 34 BENJAMIN iiRANKLlN. * principles of morality in man's intercourse with his brother man. In substance they said, " Be truthful and honest. Do not openly oppose the institutions of Christianity, for that will render you obnoxious to your neighbors. Conform to the ordinary usages of the society in the midst of which you move ; and as to creeds, let them alone as un- worthy of a moment's thought." Franklin, at sixteen years of age, became a thor- ough convert to these views. He was virtually with- out any God. He had no rule of life but his own instincts ; but those instincts were of a high order, emboldening his character and restraining him from all vulgar vice. Thus he wandered for many years ; though there are many indications of an occasionally troubled mind, and though he at times struggled with great eagerness to obtain a higher state of moral perfection, he certainly never developed the character of a warm-hearted and devoted follower of Jesus.* * •* For some years he wandered in heathenisl darkness. He for sock the safe and good though narrow way of his forefathers, and of his father and mother, and his gentle Uncle Benjamin, without finding better and larger ways of his own. He was in danger of becoming a castaway or a commonplace successful man of the world. He found in due time, after many trials, and much suffering and many grievous errors, that the soul of a man does not thrive upon negations, and that, in very truth a man must believe in order that he may be saved.* ^-Parton's Life of Franklin, Vol. i,/. 71. DEVELOPMENTS OF CUARACTER. 35 James Franklin was prosperous in his business. On the 17th of August, 1721, he issued the first number of a newspaper entitled ** The New Eng- land Courant." Benjamin set the type, struck off the impression of two or three hundred, with a hand-press, and then traversed the streets, carrying the diminutive sheet to the homes of the subscri- bers. The Courant soon attracted attention. A knot of sparkling writers began to contribute to its columns, and while the paper was with increasing eagerness sought for, a clamor was soon raised against it. It was denounced as radical in its political tendencies, and as speaking contemptuous- ly of the institutions of religion. Cotton Mather, even, launched one of his thunderbolts against it He wrote, " We find a notorious, scandalous paper called ** The Courant " full freighted with nonsense, un- manlincss, raillery, profaneness, immorality, arro- gance, calumnies, lies, contradictions and what not all tending to quarrels and divisions, and to debauch and corrupt the mind and manners of New England/* Increase Mather also denounced the paper, in terms still more emphatic. At this time a strong antipathy was springing up between James, and his apprentice brother. James assumed the airs of a master, and was arro- 36 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. ganc and domineering, at times in his anger pro ceeding even to blows. Benjamin was opinionated, headstrong and very unwilling to yield to another's guidance. As Benjamin compared his own com- rjositions with those which were sent to the Courant, he was convinced that he could write as well, if not better, than others. He, therefore, one evening prepared an article, before he was sixteen years of age, which, with the greatest care, was written in pure Addisonian diction. Disguising his hand, he slipped this at night under the door of the printing office. The next morning several contribu- tors were chatting together in the editorial office, as Benjamin stood at the printing case setting his types. The anonymous article was read and freely commented upon. The young writer was delighted in finding it highly commended, and in their guesses for the author, the names of the most distinguished men in Boston were mentioned. The singular nom de plume he assumed was ** Silence Dogood." Over that signature he wrote many articles before it was ascertained that he was the author. These articles attracted so much at- tention that young Benjamin could not refrain from claiming their paternity. This led his brother and others to regard him with far more respect than heretofore. ] DEVELOPMENTS OF CHARACTER. 37 But the Courant, while popular with the masses, became unpopular with the governmental authori- ties and with the religious community. As a slap in the face of the government, a fictitious letter was written, professedly from Newport, stating that a piratic ship had appeared off the coast, plundering, burning, and destroying. It was then stated that the government of Massachusetts was fitting out an armed vessel to attack the pirate, and that, wind and weather permitting, the vessel would sail from Boston sometime during the month. This reflection upon the dilatoriness of govern- ment gave great offence. The members of the Council summoned Franklin before them to answer for the libel. He admitted that he was the publish- er of the paper, but refused to give the name of the writer. The Council decided that the paragraph was a high affront to the government, and ordered his imprisonment in the Boston jail. Here he was incarcerated for a week. Crushed by his misfor- tunes he wrote a very humble letter stating that his close confinement endangered his life, and begging that he might enjoy the liberty of the jail-yard. His request was granted, and for three weeks more he remained a prisoner, though with daily permis- sion to leave his cell. During this time Benjamin conducted the paper 35 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. editing it, setting the type, printing the sheets and distributing the copies to the subscribers. He was still but a boy of sixteen. James was eventually released from prison, but the general character of the Courant remained unchanged. Unworthy professors of Christianity were incessantly assailed. The vir- tues of true Christians — of the multitudes of the dis- ciples of Jesus, who were mothers in Israel, or who were Israelites indeed in whom there was no guile, were forgotten ; while every mean and contemptible act of hypocrites and apostates was proclaimed with trumpet resonance. At length the Council declared in reference to a peculiarly obnoxious copy of the paper, that the Courant of that date contained many passages per- verting the Holy Scriptures, and slandering the civil government, the ministers, and the good people of the land. A committee of three was appointed to report upon the matter. After two days they brought in the following decision : " We are humbly of opinion that the tendency of said paper, is to mock religion and bring it into contempt ; that the Holy Scriptures are therein pro- fanely abused ; that the revered and faithful minis- ters of the Gospel are ignominiously reflected on ; and that His Majesty's government is affronted ; and the peace and good order of His Majesty's sub- DEVELOPMENTS OF CHARACTER. 39 jects of this province disturbed by this said Cour ant." The committee, therefore, proposed that James Franklin should be strictly forbidden to print or publish the Courant, or any other paper of the like nature, unless it were supervised by the secretary of the province. James Franklin and his friends, after this decision, met in the office of the Courant, and adroitly de- cided to evade the mandate by canceling the inden- tures of apprenticeship of Benjamin, and constituting him the editor and publisher of the journal. This precocious lad prepared his inaugural. It contained the following sentiments : ** Long has the press groaned in bringing forth a hateful brood of pamphlets, malicious scribbles, and billingsgate ribaldry. No generous and impartial person then can blame the present undertaking which is designed purely for the diversion and merriment of the reader. Pieces of pleasantry and mirth have a secret charm in them to allay the heats and tumults of our spirits, and to make a man forget his restless resentment. The main design of this weekly paper will be to entertain the town with the most comical and diverting incidents of human life, which in so large a place as Boston will not fail of a universal exemplification. Nor shall we be wanting to fill up 40 BENJAMIN FRANKEIN. • these papers with a grateful interspersion of more serious morals which may be drawn from the most ludicrous and odd parts of life." It cannot be denied that Franklin aimed his keen shafts at many of the best of men who were conse- crating all their energies to the promotion of the physical, moral, and religious welfare of their fellow creatures. He had a keen eye to search out their frailties ; and though he seldom if ever, dipped his pen in gall, he did at times succeed in making them the song of the drunkard, and in turning against them the derision of all the lewd fellov/s of the baser sort. Benjamin, elated by flattery and success, admits that at seventeen years of age he became in his treat ment of his brother ** saucy and provoking." James was increasingly jealous and exacting. At length a very violent quarrel arose between them. The elder brother even undertook to chastise his younger brother, whom he still affected to regard as his ap- prentice. The canceling of the terms of indenture, he regarded as a secret act, intended merely to out- wit his opponent. Franklin, burning with indigna- tion, resolved no longer to continue in his brother's employment, and went to several other printers in Boston, hoping to enter into a new engagement. But his brother had preceded him, giving his own DEVELOPMENTS OF CHARACTER. 4I version of the story, and even declaring his brilliant brother to be an infidel and an atheist. Benjamin resolved to run away ; for he still felt the binding obligation of his apprenticeship, while he tried to satisfy his mind that the unjust conduct of James entitled him to violate the obligation. There was a vessel about to sail for New York. He sold some of his books to pay his passage ; and going on board secretly at night, he solicited the captain to aid him in concealing him, with the false statement that he had become involved in a love adventure with a young girl ; that she had subsequently proved to be a bad character ; that her friends insisted on his marrying her ; and that his only refuge was to be found in flight. His passage to New York was swift and pleasant. It is said that having adopted the vegetarian diet, he doubted our right to deprive an animal of life for our own gratification in eating. The sloop was one day becalmed off Block Island. The crew found it splendid fishing ground ; the deck was soon covered with cod and haddock. Franklin denounced catch- ing the fishes, as murderous, as no one could affirm that these fishes, so happy in the water, had ever con- ferred any injury upon their captors. But Benjamin was blessed with a voracious appetite. The frying pan was busy, and the odor from the fresh fish was 42 BENJAMIN FRANKLINc exceedingly alluring. As he watched a sailor cutting open a fish, he observed in its stomach a smaller fish, which the cod had evidently eaten. " Ah ' ' he exclaimed, *' if you can eat one an- other, I surely have a right to eat you." All his scruples vanished. He sat down with the rest to the sumptuous repast, and never after seemed to have any hesitancy in gratifying his appetite. Benjamin tells this story in his autobiography, and shrewdly adds, quoting from some one else, " So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do.*' It was in the beautiful month of October, 1723, when Benjamin landed on the wharves of New York. He was not quite eighteen years of age ; had but little money in his purse ; and was without any letter of recommendation or any acquaintance in the town. The place consisted of but seven or eight thousand inhabitants. The streets were the crooked lanes which we still find in the vicinity of the Battery. Some of the most important were uncomfortably paved with cobble stones. Most of the inhabitants were Dutch, reading and speaking only the Dutch language. There was at that time indeed, but little encouragement for an English printer. There was but one book-store then in New York ; and but one DEVELOPMENTS OF CHARACTER. 43 printing office, which was conducted by William Bradford. The runaway apprentice could find no employ- ment. But William Bradford had a son in Philadel- phia who was also a printer. He said to Benjamin, " He may employ you, as he has recently lost an apprentice by death." Leaving his chest of clothes to go round by sea to Philadelphia, Benjamin took passage in a small di- lapidated shore boat which crept along the coast to Amboy. A drunken Dutchman was his only fellow passenger. The gloom of the primeval forest over- shadowed Governor's Island : not a single cabin as yet had been reared in its soHtudes. A squall struck the boat, split its sail, and pitched the Dutchman overboard. Franklin caught him by the hair and saved him from drowning. The sudden tempest in- creased into a storm, and the boat was driven fiercely before the gale. The surf dashed so violently upon the shore that they could not venture to land. Night approached. Exhausted, drenched and hungry, they cast anchor near the Long Lsland shore, where a bend in the land afforded them slight protection while still they were in great danger. There were one or two log cabins in the vicinity. Several of the men came to the shore, but could afford them no relief. They had no provision on board excepting a single bottle 44 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • of bad rum. All night long the tempest beat upon them. In the morning the wind had so far lulled that they were enabled to repair their sail, and to work their way on to Amboy. It was late in the afternoon when they reached the port. For thirty hours they had been without food or water. Such were the perils of a passage from New York to Philadelphia in the year 1723. Franklin, in the enjoyment of magnificent health, slept quietly that night in an humble inn, and awoke in the morning with all his accustomed vigor. There were still fifty miles of land travel before him, ere he could cross the forest covered plains of New Jersey to Burlington, on the banks of the Delaware, which were seventeen miles above Philadelphia. There was neither railroad, stage-coach nor cart to convey him through the wilderness. Indeed it was thirty- three years after this before the first line of stages across New Jersey was established. There was a rude path, probably following an ancient Indian trail, along which our solitary adventurer trudged on foot. It rained ; but still Benjamin found it necessary, hav- ing so slender a purse, to press on regardless of discomfort. Early in the afternoon he came to a hamlet, by the roadside, where he found himself so exhausted by the unaccustomed toil of walking, and by ex- DEVELOPMENTS OF CHARACTER. 45 posure to the rain and the miry roads, that he felt it necessary to remain until the next morning. The aspect he presented was shabby and dilapidated in the extreme ; for he was in his working dress, which by the wear and tear of travel had become greatly soiled and tattered. He was not a little mortified to find that the inhabitants of the cabin, while they treated him kindly, evidently regarded him with sus- picion as a runaway apprentice. In the gloom of that night, poor Benjamin bitter- ly repented the step he had taken, and earnestly wished himself back again in the home which he had forsaken. Clouds and darkness had gathered around his path and he could see but little bright beyond. Early the next morning he resumed his travels, press- ing vigorously along all day. When the shades of night enveloped him he had reached a point within ten miles of Burlington. He passed the night com- fortably in a settler's cabin, and early the next morning pressed on to the little village of Burling- ton, from which he was informed that a boat started every Saturday, to descend the still silent and almost unfrequented shores of the Delaware to Philadelphia. Much to his disappointment he reached Burlington just after the regular Saturday boat had gone, and was informed that there was no other boat to leave until the next Tuesday. He made his united break- ifi BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. fast and dinner upon gingerbread, which he bought m the street of an old woman. Burlington was on the east side of the river, Phil- adelphia was on the west. There was no road be- tween the two places, the, communication being by the river only. It seemed impossible for Benjamin to toil that distance through the pathless, tangled forest. He had but five shillings in his pocket. With the utmost economy that would not defray his expenses at Burlington, for three days, and leave a sufficient sum to pay his passage down the river. In his distress and perplexity, our young philoso- pher, whose renown for wisdom subsequently filled all Christian lands, turned back to the poor, aged woman of whom he had bought his gingerbread and solicited her advice. The good old soul, not insensi- ble to the charms of the frank and manly looking boy, with motherly tenderness insisted on his going to her own humble home. Gladly he accepted the invitation. The dinner consisted of what is called ox-cheek ; Franklin contributed a pot of beer. Walking out early in the evening upon the banks of the river, he found, to his great joy, a chance boat had come along, bound to Philadelphia and contain- ing many passengers. Eagerly Franklin joined them, and bidding adieu to his kind entertainer, was soon drifting slowly down the stream. The night was DEVELOPMENTS OF CHARACI'ER. 47 dark, there was no wind, and no cheerful gleam from the white man's cabin or the Indian's wigwam met the eye. It was necessary to resort to rowing. At length, a little after midnight, several of the passen- gers insisted that they must have passed Philadelphia without seeing it, and refused to row any farther. They therefore ran the boat into a little creek, built a rousing fire, for the night was damp and chill, and ranging themselves around its genial warmth awaited the dawn of the morning. The light revealed to them Philadelphia but a few miles below them. It was Sunday morning. At nine o'clock the boat was made fast at Market street wharf, and Franklin, with one silver dollar and one shilling in copper coin in his pocket, stepped on shore. All his copper coin he paid for his passage. Such was the introduction of the future Governor of Pennsylvania to the realm over which he was eventually to preside as Governor, and of which he became its most illustrious citizen. He was unquestionably dressed in the peculiar and picturesque costume of the times. He wore knee breeches of buckskin, and a voluminous over- coat, lined with pockets of astonishing capacity, which pockets were crammed with shirts and stockings. A low, battered, broad-brimmed hat covered his cluster- ing ringlets. His coarse woolen stockings displayed 48 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. to advantage the admirably moulded calves of his legs. Every article of this costume was draggled, shabby, soiled, and much of it tattered. With an indescribable feeling of loneliness, ex- hausted with the toilsome and sleepless night, and with the cravings of hunger, he sauntered up into the town. Coming across a baker's shop, he stepped in, and called for three pennyworth of bread. In Philadelphia, food was abundant and bread was •cheap. To his surprise three long rolls were given to him. He took one under each arm, and in his hunger the homeless boy walked along devouring the other. Philadelphia was then a village widely spread out, with surrounding vegetable gardens, and containing a population of about seven thousand inhabitants. Benjamin walked listlessly along as far as Fourth street. He chanced to pass the house of a Mr, Read, whose very pretty daughter, Deborah, was standing at the front door. She was eighteen years of age, and was much amused at the comical appear- ance which the young man presented as he passed by. It is not easy to imagine in these days, the state of society in these early settlements, hewn out from the forests on the river's banks, and with the unex- plored wilderness spreading out to unimagined DEVELOPMENTS OF CHARACTER. 49 regions in the interior. At night, even from the houses of the village, the howling of the wolves could be heard as they rushed after their prey. Bears and deers were shot in abundance. And Indian bands, painted and plumed, were ever swarming through the streets. Franklin walked along, devouring his rolls, and returned to the river for a drink of water. Such was his first breakfast in Philadelphia. In the boat was a poor woman with her child. Franklin gave to her the two remaining rolls, which he could not conve- niently carry about with him. Not knowing what to do, and led by curiosity to explore the town, he returned to Market street, then one of the chief avenues of the city. It was a little after ten o'clock in the morning. The street was crowded with well-dressed people, pressing along to church. There was one important edifice called the *' Great Meeting House " of the Quakers. It stood at the corner of Second and Market streets Franklin joined the crowd, and took his seat with the vast assembly. He soon fell soundly asleep. The hour passed away. The congregation dis- persed, and Benjamin was left still asleep. Some one then kindly awoke the tired traveler, and he again stepped out into the streets so lonely, where there was not an individual whom he knew, and 3 50 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • where almost without money he could find no refuge which he could call a home. As he walked toward the river, he met a young Quaker whose countenance pleased him. Of him he inquired where he could find a respectable and comfortable lodging. The friendly Quaker led him to a tavern, near Chestnut street, called the " Crooked Billet." Franklin ordered a frugal din- ner, threw himself upon the bed, and slept till supper time, and immediately after supper went to bed and slept soundly till the morning. He had now been from home eleven days. His money was nearly expended. His clothes were worn ; and almost the only hope remaining was the very visionary one that Mr. Bradford's son might possibly have some employment for him. Early in the morning he carefully brushed his travel- worn clothes, his shoes, his hat, and making himself as respectable in appearance as possible, went to the house of the printer, Andrew Bradford. To his sur- prise and gratification he found the father there, who had just arrived, having traveled from New York to Philadelphia on horseback. Benjamin met with a courteous reception, was invited to breakfast. He was, however, greatly dis- appointed in being informed that Andrew Bradford had just engaged another apprentice to take tb€ DEVELOPMENTS OF CHARACTER. 5 1 place of the one who was lost. Mr. Bradford, however, stated that there was a man, by the name of Keimer, who had recently commenced the printing business in the town, and might have employment for him. The old gentleman kindly offered to go to the office with Benjamin, and introduce him to Keimer. They found Keimer a very eccentric looking indi- vidual, in a small office, with an old dilapidated press, and with a few worn-out types. He asked the young man a few questions, put a composing stick into his hands, and professed himself satisfied with his work. He then told Franklin that he could find no work for him immediately, but he thought ere long he could employ him. It seems, however, that at once Benjamin went to work, repairing the dilapida- ted old press, while he continued to board at Mr. Bradford's, paying for his board by the work which he performed. CHAPTER III. Excursion to England. Attention to dress — Receives a visit from Gov. Keith- -His visit to Boston — Collins returns to Philadelphia with him — Sir William Keith's aid — Excursions on the Sabbath — Difficulty with Collins — Spending Mr. Vernon's money — His three friends — Engage- ment with Deborah Read — Voyage to England — Keith's deceit — Ralph — Franklin enters a printing house in London. The eccentric Keimer soon found that Franklin was a workman whose services would be invaluable to him. He had no home of his own, but became very unwilling that Benjamin, while in his employ, should board in the family of a rival printer. He therefore made arrangements for him to board at Mr. Read's, whose pretty daughter, Deborah, had made herself merry but a few days before in view of his uncouth appearance. Fortunately for the young man, who was never regardless of the advantages of a genteel dress, his chest had arrived bringing his clothing. He was thus able to present himself before the young lady in attractive costume. And his address was always that of an accomplished gentleman. As we have men EXCURSION TO ENGLAND. 53 tioned, he was ever in his youth, middle life, and old age, remarkable for his personal beauty. Bright and sunny days now dawned upon Frank- lin His employer appreciated his varied and won- derful merits. He received good wages. The family in which he resided was highly attractive, and he there found a home congenial with his pure and re- fined tastes. Several months passed away before he heard from the friends he had left in Boston. The tyranny of his brother had so greatly offended him, that for a time he endeavored to exclude from his mind all thoughts of his home. He heard, however, that one of his sisters had married Captain Robert Holmes, the captain of a vessel sailing between Bos- ton and the ports on the Delaware. In those piratical days, when the master of a ship- was compelled to sail with guns loaded to the muz- zle, and with sharpened sabres, he was deemed a per- sonage of great importance. No weak or ordinary man could discharge the responsibilities of such * post. Captain Holmes, influenced by the love of his wife, wrote to Benjamin informing him of the grief his departure had caused the family, entreating him to return, and assuring him that all the past should be forgotten. Benjamin, in his reply, wrote with such precisioB and force of logic, that Captain Holmes became sat- 54 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. Isfied that he was by no means so much in the wrong as he had supposed. It so chanced that when the captain received this letter, he was in company with Sir WiUiam Keith, then the Governor of Penn- sylvania. He read the letter to the Governor. Sir William was charmed with its literary and rhetorical ability; and could scarcely believe that the writer was but eighteen years of age. *' The Philadelphia printers," said he, " arc wretched ones. Keimer is a compound of fool and rogue. But this young man is manifestly of great promise and ought to be encouraged." One day Benjamin and his master were working together, when they saw two well-dressed gentlemen approaching. They proved to be the Governor of Pennsylvania, Sir William Keith, and Franklin's brother-in-law. Captain Holmes, whom he probably had never before seen. Keimer rar down stairs to meet them, supposing, of course, that he must be the man who was entitled to the honor of their visit. To his surprise they inquired for his apprentice, and went up the stairs to the printing office to see him. Benjamin was quite overwhelmed by the honors with which he was greeted. The Governor paid him many compliments, expressed an earnest desire to make his acquaintance, and politely censured him for not calling at the gubernatorial mansion upon hia EXCURSION TO ENGLAND. 55 arrival in Philadelphia. The interview was terminated by taking Franklin with them to a neighboring tavern to dine. There the three met upon apparently perfect sccial equality, and very freely discussed many im portant matters as they drank their wine. The Governor, a very plausible, unreliable man, ever lavish of promises without performance, pro- posed that Franklin, aided by funds from his father, should open a printing office for himself. He prom- ised to exert his influence to secure for his young proteg^ the public printing of both the provinces of Pennsylvania and Delaware. When Franklin sug- gested that he feared his father would be either un- able or unwilling to furnish the needed funds, the Governor promised to write to him with his own hand, explaining the advantages of the scheme. During the protracted interview, it was decided that Benjamin should return to Boston by the first vessel. He was to take with him Sir William's letter, and thus aided, endeavor to win over his father to their plans. A week or two elapsed before there was a vessel ready to sail for Boston. At that time the social rank of a printer was decidedly above that of other mechanic arts. There was something sacred at- tached to the employment, and it was regarded as near akin to the learned professions. Franklin was 56 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. frequently invited to dine with the Governor. His perfect self-possession, his careful dress and pol- ished address, united with his wonderful conversa- tional powers, rendered him a great favorite with all the distinguished guests whom he was accustomed to meet at the table of the Governor. The latter part of April, 1724, Franklin, then eighteen years of age, took passage in a small vessel for Boston. His friends in Philadelphia generally understood that he was going home merely to visit his friends. It was deemed expedient to throw the veil of great secrecy over the enterprise in which he was contemplating to engage. The voyage was exceedingly tempestuous. The vessel sprang a leak. For some time passengers and crew worked at the pumps night and day. But after being buffeted by winds and waves for fourteen dreary days, the little vessel cast anchor in the har- bor of Boston. Franklin had then been absent from home seven months. His sudden appearance was a great surprise to all the members of the numerous family. It is not sur- prising that the young man, elated by his brilliant prospects, assumed rather lordly airs. His dress was new and quite elegant. He had purchased a hand- some watch, which he was not reluctant to display. He had in his pocket twenty-five dollars of silver coin. EXCURSION TC ENGLAND. 5^ Franklin's brother James, from whom he had ru» away, was greatly annoyed by the airs of superiority assumed by his old apprentice. With a cold and almost scornful eye, he scanned his person from head to foot, scarcely offering his hand in greeting, and soon coldly and silently returned to his work. But the imperial young man was not thus to be put down. His former acquaintances gathered eagerly^ around him and listened with intensest interest to the narrative of his adventures. In glowing terms,. Benjamin described his new home in Philadelphia, drew out from his pocket handfuls of silver which he exhibited to them, and with quite lordly dignity gave his former fellow-journeymen money to go to the ale house for a treat. The candid reader will make some allowances for the conduct of Benjamin, when he remembers that but a few months before, he had run away to escape the cudgel of his brother. He will also feel inclined to make some allowance for James, when informed that he was in adversity, and struggling severely with pecuniary embarrassment. The Courant, de- prived of the graphic pen of Franklin, was rapidly losing its subscribers, and soon became extirct, Benjamin's father Josiah, who needed in his own^ business every dollar of the funds he could raise, gilently and almost without remark, read the letter $S BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. of Sir William Keith, and listened attentively to the glowing descriptions of his son. Soon after Captain Holmes arrived. The judicious father conversed fully with him, and expressed his opinion that Sir William Keith must be a man of but little discretion to think of setting up independently, in very respon- sible business, a young man of but eighteen years of age. Though Captain Holmes earnestly advocated the views of the Governor, Josiah Franklin, after mature deliberation, decisively declined furnishing the ne- cessary funds. " Benjamin," said he, ** is too young to under- take an enterprise so important. I am much grati- fied that he has been able to secure the approbation of the Governor of Pennsylvania, and that by his industry and fidelity he has been able to attain prosperity so remarkable. If he will return to Phila- •ilelphia and work diligently until he is twenty-one, carefully laying up his surplus earnings, I will then rk, Collins the playmate of his childhood, was one of the first to meet him. In his earlier days he had been sober, industrious, and was highly esteemed foi his mental powers and attainments. But he had become in- temperate and a gambler, and was every day intoxi- cated. Reduced almost to beggary, Franklin felt compelled to furnish him with money to save him from starvation. Penniless he had come on board the boat at New York, and Franklin paid his passage to Philadelphia. William Burnett was then Governor of New York. He was very fond of books and had col- lected a large library. Franklin also had the same taste and had a large number of books which he was conveying to Philadelphia, The captain informed the Governor that he had a young man on board fond of books, and of superior literary attainments. The Governor begged the captain to bring young Franklin to see him. " I waited upon him," wrote Franklin, " and would have taken Collins with me had he been sober. The Governor received me with great 62 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. civility; and we had a good deal of conversation relative to books and authors. This was the second Governor who had done me the honor to take notice of me, and to a poor boy like me it was very pleasing " Upon reaching Philadelphia, Franklin presented the letter of his father to Sir William Keith. The Governor, upon reading the letter, said, ** Your father is too prudent. There is a great difference in persons. Discretion does not always accompany years ; nor is youth always without it. But since he will not set you up, I will do it myself. Give me an inventory of the things necessary to be had from England, and I will send for them. You shall repay me when you are able. I am resolved to have a good printer here and I am sure you must succeed." Franklin supposed of course, that he could rely upon the word of the Governor. He drew up an inventory of goods to the amount of about five hundred dollars. The strange Governor, who found it ver)' easy to talk, ran his eye over the list and as if money were a consideration of no moment to him, and suggested that Franklin should go to Lon- don in person. Greatly elated at this idea, young Franklin eagerly embraced it, and the Governor directed him to be ready to embark in the Annis, a EXCURSION TO ENGLAND. 63 ship which sailed regularly between London and Philadelphia, leaving each port once a year. Several months would elapse before the ship would sail. Sir William enjoined it upon Franklin to keep their plans in the utmost secrecy. Conse- quently, Franklin continued to work for Keimer, not giving him the slightest intimation that measures were in progress for the establishment in Philadelphia, of a printing house which would entirely overshadow his own. This secrecy which was practiced also pre- vented any one from informing Franklin of the Governor's real character, as a vain, unreliable, gas- conading boaster. Six months passed away. They were with Franklin happy months. He was in perfect health, greatly enjoyed his own physical and intellectual attributes, was much caressed, and was engaged in lucrative employment. He was highly convivial in his tastes, very fond of social pleasures, of the wine cup and of the song : and on Sundays in particular, the enchanting forests of the Schuylkill resounded with the songs and the shouts of the merry baccha- nals, led by Franklin, who was ever recognized as their chief. There probably never was a young man more skillful than Benjamin Franklin in plucking the rose and avoiding the thorn. In all his festivities he was 64 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. the thoughtful philosopher. Never did he drink to excess ; no money was squandered at the gaming table. Carefully he avoided all views which he deemed vulgar and degrading ; and he made it the general rule of his life, to avoid everything which would bring pain to his body, or remorse to his soul. Still man is born to mourn. Even Franklin could not escape the general lot. The drunken Collins became his constant scourge. Franklin felt constrained to lend his old friend money. He had been entrusted by a family friend, a Mr. Vernon, to collect a debt of about fifty dollars. This money he was to retain till called for. But to meet his own expenses and those of his spendthrift companion, he began to draw upon it, until it all disappeared. He was then troubled with the apprehension that the money might be demanded. Bitter were the quar- rels which arose between him and John Collins. His standard of morality which was perhaps not less elevated than that which the majority of imperfect professing Christians practice, was certainly below that which the religion of Jesus Christ enjoins. Had he been a true Christian according to the doctrines and precepts of Jesus, he would have escaped these accumulating sorrows. This breaking in upon his friend Vernon's money and spending it, he pronounces in his auto-biogra- EXCURSION TO ENGLAND. 65 phy, to have been the first great error of his life. Though it so chanced that the money was not required until FrankUn was able to pay it, yet for several months he was in the endurance of intense mental anxiety and constant self-reproach. At length, Collins and Franklin became so antag- onistic to each other as to proceed to violence. They were on a pleasure party in a boat down the river. Collins, as usual, was intoxicated. The wrath of the muscular Benjamin was so aroused, by some act of abuse, that he seized the fellow by the collar and pitched him overboard. Collins was a good swimmer. They therefore kept him in the water till he was nearly drowned. When pretty thoroughly humbled, and upon his most solemn promise of good behavior, he was again taken on board. Seldom after this was a word exchanged between them. Collins, deeply indebted to Franklin, accepted of some business offer at Barbadoes. He sailed for that island, and was never heard of more. Almost every young man has a few particular friends. The three most intimate companions of Benjamin Franklin were young men of his own rank and age, of very dissimilar characters, but having a common taste for business. They were all clerks. One of these, Joseph Watson, was, according to Franklin's descript'.on, " a pious, sensible young man 66 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. of great integrity." It would seem that they were all persons of very estimable character, though some of them had imbibed Franklin's skeptical opinions. They spent many of their Sabbaths, wandering on the banks of the romantic Schuylkill, reading to each other their compositions in prose and verse. James Ralph, who was very emphatic in his deis- tical views, in his enthusiasm, decided to devote himself to the art of rhyming. The sensible Frank- lin tried to dissuade him from his folly, but in vain. On one occasion they all agreed to attempt a version of the Eighteenth Psalm. This sublime production of an inspired pen contains, in fifty verses, imagery as grand and sentiments as beautiful, as perhaps can anywhere else be found, within the same compass, in any language. It certainly speaks well for the intel- lectual acumen of these young men, and for their devotional instincts, that they should have selected so noble a theme. As their main object was to im- prove themselves in the command of language, and in the power of expression, they could not have chosen a subject more appropriate, than the Psalmist's de- scription of the descent of God to earth. •* He bowed the heavens also and came down ; and darkness wsM under his feet. And He rode upon a cherub and did fly ; Yea he did fly upon the wings of the wind. Jle made darkness his secret place. EXCURSION TO ENGLAND. 6; His pavilion round about him were dark waters, thick clouds of the skies. At the brightness which was before him his thick clouds passed. Hail stones and coals of fire."* Joseph Watson died quite young, in the arms of Franklin. Charles Osborne acquired money and reputation, as a lawyer. Removing to the West Indies, he died, in the prime of life. Franklin and Osborne entered into the agree- ment, which has so often been made, that whichever should first die, should, if possible, return to the other and reveal to him the secrets of the spirit land. It is hardly necessary to say that Franklin watched long in vain, for a visit from his departed companion. Two months before Franklin sailed for London, Mr. Read, with whom he boarded, died. With the father, mother, and very pretty and amiable daugh- ter, Deborah, Franklin had found a happy home. A strong affection apparently sprang up between the *The intelligent reader will recall the glowing version of thi« Psalm, by Steinhold. " The Lord descended from above, And bowed the heavens most high { And underneath his feet he cast The darkness of the sky. On cherub and vjii cherubim. Full royally he rode ; And on the wings of mighty winds. Came flying all abroad." 68 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. two young people. She was seventeen years of age and Franklin eighteen. Their union would be em- inently fitting, as in fortune and position in society, they were on the same level. Franklin, enjoying the patronage of the governor and with, as he supposed, very brilliant prospects before him, entered into an engagement with Debo- rah, and was anxious to be married before he em- barked for England, designing to leave his young bride at home with her mother. But Mrs. Read, in consideration of their youth, urged that the nuptials should be postponed until after his return. Sir William Keith continued to invite Franklin to his house, and lavished commendation and prom- ises upon him. Still he continually postponed giving him any letters of credit with which he could pur- chase types, paper and press. Though, as the hour for sailing approached, Franklin called again and again to obtain the needful documents, he was con- tinually met with apologies. At length, the day for the ship to weigh anchor arrived. It was about the §th of November, 1724. At that late hour the private secretary of the Governor called upon Franklin and informed him that Sir William would meet him at Newcastle, where the vessel was *:o cast anchor, and would then and there, deliver tc him all the important docu- EXCURSION TO ENGLAND. 69 ments. Franklin went on board. The ship dropped down the broad and beautiful Delaware, whose banks were brilliant with foliage in their richest autumnal brilliance, about thirty-two miles below Philadelphia, to Newcastle. To the great disappoint- ment of Franklin, the Governor still did not appear. He however sent his secretary, with a profusion of excuses, and professing to be pressed with business of the utmost importance, promised to send the letters to the captain before the vessel would be per- mitted to sail. Franklin, naturally buoyant and hopeful, did not even then, consider it possible that the Governor was intending to deceive him. Neither was it possi- ble to conceive of any motive which would induce Sir William to betray him by so deceptive a game. At length a bag from the Governor, apparently filled with letters and dispatches, was brought on board, and again the vessel unfurled her sails. Franklin, with some solicitude, asked for those which were di- rected to him. Bat Captain Annis, all engrossed with the cares of embarkation, said that he was too busy to examine the bag at that time, but that they would, at their leisure, on the voyage select the letters. On the loth of November, 1724, the good ship, the London Hope, pushed out from the Delaware 7© BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • upon the broad Atlantic. We know not whether Franklin was surprised to find on board, as one of the passengers, his poetical deistical friend James Ralph. This young man, who had renounced Chris- tianity, in the adoption of principles, which he pro- fessed to believe conducive to the formation of a much higher moral character, had deliberately aban- doned his wife and child to seek his fortune in Lon- don He had deceived them by the most false representation. Carefully he concealed from Frank- lin, his unprincipled conduct and visionary schemes. The voyage was long and rough, as the vessel did not reach London until the twenty-fourth of No- vember. On the passage he very carefully, with the captain, examined the letter-bag. But no letter was found addressed to him. There were several, how- ever, addressed to other persons, with Franklin's name upon the envelope as if they were in his care. As one of these was addressed to the king's printer and another to a stationer in London, the sanguine young man through all the dreary and protracted voyage, clung to the hope that all was right. Upon arriving in London, Franklin hastened first to the stationer's and presented him with the letter, saying to him, " Here is a letter from Gov- ernor Keith, of Pennsylvania." The stationer looked up with surprise and said : EXCURSION TO ENGLAND. Jl ** Governor Keith ! I do not know of any such person." Then breaking the seal, and looking at the signature, he said very contemptuously, " Rid. dlesden. I have lately found him to be a complete rascal. I will have nothing to do with him, nor receive any letters from him."* So saying he thrust the letter back into Frank- lin's hand, and turned away to serve a customer. Franklin was almost stunned with this intelligence. He immediately conferred with a Mr. Denham, a judicious friend whose acquaintance he had made on board the ship. They ascertained that the in- famous Governor, from motives which it is difficult to comprehend, had not furnished Franklin with a single document. There was not a bill of credit or a single letter of introduction, commending the young adventurer to people in London. Den- ham then told him that no one who knew Keith had the slightest confidence in his promises. That the idea that he would furnish him with any letters of credit was preposterous, since Sir William had no credit with any body. And thus Franklin found himself with his com- * We both of us happen to know, as well as the stationer, that Rid- dlesden, the attorney, was a very knave. He had half ruined Miss Read's father by persuading him to be bound for him. By his let- ter it appeared there was a secret scheme on foot to the prejudice of Mr. Hamilton ; that Keith was concerned in it with Riddlesden. — Works of Franklin, by Sparks, vol. i, p. 55 72 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. panion James Ralph, alone in the great world of London, without any letters of introduction, with- out any prospect of employment, and almost with- out money. The virtues of Franklin had exerted a restraining influence upon the unprincipled Ralph, and Franklin had not as yet become acquainted with the true basis of his character. The two young men met together to consult in this dilemma and to examine their finances. It appeared that Ralph had scarcely one penny in his pocket. He had intended to be a hanger-on upon Franklin, in whose ability to take care of himself and others he had the greatest confidence. Franklin*s purse contained about fifty dollars. Again he returned to consult with Mr. Denham. He very wisely advised Franklin to seek employ- ment in some of the printing offices in London. He encouraged him with the thought that thus with a few months* labor, he might not only pay his expenses, but also lay up a sufficient sum to defray his passage home. Franklin gradually perceived to his dismay, what an old man of the sea he had got upon his shoulders in the person of James Ralph. The following is his calm comment upon the atrocious conduct of Keith : " What shall we think," he writes, " of a gov- EXCURSION TO ENGLAND. 73 crnor playing such pitiful tricks, and imposing so grossly upon a poor ignorant boy ? It was a habit he had acquired ; he wished to please every body, and having little to give, he gave expectations. He was otherwise an ingenuous, sensible man, a pretty good writer, and a good governor for the people, though not for his constituents the proprietaries. Several of our best laws were of his planning, and passed during his administration." The entire absence of anger in this statement, has won for Franklin great commendation. With his dependent proteg^ Ralph, he took humble lodgings in Little Britain street. Ralph had remarkable powers of conversation, with much more than ordinary literary talent, and could, when- ever he wished, make himself very agreeable and almost fascinating as a companion. But he was quite a child as to all ability to take care of himself. Franklin really loved him at that time. He was a very handsome young man, graceful in his demean- or; and those who listened to his eloquent ha- rangues would imagine that he was destined to attain to greatness. Franklin immediately applied for work at the great printing establishment of Palmer in Bartholo- mew Close. Fifty journeymen were here employed. He promptly entered into a contract with the 74 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • proprieter for the remuneration of about six dollars a week. Ralph, characteristically hurried to the theatre to enter upon the profession of a play-actor. Being disappointed in that attempt, his next plan was to edit a newspaper to be called the Spectator. Not being able to find a publisher, he then went the rounds of the law offices, in search of copying, but .not even this, could he obtain. In the meantime they were both supported by the purse of Franklin. With fifty dollars in his pocket, and earning six dollars a week, he felt quite easy in his circum- stances, and was quite generous in his expenditure for their mutual enjoyment. CHAPTER IV. Mental and Moral Conflicts, Faithfulness to work — Neglect of Deborah Read — Treatise on Lib erty and Necessity — Skill in swimming — Return to America — Marriage of Miss Read — Severe sickness — Death of Mr. Denham — Returns to Keimer's employ — The Junto — His Epitaph — Re- formation of his treatise on Liberty and Necessity. — Franklin's creed. Franklin and Ralph were essentially congenial in their tastes. Neither of them were religiously in- clined in the ordinary acceptation of those words. But the thoughtful philosophy of Franklin has by many been regarded as the development of an in- stinctively religious character. They were both exceedingly fond of amusement and especially of pleasure excursions on the Sabbath. Very seldom^ did either the intellect or the heart lure them to listen to such teachings at they would hear from the pulpit. It certainly would have been better for them both, had they been church-going young men. There was no pulpit in all London from which they would not hear the reiterated counsel, Cease to do evil ; learn to do well. ^(i BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • Franklin was faithful in the highest degree to his employer. Weary with the day's toil, which with his active mind was highly intellectual as well as mechanical, he almost invariably in the evening sought recreation with Ralph in the theatre. It is safe to infer that the best productions of our best dramatists, were those which would most interest the mind of our young philosopher. Ralph was daily gaining an increasing influence over his mind. It is said that we are prone to love more ardently those upon whom we confer favors than those from whom we receive them. To these two young men the pleasures of Lon- don seemed inexhaustible. Franklin began to for- get his old home and his friends. He began to think that London was a very pleasant place of residence, and that it was doubtful whether he should ever return to America again. He had constant employ- ment, the prospect of an increasing income, and with his economical habits he had ample funds to relieve himself from all pecuniary embarrassment. With his friend Ralph, he was leading a very jovial life, free from all care. His love for Deborah Read began to vanish away. He thought very seldom of her: seldom could he find time to write to her ; and ere long his letters ceased altogether ; and she was cruelly left to the MENTAL AND MORAL CONFLICTS. // uncertainty of whether he was alive or dead. Ralph had entirely forgotten his wife and child, and Frank- lin had equally" forgotten his affianced. In subse- quent years the memory of this desertion seems to have weighed heavily on him. He wrote in his advanced life in reference to his treatment of Deb- orah, **This was another of the great errors of my life; which I could wish to correct were I to live it over again." For nearly a year, Franklin thus continued in the employment of Mr. Palmer, receiving good wages and spending them freely. A very highly esteemed clergyman of the Church of England named WoUaston, had written a book entitled, " The Reli- gion of Nature Delineated." It was a work which obtained much celebrity in those days and was pub- lished by Mr. Palmer. It was of the general charac- ter of Butler's Analogy, and was intended to prove that the morality enjoined by Jesus Christ, was found- ed in the very nature of man ; and that the principles of that morality were immutable, even though deists should succeed in destroying the public faith in the divine authority of Christianity. It was eminently an amiable book, written with great charity and candor, and without any dogmatic assumptions. It chanced to fall to Franklin to set up the type yS BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. As was customary with him, he made himse'lf thor- oughly acquainted with the treatise of which he thus became the compositor. His mind was in such a state in reference to the claims of that Christianity which certainly did not commend the mode of life he was living, that it excited not only antagonistic k)ut even angry emotions. So thoroughly were his feelings aroused, that he wrote and published a pamphlet of thirty-two pages, in refutation of the theory of Mr. Wollaston. Franklin dedicated his work, which was entitled " A dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain,'* to James Ralph. Fortunately, the trea^ tise has descended to us unmutilated. He com- mences with the observation : *' I have here given you my present thoughts upon the general state of things in the universe." The production was certainly a very able one to come from the pen of a young printer of but nine- teen years. Mr. Palmer, while recognizing its ability, pronounced its principles to be atrocious and demor- alizing. The production of such a work, literary, philosophical and religious, by probably the young- est companion of the journeymen printers, caused them all to open their eyes with astonishment, and he was regarded at once as a great man among them.* * In this extraordinary document our young deist writes, ' Ther« MENTAL AND MORAL CONFLICTS. 79 The deists of London, who had united in a club of merry free-thinkers, holding their meetings at an ale-house, sought out Franklin and drew him into their convivial gatherings. These men had no com- mon principle of belief; they were united only in the negative principle of unbelief in the Christian religion. Ralph had formed a connection with a young milliner, by whom, through his many fascina- tions, he was mainly supported. Franklin, with his increasing expenditures, was now disposed to shake off Ralph, as he needed all his money for his own convivial enjoyments. Ralph is said to be a first mover, who is called God, who is all wise, all good, all powerful. If he is all good, whatsoever he doeth must be good. If he is all wise, whatever he doeth must be wise. That there are things to which we give the name of Evil, is not to be denied — such as theft, murder, etc. But these are not in reality evils. To suppose anything to exist or to be done contrary to the will of the Almighty is to suppose him not Almighty. There is nothing done but God either does or permits. Though a creature may do many actions, which, by his fellow creatures, will be named evil, yet he can not act what will be in itself displeasing to God. *' We will sum up the argument thus, When the Creator first designed the universe, either it was his will that all should exist and be in the manner they are at this time, or it was his will that they should be otherwise. To say it was His will things should be other wise, is to say that somewhat hath contradicted His will ; which is impossible. Therefore we must allow that all things exist now in a manner agreeable to His will ; and, in consequence of that, all are equally good and therefore equally esteemed by Him. No condition of life or being is better or preferable ^o another,' This whole treatise may be found in the appendix to the firsJ volume of Parton's Life of Franklin So BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, • went into the country and opened a school, where he utterly failed. The unhappy milliner, ruined in character, and with a little child, wrote to Franklin imploring aid. Her letters touched his kindly heart. He could never see sorrow without wishing to relieve it. He furnished her with money, in small sums, to the amount of one hundred and thirty dol- lars ; and worst of all, we regret to say that he com- menced treating her with such familiarity, that she, still faithful to Ralph, repulsed him indignantly.* Franklin does not conceal these foibles^ as he regarded them, these sins as Christianity pronounces them. He declares this simply to have been another of the great errors of his youth. She informed Ralph of his conduct. He was enraged, broke off all further communication with Franklin, and thirty-five years passed away before they met again. Ralph, goaded to desperation, gained a wretched living in various literary adventures ; writing for any body, on any side, and for any price. Indeed he eventu- * Franklin writes in his autobiography, " I grew fond of her com- pany, and being at that time under no religious restraint, ahd taking advantage of my importance to her, I attempted to take some liber- ties with her, another erratum, which she repulsed with a proper degree of resentment. She wrote to Ralph and acquainted him with my conduct. This occasioned a breach between us ; and when he returned to London, he let me know he considered all th« ■obligations he had been under to me as annulled " — Works of Frank lin, vol. i, p. 59. MENTAL AND MORAL CONFLICTS. 8 1 ally gained quite an ephemeral reputation He could express himself with vivacity, and several quite prominent politicians sought the aid of his pen. Franklin, thus relieved from the support of Ralph, soon after entered a more extensive printing house, at Lincoln s Inn Fields. Though he was exceedingly fond of a sparkling glass of wine in his convivial hours, he was too much of a philosopher to stupefy his brain in guzzling beer. His habitual daily beverage was cold water. ** My companion at the press," he wrote, " drank every day a pint before breakfast, a pint at breakfast with his bread and cheese, a pint between breakfast and dinner, a pint at dinner, and another when he had done his day's work. I thought it a detestable custom. But it was necessary, he supposed, to drink strong beer that he might be strong to labor. I endeavored to convince him that the bodily strength afforded by beer could only be in propor- tion to the grain or the barley dissolved in the water of which it was made ; that there was more flour in a pennyworth of bread, and, therefore, if he could eat that with a pint of water, it would give him more strength than a quart of beer. He drank on, however, and had four or five shillings to pay, out of his wages, every Saturday night, for that vile 4* S2 J3ENJAMIN FR^\NKLIN. liquor ; an expense I was free from ; and thus these poor devils keep themselves always under." Again Franklin wrote in characteristic phrase, in reference to the influence of his example over some of his companions, " From my example, a great many of them left their muddling breakfast of bread, beer and cheese, finding they could, with me, be supplied from a neighboring house, with a large porringer of hot water gruel, sprinkled with pepper, crumbled with bread and a bit of butter in it, for the price of a pint of beer, — three half-pence. This was a more comfortable, as well as a cheaper breakfast, and kept their heads clearer. Those who continued sotting with their beer all day, were often, by not paying, out of credit at the ale-house ; and used to make interest with me to get beer ; their light as they phrased it being out. I watched the pay table on Saturday night, and collected what I stood engaged for them, having to pay sometimes on their account.** Franklin's skill in swimming, as we have men- tioned was very remarkable. At one time he swam from London to Chelsea, a distance of four miles. Several of his companions he taught to swim in two lessons. His celebrity was such that he was urged to open a swimming school.* The life of self- ♦ " On one of these days I was, to my surprise, sent for by a MENTAL AND MORAL CONFLICTS. 83 indulgence, he was now living in London, was not such as even his loose religious principles could approve. He had abandoned the faith of his fathers, and had adopted, for his rule of conduct, the principle, that it was right to yield to any indul- gences to which his passions incited him. He became tired of London, and probably found it necessary to break away from the influences and associates with which he had surrounded himself. Mr. Denham, his companion of voyage, had decided to return to Philadephia, and open an extensive store. He offered Franklin two hundred and fifty dollars a year as book-keeper. Though this was less than the sum Franklin was then earn- ing, as compositor, there were prospects of his advancement. This consideration, in addition to his desire to escape from London, led him to accept the offer. He was now twenty years of age. It great man I knew only by name, Sir William Wyndham. He had heard of my swimming from Chelsea to Blackfriars and of my teaching Wygate and another young man to swim in a few hours. He had two sons about to set out on their travels. He wished to have them first taught swimming, and proposed to gratify me handsomely if I would teach them. They were not yet come to town, and my stay firas uncertain, so I could not undertake it. But from the incident I thought it likely that if I were to remain in England and opened 9 swimming-school I might get a good deal of money. And it struck me so strongly that had the overture been made me sooner, probably I should not so soon have returned to America." — Autobiography, Vol I. p. 66 84 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • does not appear that he had thus far formed any deliberate plan for his life's work. He floated along as the current of events drifted him. On the twenty-first of July, 1726, Franklin embarked on board the ship Berkshire for Philadel- phia. He had been absent from America but little more than a year and a half. During this time he had not increased his fortune, for he had spent his money as fast as he had earned it. After a voyage of eighty days, the ship cast anchor before Philadel- phia. At that time ships were often from three to seven months effecting the passage across the Atlantic. As usual Franklin kept a diary punctually during his long voyage. Its pages were replete with pithy remarks of wit and wisdom. He was very fond of a game of checkers, and in that amusement beguiled many weary hours. We find the following striking comments upon the diversion in his journal : " It is a game I much delight in. But it requires a clear head and undisturbed. The persons playing, if they would play well, ought not much to regard the consequences of the game ; for that diverts and withdraws the mind from the game itself, and makes the player liable to make many false, open moves. I will venture to lay it down for an infallible rule that if two persons equal in judgment, play for a MENTAL AND MORAL CONFLICTS. Sj considerable sum, he that loves money most, shall lose. His anxiety for the success of the game con- founds him. Courage is almost as requisite for the good conduct of this game as in a real battle ; for if the player imagines himself opposed by one that is much his superior in skill, his mind is so intent on the defensive part, that an advantage passes un- observed." The Governor of the Isle of Wight had died, leaving the reputation of having been one of the most consummate scoundrels who ever exercised despotic power. Franklin, in his treatise upon ** Liberty and Necessity," written but a few months before, had assumed that there was no such thing as good and evil ; that God ordered and controlled every event ; and that consequently every event was in accordance with His will, and alike pleasing in His sight. But now we find the following record in his journal, which most readers will recognize as inconsistent with the young philosopher's theologi- cal opinions. He writes: **At the death of this governor, it appeared that he was a great villain, and a great politician. There was no crime so damnable, which he would stick at in the execution of his designs. And yet he had the art of covering all so thick, that with almost all men in general, while be lived he passed ^6 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. for a saint. In short, I believe it is impossible for a man, though he has all the cunning of a devil, to live and die a villain, and yet conceal it so well as to carry the name of an honest fellow to the grave with him, but some one by some accident or other, shall discover him. Truth and sincerity have a certain distinguishing, native lustre about them, which can- not be perfectly counterfeited. They are like fire and flame that cannot be painted." We should infer, from some intimations in Frank- lin's diary, that he was troubled by some qualms of conscience, in view of his abandonment of Miss Read, and his irregular life in London. He has left a paper in which he stated that he had never formed any regular plan for the control of his conduct: that he was now about to enter on a new life ; and that he was resolved that henceforth he would speak the truth, be industrious in his business, and speak ill of no man. These were rather meagre resolutions for a young man under these circumstances to adopt. Soon after landing at Philadelphia, Franklin chanced to meet Sir William Keith in the streets. The governor seemed much embarrassed, and passed by without speaking. It does not appear that the acquaintance was ever resumed. The governor lived nearly twenty-fi\ e years afterward, a dishonored and ruined man and died in the extreme of poverty. MENTAL AND MORAL CONFLICTS. 8/ Poor Miss Read, heart-broken, and deeming her self forever abandoned, yielded to the importunities of her friends and married a mechanic by the name of Rogers. He proved to be a thoroughly worthless fellow. His unconcealed profligacy, and unfaithful- ness to his wife, compelled her, after a few months of wretchedness, to return to her mother, and to resume her maiden name. The profligate husband fled from his creditors to the West Indies. Rumors soon reached Philadelphia of his death, leaving prob- ably another wife. Franklin entered upon his duties as clerk of Mr. Denham, with his accustomed energy and skill. He carried into his new vocation, all his intellectual sagacity, and speedily won not only the confidence but the affection of his employer. He lived with Mr. Denham, and being always disposed to look upon the bright side of everything, even of his own imperfections, notwithstanding his infidelity to Miss Read, he seems to have been a very happy and even jovial young man. Four months after Franklin had entered upon his mercantile career, both Mi Denham and Frank- lin were seized with the pleurisy. Mr. Denham died. Franklin, though brought near to the grave recovered. He writes : " I suffered a great deal ; gave up the point in 88 BENJAMIN I-RANKLIN. • my own mind ; and was at the time rather disap. pointed when I found myself recovering ; regretting in some degree that I must now, sometime or other have all that disagreeable work to do over again." The death of Mr. Denham broke up the estab- lishment, and Franklin was thrown out of employ- ment. Keimer, in whose service he had formerly been engaged, again made him an offer to superin- tend a printing office. Franklin accepted the propo- sition. There were five inefficient hands, whom Franklin was expected to transform into accom- plished printers. With these, and a few others, he organized a literary club, called the " Junto ; or the Leathern Apron Club," as nearly every member was a mechanic. The club met every Friday evening, and the wine cup, to stimulate conviviality, passed freely among them. There were twenty-four questions, which were every evening read, to which answers were to be returned by any one who could answer them. Between each question, it was expected that each member would fill, and empty, his glass. One would think that the wine must have been very weak, or the heads of these young men very strong, to ena- ble them to quaff twenty-four glasses unharmed. We give a few of the questions as specimens of theii general character. MENTAL AND MORAL CONFLICTS 8^ I. *' Have you met with anything in the author you last read ? 3. " Has any citizen in your knowledge failed^ and have you heard the cause? 7, " What unhappy effects of intemperance have you lately observed ? 12. " Has any deserving stranger arrived in town- since your last meeting ? 16. ** Has anybody attacked your reputation lately ? 23. " Is there any difficulty which you would gladly have discussed at this time ? *' Debates, declamation, and the reading of essays added to the entertainment of these gatherings. Stories were told, and bacchanal songs sung. No man could tell a better story, and few men could sing a better song than Benjamin Franklin. No one was deemed a suitable member of the club, who would not contribute his full quota to the entertain- ment or instruction. The questions proposed by Franklin for discussion, developed the elevated intel- lectual region his thoughts were accustomed to range. We give a few as specimens. *' Can any one particular form of government suit all mankind ? " Should it be the aim of philosophy to eradicate the passions ? 90 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. ** Is perfection attainable in this life ? " What general conduct of life is most suitable for men in such circumstances as most of the mem- bers of the Junto are ? " The Junto was limited to twelve members. It soon became so popular that applications for admis- sion became very frequent. Six months passed rapidly away, when Keimer, who was an exceedingly immoral and worthless man, and was fast going to ruin, in some fit of drunkenness, or ungovernable irritation, entered the office, and assailed Franklin with such abuse, that he took his hat, and repaired to his lodgings, resolved never to return. Franklin was twenty-one years of age. He had laid up no money. He was still but a journeyman printer. The draft which he had received from Mr. Vernon for fifty dollars had not yet been paid. He was exceedingly mortified when he allowed himself to reflect upon this delinquency which certainly ap- proached dishonesty. In this emergence he conferred with a fellow journeyman by the name of Hugh Meredith, whose father was a gentleman of consider- able property. Meredith proposed that they should enter into partnership, he furnishing the funds, and Franklin the business capacity. At that time Franklin, remembering bis tv»rrAw escape from the grave by the pleurisy, wrote his owu MENTAL AND MORAL CONFLICTS. 9I epitaph whtch has been greatly celebrated. It has genera-IIy been admired ; but some of more sensitive minds perceive in it a tone which is somewhat repulsive. 'The Body o; Benjamin Franklin, Printer, (Like the cover of an old book, Its contents torn out, And stripped of its let ering and gilding,) Lies here, food for worms. Yet the work itself shall not bvj lost. For it will, as he believed, appear once more, In a new And more beautiful edition. Corrected and amended By The Author." The excellencies of Franklin did not run in the Ime of exquisite sensibilities. At the early age of fifteen he began to cast off the restraints of the reli- gion of his father and mother. Nearly all his asso- ciates were what were called Free-thinkers. He could not be blind to their moral imperfections. Mr. Parton writes, " His old friend Collins, he remembered, was a Free-thinker, and Collins had gone astray. Ralph was a Free-thinker, and Ralph was a great sinner. Keith was a Free-thinker, and Keith was the great. 92 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • €st liar in Pennsylvania. Benjamin Franklin was a Free-thinker, and how shamefully he had behaved to Ralph's mistress, to Mr. Vernon and Miss Read, whose young life had been blighted through him." * Franklin's creed thus far, consisted only of nega- tions. He had no belief; he had only unbelief. Indeed he seems to have become quite ashamed of his treatise upon Liberty and Necessity, published in London, ind felt constrained to write a refuta- tion of it.f As this strange young man in his dis- * Parton's Life of Franklin, Vol i, p. i68. f " My arguments perverted some others, especially Collins ana Ralph. But each of these having wronged me greatly without the least compunction ; and recollecting Keith's conduct towards me, who was another Free-thinker, and my own towards Vernon and Miss Read, which at times gave me great trouble, I began to suspect that this doctrine, though it might be true, was not very usefuL My London pamphlet, printed in 1725, and which had for its motto, " Whatever is is right," and which from the attributes of God, His infinite wisdom, goodness and power, concluded that nothing could possibly be wrong in the world, and that vice and virtue were empty distinctions, no such things ex- isting, appeared now not so clever a performance, as I once thought it ; and I doubted whether some error had not insinuated itself unper* ceived into my argument." In the year 1779, Dr. Franklin wrote to Dr. Benjamin Vaughn « so. The Governor at this time appointed Franklin a Justice of Peace. Franklin says he was much flat- tered by these accumulating honors. Soon he was elected to a seat, as one of the Legislators in the Assembly. Mainly through his influence, a hospital- for the sick was established in Philadelphia. Though the measure encountered much opposition, he carried it ; and the institution proved of incalcu- lable benefit. The Rev. Gilbert Tennent solicited Franklin's aid in raising money for building a Meeting House. As Franklin had been so continually engaged in asking for money for various objects of benevolence, he was afraid he should become obnoxious to his fellow-citizens, and declined. Mr. Tennent then requested him to give him a list of the names of those influential persons upon whom it would be well for him to call. Every Christian minister who reads this, will appreciate the nature of his embar- rassment. Franklin says that he thought it would be unbecoming in him, after having emptied the purses of his friends, to send other beggars to them,, with renewed importunities. This request he there- 150 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. fore declined. Mr. Tennent then urged him to give him some advice. Franklin replied, •* That I will willingly do. In the first place, I advise you to apply to all those who you know will do something ; next, to those who you are uncer- tain whether they will give anything or not, and show them the list of those who have given ; and lastly, do not neglect those who you are sure will give nothing, for in some of them you may be mis- taken." Mr. Tennent laughed heartily, and declared that he would rigorously follow out this advice. He did so. His success was wonderful ; a much larger sum was raised than he had anticipated, and soon a ca- pacious and beautiful Meeting House rose in Arch street. The streets of Philadelphia, though laid out with great regularity, were unpaved, and in wet weather were almost impassable quagmires. Franklin, by talking with his friends, and by urging the subject in his paper, at length succeeded in having a side- walk paved with stone, upon one of the most impor- tant streets. It gave great satisfaction, but the rest of the street not being paved, the mud was thrown by passing carriages upon it, and as the city em- ployed no street cleaners, the sidewalk soon ceased to afford a clean passage to pedestrians. THE TRADESMAN A PHILOSOPHER. 15I Franklin found an industrious man who was will- ing to sweep the pavement twice a week, carrying off the dirt from before all the doors, for the sum of sixpence a month, to be paid by each house. The philosophic Franklin then, having started this enterprise, printed on a sheet of paper the great advantages of keeping the side-walk clean, and sent one of these papers to each house. He urged that much of the soiling of the interior of the houses would thus be avoided, that an attractive side-walk would lure passengers to the shops ; and that, in windy weather, their goods would be preserved from the dust. ' After a few days he called, in person, at each house and shop to see who would subscribe sixpence a month. It was a great success. The cleanliness of the pavement in the important streets surrounding the market, greatly delighted the people, and pre- pared the way for carrying a bill which Franklin presented to the Assembly for paving and lighting all the important streets of the city. A gentleman, by the name of John Clifton, had placed a lamp before his door. This suggested the idea. Lamps were sent for from London. Globes were furnished. They were expensive. The smoke circulated in the globe and obstructed the light. They had to be wiped clean each day. An acciden- 152 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. tal stroke demolished the whole globe. Franklin suggested four flat panes. One might be broken^ and easily replaced. Crevices were left below to ad mit a current of air, and a funnel to draw off the smoke. Thus for a long time the glass remained undimmed. Wherever Franklin went, he carried with him this spirit of improvement. When in London, he found the streets wretchedly dirty. One morning he found a poor woman at his door in Craven street, sweeping the sidewalk with a wretched broom. Her pallid and exhausted appearance touched the sympa- thies of Franklin. He asked who employed her. She replied : " Nobody. I am poor and in distress. I sweeps before gentlefolks's doors, and hopes they will give me something." Franklin immediately engaged her to sweep the whole street. It was nine o'clock in the morning. She was so languid and debilitated that he thought it would take her nearly all day. But in three hours she came for her shilling. Franklin thought she could not have done her work faithfully. He sent his servant to examine. He reported that the work was thoroughly done. A new problem rose before Franklin : If this feeble woman could in so short a time sweep such a street, a strong man, with THE TRADESMAN A PHILOSOPHER, 1 53 a suitable broom, could certainly do it in half of the time. He therefore drew up a plan for cleaning the streets of London and Westminster, which was placed in the hands of one of the rnost influential of the public-spirited men of London. Franklin apologizes for speaking in his autobiog- raphy of such trifles. Very truly, he says, ** Human felicity is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day. Thus if you teach a poor young man to shave himself and keep his razor in order, you may contribute more to the happiness of his life than in giving him a thousand guineas. This sum may be soon spent, the regret only remaining of having foolishly con- sumed it. But in the other case, he escapes the frequent vexation of waiting for barbers, and of their sometimes dirty fingers, offensive breath, and dull razors. He shaves when most convenient ta him, and enjoys daily the pleasure of its being done with a good instrument." Nearly all the important offices in the colonies were filled by appointments from the British Crown. Foi' some time, Franklin had been employed as an assistant to the Postmaster General, in simplifying and bringing regularity into his accounts. Upon the death of the American Postmaster, Fianklin, in 154 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. 1753, was appointed jointly with Sir William Hunt- er to succeed him. The appointment was made by the Postmaster General in England. The post-office department had scarcely been self-supporting. It had never paid anything to the crown. The salary offered to the two postmasters was three thousand dollars a year each, if they could save that sum from the profits of the office. Franklin writes, " To do this a variety of improvements was ne- cessary. Some of these were inevitably, at first, expensive ; so that in the first four years, the office became above nine hundred pounds in debt to us. But it soon after began to repay us. And before I was displaced by a freak of the ministers, of which I shall hereafter speak, we had brought it to yield three times as much clear revenue to the crown as the post-office of Ireland. Since that imprudent transaction, they have received from it not one farthing." Again there were menaces of war, insane and de- moniac, to fill the world with tears and woe. As we read the record of these horrid outrages which through all the centuries have desolated this globe^ it would seem that there must be a vein of insanity as well as of depravity, in the heart of fallen man, England and France were again marshaling theif THE TRADESMAN A PHILOSOPHER, 1 55 armies, and accumulating their fleets, for the terrible conflict. It was certain that France, in Canada, and Eng- land, in her colonies, could not live in peace here, ivhile the volcanic throes of war were shaking the Island of Great Britain, and the Continent of Europe. In the heart of New York, then almost an un- broken wilderness, there were six exceedingly fierce and war-like tribes called the Six Nations. Like the wolves they delighted in war. The greatness of a man depended on the number of scalps with which he could fringe his dress. These savage warriors were ready and eager to engage as the allies of those who would pay them the highest price. Mercy was an attribute of which they knew not even the name. It was not doubted that France would immedi- ately send her emissaries from Canada to enlist these savages on her side. Awful would be the woes with which these demoniac men could sweep our defenceless frontiers ; with the tomahawk and the scalping knife, exterminating families, burning villa- ges, and loading their pack-horses with plunder. To forestall the French, and to turn these woes from our own frontier to the humble homes of the Cana- dian emigrants, the English government appointed a commissioner to visit the chiefs of these tribes in the year 1754- 156 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. The all important council was to be held in Al- bany. Governor Hamilton appointed four commis- sioners, of whom Franklin was one, to act in behalf of Pennsylvania. They were furnished with rich gifts with which to purchase the favor of the Indians. It was a long and tedious journey from Philadelphia to Albany. Franklin, on this journey, was deeply impressed with the importance of a union of the colonies for -self-defence. He therefore drew up a plan for such union. Several gentlemen of the highest intelligence in New York, having examined it, gave it their cor- dial approval. He accordingly laid it before Con- gress. There were several other persons in other col- onies who were impressed as deeply as Franklin with a sense of the importance of such a confederacy, and they also sent in their suggestions. Congress appointed a committee of one from each province, to consider the several plans. The committee approved of Franklin's plan, and reported accordingly. While the commissioners were confer- ring with the Indians in Albany, Congress was en gaged in discussing the plans of a confederacy Franklin's plan was finally rejected. It did not meet the views either of the Assembly, or of the British Court. And here we see, perhaps the germs THE TRADESMAN A PHILOSOPHER. 1 5/ of the great conflict which soon culminated in the cruel war of the Revolution. The Assembly objected to the plan as too aristo- cratic, conferring too much power upon the crown. The court emphatically rejected it as too democrat- ic, investing the people with too much power. Franklin ever affirmed that his plan was the true medium. Even the royalist governor of Pennsylva- nia warmly commended the compromise he urged. In visiting Boston he was shown an electric tube, recently sent from England. With this tube some very surprising electrical experiments were performed, ushering in a new science, of which then but very little was known. Franklin became in- tensely interested in the subject. Upon his return to Philadelphia, he devoted himself, with great assiduity, to experimenting with electric tubes. At this time he wrote to a friend, " I never was before engaged in any study that so totally engrossed my attention and my time, as this has lately done ; for what with making experi- ments when I can be alone, and repeating them to my friends and acquaintances, who, from the novelty of the thing, come contir^-^ally in crowds to see them, I have little leisure for anythirg else." This was during the winter of 1746-7. Franklin suggested that the electricity was collected, not 158 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. created by friction. He also propounded the theory of positive and negative electricity. He was, at this time, comparatively a wealthy man, and conse- quently could afford to devote his time to philo- sophical investigation. It is estimated that his income, from his estates, amounted to about seven hundred pounds a year; this was equal to about six or seven thousand dollars at the present time. Mr. Parton writes, " Besides this independence, Franklin was the holder of two offices, worth together perhaps one hundred and fifty pounds a year. His business, then more flourishing than ever, produced an annual profit, as before computed, of two thousand pounds ; bringing up his income to the troublesome and absurd amount of nearly three thousand pounds ; three times the revenue of a colonial governor." Under these prosperous circumstances, Franklin withdrew from active business, became a silent part- ner in the firm, and devoted nearly all his time to the new science. He wrote, in the autumn of 1748 to his friend Cadwallader Golden of New York, " I have removed to a more quiet part of the town, where I am settlirg my old accounts, and hope soon to be quite master of my own time, and no longer, as the song has it, " at every one's call but my own." THE TRADESMAN A PHILOSOPHER. 1 59 " Thus you see I am in a fair way of having no other tasks than such as I shall like to give myself and of enjoying what I look upon as a great happi- ness, leisure to read, study, make experiments, and converse at large with such ingenious and worthy men, as are pleased to honor me with their friend- ship or acquaintance, on such points as may produce something for the common benefit of mankind, unin- terrupted by the cares and fatigues of business." He wrote a treatise upon thundergusts, which displayed wonderful sagacity, and which arrested the attention of nearly all the philosophers in Eu- rope and America. The all-important topics of this exceedingly important document, were the power of points to draw off electricity, and also the simi- larity of electricity and lightning. He therefore urged that metallic rods might be attached to buildings and ships, which, pushing their needle points above roofs and masts, might draw the elec- tric fire harmlessly from the clouds. He. confesses that he cannot imagine why the points should pos- sess this curious power, but urges that facts seem to demonstrate it. One day, for the entertainment of his friends, he had made arrangements to kill a turkey with an elec- tric shock. Two large jars were heavily charged. Incautiously manipulating, he took the shock him* l6o BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • self. In the following language, he describes the effect : ** The flash was very great, and the crack was as loud as a pistol ; yet my senses being instantly gone, I neither saw the one nor heard the other; nor did I feel the stroke on my hand, though I afterwards found it raised a round swelling where the fire entered, as big as half a pistol bullet. " I then felt what I know not well how to de- scribe, a universal blow throughout my whole body from head to foot, which seemed within as well as without ; after which the first thing I took notice of was a violent, quick shaking of my body, which gradually remitting, my sense as gradually returned, and then, I thought the bottle must be discharged, but could not conceive how, till at last I perceived the chain in my hand, and recollected what I had been about to do. " That part of my hand and fingers which held the chain, was left white as though the blood had been driven out ; and remained so eight or ten minutes after, feeling like dead flesh ; and I had numbness in my arms and the back of my neck which continued to the next morning, but wore off." Franklin was much mortified at his awkwardness in this experiment. He declared it to be a notori- ous bl jnde'', and compared it with the folly of the THE TRADESMAN A PHILOSOPHER. l6l Irishman, wlio wishing to steal some gun-powder, bored a hole through the cask with red hot iron. But notwithstanding this warning, not long after- wards, in endeavoring to give a shock to a paralytic patient, he received the whole charge himself, and was knocked flat and senseless on the floor. In the spring of 1752, Franklin tried his world renowned experiment with the kite. A June thun- der cloud was rising in all its majesty. Franklin, accompanied by his son, repaired to a field secretly, being afraid of the ridicule of the people. Here he raised the kite, made of a large silk handkerchief. The top of the perpendicular stick was pointed with a sharp metallic rod. The string was hemp with the exception of the part held in the hand, which was silk ; at the end of the hempen string a common key was suspended. With intense anxiety and no slight apprehension of danger, he held the line. Soon he observed the fibres of the hempen string to rise and separate themselves, as was the case of the hair on the head, when any one was placed on an insulating stool. He applied his knuckle to the key, and received an unmistakable spark. As the story is generally told, with occasionally slight contradic- tions, he applied his knuckle again and again to the key with a similar result. He charged a Leyden jar with the fluid and both he and his son took a 1 62 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. shock. He then drew in his kite, packed up his ap- paratus and returned to his laboratory probably the most exultant and happy man in this wide world. Most of the English and many of the French philosophers were very unwilling to believe that an obscure American, in what they deemed the savage and uncultivated wilds of the New World, was out- stripping them in philosophical research. They were unwilling to acknowledge the reality of his ex- periments ; but in France, where an American would receive more impartial treatment, three of the most eminent philosophers. Count de Bufifon, M. Dalibard and M. de Lor, at different places, raised the appara- tus Franklin had recommended to draw electricity from the clouds. Their success was unmistakable ; the results of these experiments were proclaimed throughout Europe. Franklin had now obtained renown. No one could deny that he merited a high position among the most eminent philosophers. The experiments he had suggested were tried by scientists in the phil- osophical circles of every country in Europe. Both Yale and Harvard, in this country, conferred upon him the honorary degree of Master of Arts, and the Royal Society, in Europe, by a unanimous vote, elected him a member, remitting the usual in- itiation fee of five guineas, and the annual charge of THE TRADESMAN A PHxLOSOPHER. 163 two and a half guineas. The next year this Society conferred upon him the Copley medal. For seven years Franklin continued to devote himself almost exclusively to this science, and he became, without doubt, the most accomplished elec- trician in the world. At the same time his mind was ever active in devising new schemes for the welfare of humanity. The most trivial events would often suggest to him measures conducive to the most beneficial results. It is said that Franklin saw one day in a ditch the fragments of a basket of yel- low willow, in which some foreign commodity had been imported to this country. One of the twigs had sprouted. He planted it ; and it became the parent of all the yellow willows in our country. Franklin was best loved where he was best known. And this was right ; for he was ever con ferring deeds of kindness upon his neighbors. His leligious views excited sorrow among his Christian friends. Others, composing perhaps a majority, cared nothing about what he believed. In conver- sation he ever frankly avowed himself a deist, though generally he made no attempt to convert others to his views. It is not improbable that he was in some degree influenced by the beneficial effect produced upon the popular mind by the preaching of his friend Mr. Whitefield. 164 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. The writer was once, in Paris, conversing with one of the most illustrious of the French philosophers. He said to the philosopher, " I am much interested to ascertain the views of gentlemen of your intel- lectual position respecting the christian religion.** He with perfect frankness rephed, " I think that there are no men of high culture in France, with a few exceptions, who believe in the divine origin of Christianity. But there is no philanthropist who will say so. We have been taught, by the horrors of the French Revolution, that the masses of the people can only be restrained from violence by the superstitious restraints which Christianity presents. We therefore think that every man, who is a gentle- man, will do what he can to sustain the church and the clergy. Men of culture and refinement, are governed by principles of honor, and they do not need the superstitious motives of Christianity to in- fluence them." I may remark, in passing, that this gentlemanly philosopher had abandoned his own wife, and was then living with the wife of another man. It is not improbable that Franklin, as he looked upon the tumultuous and passion-tossed young men of Phila- delphia, did not deem it expedient to say to them, ** The Bible is a fable The Sabbath is no more sacred than any other d\y. The church is merely a THE TRADESMAN A PHILOSOPHER. 165 human club without any divine authority. Marriage is an institution which is not founded upon any de- cree which God has issued, but one of the expediency of which each individual must judge for himself. The Sacraments of Baptism, and the Lord's Supper, are mere human contrivances. The preaching of the Gospel had better be laid aside for literary and scientific disquisitions." With the eye of a benevolent philosopher, Frank- lin, as we have seen, had watched the effect of the preaching of Mr. Whitefield, and had candidly ac- knowledged its power in reforming society. It is improbable that, in his heart, he felt that the preach- ing of pure deism could ever secure such results. In 1753 he wrote to Mr. Whitefield, in reply to a com- munication from him upon the Christian faith : " The faith you mention certainly has its use in the world. I do not desire to see it diminished, nor would I endeavor to lessen it in any man." Franklin had resolved to decline all office, that he might devote himself to his studies. But his rep- utation for wisdom was such, that he found it very difficult to persevere in this plan. Menaces of war were continually arising. The majority of the mem- bers, In the Assembly, were Quakers. It was a small body consisting of but forty delegates. The Qua- kers opposed every measure for public defence. 1 66 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. Franklin, as we have mentioned, became a Justice of the Peace. Soon after he was an Alderman, and then he took his seat in the General Assembly. " I was a bad speaker," he writes, " never elo quent ; subject to much hesitation in the choice of words ; and yet I generally carried my point." He adds, in language which every young man should treasure up in his memory, ** I retained the habit of expressing myself in terms of modest diffi- dence ; never using, when I advanced anything that might possibly be disputed, the words, certainly^ undoubtedly^ or any others that give the air of posi- tiveness to an opinion ; but rather, I conceive^ or apprehend a thing to be so and so. // appears to mey or, / should not think it so for such and such rea- sons ^ or, / imagine it to be so^ or, It is so if I am not mistaken. This habit, I believe, has been of great advantage to me when I have had occasion to incul- cate my opinions ; and to persuade men into meas- ures that I have been from time to time proposing." When Franklin assumed the charge of the post- office, the department was in a feeble and peculiar condition. As late as the year 1757, the mail-bag in Virginia was passed from planter to planter. Each one was required to forward it promptly, under the penalty of forfeiting a hogohea-'J of tobacco. Every man took, from the bag, wli/*' belonged to THE TRADESMAN A PHILOSOPHER. 167 his family, and sent on the rest. The line of post- offices then extended from Boston, Mass., to Charles- ton, S. C. It was twenty years after this, before any governmental mail penetrated the interior. In the year 1753, Franklin visited every post- office excepting that of Charleston. His wisdom introduced reforms, some of which have continued to the present day. A newspaper was charged nine pence a year, for a distance of fifty miles, and eigh- teen pence for one hundred miles or more. In the large towns a penny post was established, and all letters left remaining in the office were advertised. A mail was conveyed from Philadelphia to New York once a week in summer, and once in two weeks in winter. Franklin started a mail to leave each of these cities three times a week in summer, and twice in winter. It generally required six weeks to obtain an answer from a letter sent to Boston. Most of the roads, into the interior, consisted of narrow pas- sages, cut through the forest, called Bridle Paths, because the pack horses were led through them, in single file by the bridle. CHAPTER VIII. The Rising Storms of War, Aristocracy— Anecdote — Conflicting laws of Nations — Franklin'i scheme of colonization — Proposal of the British Court — The foresight of Franklin — Braddock's campaign — Remonstrances of Franklin and Washington — Franklin's interviews with Braddock — Franklin's efficiency — Confidence of Braddock — The conflict with the Proprietaries — The non-resistant Quakers — Fate of the Moravian villages — The winter campaign — The camp of Gaudenhutton — Anecdote — Renewal of the strife with the Pro- prietaries — Franklin recalled to assist the Assembly — Destruc- tion of the Fort — Claim of the Proprietaries — The great con- troversy. With increasing wealth the spirit of aristo- cratic exclusiveness gained strength in the higher circles of Philadelphia. Some of the more opulent families planned for a series of dancing entertain- ments during the winter. It was proposed among other rules that no mechanic, or mechanic's wife or daughter, should be invited. The rules were shown to Franklin. He glanced his eye over them and pithily remarked, ** Why these rules would exclude God Al mighty ! " " How so?" inquired the manager. THE RISING STORMS OF WAR. 169 " Because," Franklin replied, " the Almighty, as all know, is the greatest mechanic in the universe. In six days he made all things." The obnoxious article was stricken out. The following incident, narrated by Franklin, illustrates a very important principle in political economy, which those are apt to ignore, who de- nounce all the elegancies and luxuries of life. Mrs. Franklin received some small favor from the captain of a little coaster, which ran between Cape May and Philadelphia. He declined to re- ceive any remuneration for his trifling services. Mrs. Franklin, learning that he had a pretty daugh- ter, sent her a new-fashioned Philadelphia cap or bonnet. Three years after, the captain called again at the house of Mr. Franklin. A very plain but intelligent farmer accompanied him. The captain expressed his thanks to Mrs. Franklin for the gift she had sent his daughter, and rather discourteously added, " But it proved a dear cap to our congregation. When my daughter appeared with it at meeting, it •was so much admired that all the girls resolved to get such caps from Philadelphia. And my wife and I computed that the whole could not have cost less than a hundred pounds." The farmer, with far higher intelligence said. I/O BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. " This IS true ; but you do not tell the whole story. I think the cap was nevertheless an advantage to us. It was the first thing that put our girls upon knit- ting worsted mittens, for sale at Philadelphia, that they might have wherewithal to buy caps and rib- bons there. And you know that that industry has continued and is likely to continue and increase, to a much greater value, and answer better purposes.'* " Thus by a profitable exchange, the industrious girls at Cape May had pretty bonnets, and the girls at Philadelphia had warm mittens." For seventy-five years it had been the constant design of the British government to drive the French from North America. England claimed the whole country, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, because her ships had first sailed along the Atlantic coast. It was one of the recognized laws of nations that a newly discovered region belonged to the na- tion who had first raised upon it its flag. France, admitting the claim of England to the Atlantic coast, asserted her right to the great val- leys of the interior, those of the Ohio and the Mis- sissippi, because her boatmen had first discovered those magnificent rivers, had explored them throughout, and had established upon them her trading and military posts. It was a recognized law of nations, that the power which discovered, ex- THE RISING STORMS OF WAR. I7I plored, and took possession of a new river, was the rightful possessor of the valley which that river watered. Thus the conflict of claims originated. To add to the intensity of the insane strife, which caused an amount of blood and misery which no tongue can tell, religious bitterness was aroused, and the French Roman Catholic was arrayed against the British Protestant. Three wars, bloody and woful, had already rav- aged this continent. We have before alluded to the menace of a new war in the year 1754, and to Franklin's mission to Albany to enlist the chiefs of the Six Nations to become allies of the English. We have also alluded to the plan, which Franklin drew up on this journey, for the union of the colo- nies, and which was rejected. The wisdom of this plan was, however, subsequently developed by the fact that it was remarkably like that by which event- ually the colonies were bound together as a nation. Assuming that the English were right in their claim for the whole continent, Franklin urged the eminently wise measure of establishing strong colo- nies, in villages of a hundred families each, on the luxuriant banks of the western rivers. But the haughty British government would receive no in- structions from American provincials. Governor Shirley, of Boston, showed Mr. Frank- 1/2 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. lin a plan, drawn up in England, for conducting the war. It developed consummate ignorance of the difficulties of carrying on war in the pathless wilderness ; and also a great disregard of the politi- cal rights of the American citizens. According to this document, the British court was to originate and execute all the measures for the conduct of the war ; and the British Parliament was to assess what- ever tax it deemed expedient upon the American people to defray the expenses. The Americans were to have no representation in Parliament, and no voice whatever in deciding upon the sum which they were to pay. Franklin examined the document carefully, and returned it with his written objections. In this remarkable paper, he anticipated the arguments which our most distinguished statesmen and logi- cians urged against the Stamp Act — against Taxa- tion without Representation. A brief extract from this important paper, will give the reader some idea of its character : " The colonists are Englishmen. The accident of living in a colony deprives them of no right se- cured by Magna Charta. The people in the colo- nies, who are to feel the immediate mischiefs of invasion and conquest by an enemy in the loss of their estates, lives and liberties, are likely to be bet- THE RISING STORMS 3F WAR. 1/3 ter judges of the quantity of forces necessary to be raised and maintained, and supported, and of their own ability to bear the expense, than the Parlia- ment of England, at so great a distance. Compel- ling the colonists to pay money without their con- sent, would be rather like raising contributions in an enemy's country, than taxing of Englishmen for their own public benefit. It would be treating them as a conquered people, and not as true British subjects." At length the brave, but self-conceited and haughty General Braddock came with his army of British Regulars. Frenchmen, Indians, and Ameri- cans, he alike regarded with contempt. His troops were rendezvoused at Fredericktown, in Maryland. A bridle path led through the wilderness to this place, from Philadelphia, a distance of a hundred and twenty miles. Intelligent American gentlemen were much alarmed, by the reckless and perilous measures which the ignorant British general declared his intention to pursue. He became very angry with Pennsylva- nians, because they were so unwilling to fall in with his plans. It was said that, in his anger, he mani- fested more desire to ravage Pennsylvania than to defeat the French. The Assembly at Philadelphia appointed a com- 1/4 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. mission, consisting of Benjamin Franklin and his son, a resolute, insubordinate man of thirty years, and of the Governors of New York and Massachusetts, to visit the arrogant British officer, and to endeavor, in some way, to influence him to wiser measures. It was the middle of April, a beautiful season in that climate, of swelling buds, and opening leaves. Each of the four gentlemen was attended by ser- vants, as was customary in those days. They were all finely mounted. Joyfully they rode along, seek- ing entertainment each night at the residence of some planter. A courier was always sent forward to announce their coming, and the planter, accom- panied by one or two of his servants, would gene- rally ride forward a few miles to meet them, and escort them to his hospitable home. Franklin was received by Gen. Braddock with the condescension with which, in that day, English gentlemen were ever accustomed to regard Amer- icans of whatever name or note. The little army, which was to march upon Fort Duquesne, was to traverse the dreary and pathless ridges and ravines of the Alleghany mountains, and force their way through a tangled wilderness, for a distance of several hundred miles. During all this march they were hourly ex- posed to be attacked by an overpowering force of French and Indians. The French could easily de- THE RISING STORMS CF WAR. I75 Bcend to the Ohio, in their boats from Canada, and nearly all the Indians of this vast interior, were in alliance with them. Braddock insisted upon encumbering his march with heavily laden wagons, which were to penetrate savage regions through which he must, every mile, construct his road. There was a young American in the camp by the name of George Washington. He was a man of the highest rank, and of commanding influence, having obtained much experience in In- dian warfare. Modestly, but warmly, he remon- strated against this folly. He not only feared, but was fully assured that such a measure would lead to the inevitable destruction of the army. He urged that pack horses only should be employed, and as few of them as possible ; and that thus they should hurry along as rapidly and in as compact a mass as they could. But Braddock was inexorable. He demanded his two hundred and fifty wagons, and a large train of pack horses, to be laden with sumptuous provisions for his officers. The farmers of Maryland and Vir- ginia were reluctant to expose the few wagons and teams they had, to such inevitable destruction. Neither had they any confidence that the British Government would ever remunerate them in case of their loss. 176 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. Four-wheeled vehicles' were very scarce in the colonies. There were many people who had never seen one. The general, after exhausting all his efforts, could obtain but twenty-four. One day as he was giving vent to his indignation, Franklin sug- gested that it would probably be much more easy to obtain wagons in the more densely settled parts of Pennsylvania. Braddock immediately urged him to undertake the enterprise. Unwisely, we think, he consented. With his son he hastened to Pennsyl- vania, and selected Lancaster, York, and Carlisle as his centres of operation. Whatever Franklin undertook, he was pretty sure to accomplish. In twenty days he obtained one hundred and fifty four-horse wagons, and two hundred and fifty-nine pack-horses. He did not accomplish this feat however, until he had exhausted all the money which Braddock had furnished him, had spent over a thousand dollars of his own money, and had given bonds for the safe return of horses and wagons, whose money value was estimated at one hundred thousand dollars. Braddock was lavish in his compliments. Frank- lin dined with him daily. The idea seemed never to have entered Braddock's mind that British Regulars, under his command, could ever be seriously annoyed by bands ot French and Indians. He said one day THE RISING STORMS OF WAR. 1 77 •* After taking Fort Duquesne, I shall go to Ni- agara. Having taken that, if the season will permit, I shall proceed to Fort Frontenac. Fort Duquesne can hardly detain me more than three or four days.'* Franklin, -w ho was well aware that Braddock was entering upon a far more formidable campaign than he anticipated, ventured very modestly to suggest, " To be sure, sir, if you arrive well before Du- quesne with the fine troops so well provided with artillery, the fort, though completely fortified, and assisted with a very strong garrison, can probably make but a short resistance. The only danger I apprehend of obstruction to your march, is of ambus- cades of the Indians, who, by constant practice, are dexterous in laying and executing them. And the slender line, near four miles long, which your army must make, may expose it to be attacked by sur- prise in its flanks, and to be cut like a thread into sev- eral pieces, which, from their distance, cannot come up in time to support each other." Braddock smiled derisively, at this ignorance of a benighted American. ** These savages may in- deed," he said, *'be a formidable enemy to your raw American militia. But upon the king's regular and disciplined troops, it is impossible that they should make any impression." Colonel Washington regarded the wagons, and 8* 1^8 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. the long array of pack-horses, as so many nui sances, arresting the rapidity of their march, and in- viting attacks which it would be impossible to repel. At length the army was in motion. The progress was very slow. Franklin was continually forward- ing supplies ; and even advanced between six and seven thousand dollars, from his own purse, to expe- dite purchases. A part of this he never received back. The attack upon Braddock's army, and its terri- ble defeat soon came. A minute account of the conflict is given in the Life of George Washington, one of the volumes of this series. The teamsters cut the traces of their horses, mounted the swiftest, and, in the frenzy of their panic, rushed for home. The other horses and the wagons, with their abound- ing supplies, were left to magnify the triumph of the exultant Indians. Disastrous as was the campaign, Franklin obtained much credit for the efficient servi- ces he had rendered. War, with all its horrors, had now penetrated the beautiful region of Pennsylvania, which had enjoyed eighty years of peace, through the Christian philanthropy of William Penn. Nearly all of the Indians, beyond the mountains, were allies of the French. The news of Braddock's defeat reached Philadelphia about the middle of July, 1755. Im- THE RISING STORMS OF WAR. 1 79 mediately a violent conflict arose between the royal- ist governor Morris, and the Colonial Assembly. The Legislative body voted liberal taxes for the public defence. But very justly it was enacted that these taxes should be assessed impartially upon all estates alike, upon those of the wealthy Proprie- taries, as well as upon the few hundred acres which were owned by the humble farmers. The Proprie- taries, consisting of two of the sons of William Penn revolted against this. The Governor, appointed' by them, as their agent of course, united with them in opposition. For many weeks the conflict between the Assembly and the Governor as agent of the Pro- prietaries, raged fiercely. Under these circumstan- ces no military supplies could be voted, and the peril of the community was very great. Franklin warmly espoused and eloquently advo- cated the claim of the Assembly. During the months of July and August, the Indians, satiated with the vast plunder of Braddock's camp, made no attempt to cross the Alleghanies, in predatory excur- sions against the more settled portions of Pennsyl- vania. But September and October ushered in scenes of horror and carnage, too awful to be de- picted. Villages were laid in ashes, cottages were burned, families tomahawked and scalped, women and children carried into captivity, and many poor I80 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. creatures perishea at the stake, in the endurance of all the tortures which savage ingenuity could devise. And still the Quakers, adhering to their principle of non-resistance, refused to contribute any money, or in any way to unite in any military organization for self-defence. But in candor it must be admitted, that had the principles of the Quakers been adopted by the British court, this whole disastrous war might have been avoided. It was a war of invasion commenced by the English. They were determined, by force of arms, to drive the French out of the magnificent valleys beyond the mountains. In the conflict which ensued, both parties enlisted all the savages they could, as allies. Will not England at the judgment be held responsible for this war and its woes ? To rouse the Quakers to a sense of shame, the bodies of a whole murdered family, mutilated and goryy were brought to Philadelphia and paraded through all its streets, in an open wagon. In No- vember, as the Indians, often led by French officers, were sweeping the frontier in all directions, killing, burning, destroying, the antagonistic parties in the Assembly, for a time laid aside their quarrels, and with the exception of the Quakers, adopted vigorous military measures. The Quakers were generally the most opulent people in the State. It is not stiange THE RISING STORMS OF WAR. l8l that the common people should be reluctant to vol- unteer to defend the property of the Quakers, since they refused either to shoulder a musket, or to con- tribute a dollar. The pen of Franklin rendered wonderful service in this crisis. With his accustomed toleration, he could make allowance for the frailties of conscience- bound men. He wrote a very witty pamphlet which was very widely read, and produced a powerful im- pression. Its character may be inferred from the following brief quotation : ** * For my part,' says A, * I am no coward ; but hang me if I fight to save the Quakers.* " * That is to say,* B. replied, ' you will not pump the sinking ship, because it will save the rats as well as yourselves.' " The dialogue ends with the following admirable words : " O ! my friends, the glory of serving and saving others is superior to the advantage of being served and secured. Let us resolutely and generously unite in our country's cause, in which to die is the sweetest of all deaths ; and may the God of armies bless our honest endeavors." The colonists of Pennsylvania now generally rushed to arms. There were, on the frontiers, seve- ral flourishing Moravian villages. They were occu- l82 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. pied by a peculiarly industrious and religious peo- ple. The traveller through their quiet streets heard, morning and evening, the voice of prayer ascending from many firesides, and the melody of Christian hymns. Guadenhutton, perhaps the most flourishing of them, was attacked by the Indians, burned, and the inhabitants all massacred or carried into captivity. Terrible was the panic in the other villages. They were liable at any day, to experience the same fate. Under these circumstances the Governor raised five hundred and forty volunteers, and placed them under the command of Franklin, with the title of General. He was to lead them, as rapidly as possi- ble, to Northampton county, for the protection of these people. His son, William, was his aid-de- camp. He proved an efficient and valiant soldier. It was the middle of December when this heroic little band commenced its march. Snow whitened the hills. Wintry gales swept the bleak plains, and moaned through the forests. The roads were almost impassable. Fierce storms often entirely arrested their march. The wilderness was very thinly inhabited. It required the toil of a month, for Franklin to force his way through these many obstructions to the base of his operations, though it was distant not more thar ninety miles. THE RISING STORMS OF WAR. 1 83 The troops moved very cautiously to guard against ambush. The philosopher, Franklin, though he had never received a military education, and was quite inexperienced in military afifairs, was the last man to be drawn into such a net as that in which the army of Braddock was destroyed. Franklin, as a philosopher, could appreciate the powerful influence of religious motives upon the mind. Rev. Mr. Beatty was his chaplain, whose worth of character Franklin appreciated. Before commencing their march, all the troops were assem- bled for a religious service. After an earnest exhor- tation to fidelity and duty, a fervent prayer was offered. The march was conducted with great regularity, First, scouts advanced in a semi-circular line, rang- ing the woods. Then came the advanced guard, at a few hundred paces behind. The centre followed, with all the wagons and baggage. Then came the rear guard, with scouts on each flank, and spies on every hill. Upon reaching Guadenhutton, an awful scene of desolation and carnage met the eye. The once happy village presented now but a revolting expanse of blackened ruins. The mangled bodies of the dead strewed the ground, mutilated alike by the savages and the howling wolves. Franklin ordered 1 84 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • huts immediately to be reared to protect his troops from the inclemency of the weather. No man knew better than he, how to make them comfortable and cheerful with the least expense. A fort was promptly constructed, which he called Fort Allen, and which could easily repel any attack the Indians might make, unless they approached with formidable French artillery. There were many indications that the Indians, in large numbers, were hovering around, watching all their movements. But the sagacity of Franklin baffled them. They kept concealed without any attack. The savages were very cautious men ; they would seldom engage in a battle, unless they were sure of victory. A trifling incident occurred at this time, worthy of record as illustrative of the shrewdness of General Fraivklin. The chaplain complained that the men were remiss in attending prayers. Franklin suggested that though it might not be exactly consistent with the dignity of the chaplain to become himself the steward of the rum, still, if he would order it to be distributed immediately after prayers, he would probably have all the men gathering around him. " He liked the thought," Franklin wrote, " under took the task, and with the help of a few hands to measure out the liquor, executed it to satisfaction THE RISING STORMS OF WAR. 18^ Never were prayers more generally and more punc- tually attended. So that I think this method pre- ferable to the punishment inflicted by some military laws for non-attendance on divine worship." Bitter quarrels were renewed in the Assembly. The presence of Franklin was indispensable to allay the strife. Governor Morris wrote entreating him immediately to return to Philadelphia. It so happened at this time, that Col. Clapham, a New England soldier of experience and high repute, visited the camp at Guadenhutton. Franklin placed him in command, and warmly commending him ta the confidence of the troops, hurried home. He reached Philadelphia on the loth of February, 1756,. after two months' service in the field. Universal ap- plause greeted him. Several military companies, in Philadelphia, united in a regiment of about twelve hundred men. Franklin was promptly elected their colonel, which office he accepted. In tracing the disasters of war, it is interesting to observe how many of those disasters are owing to unpardonable folly. Some months after Franklin's departure, on a cold, bleak day in November, a large part of the garrison, unmindful of danger, were skat- ing, like school-boys on the Lehigh river. The vigi- lant Indians saw their opportunity. Like howling wolves they made a rush upon the fort, entered its 1 86 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • Open gates, and killed or captured all its inmates The skaters fled into the woods. They were pur- sued. Some were killed or captured. Some perished miserably of cold and starvation. Probably a few escaped. The triumphant savages, having plundered the fort and the dwellings of all their contents, aj>- plied the torch, and again Guadenhutton was reduced to a pile of ashes. The controversy which arose between the Gover- nor and the Assembly became acrimonious in the extreme. The principles there contended for, in- volved the very existence of anything like American liberty. For fifteeen years the pen and voice of Franklin were influential in this controversy. He probably did more than any other man to prepare the colonists to resist the despotism of the British court, and to proclaim their independence. On the 5th of January, 168 1, King Charles the Second had conferred upon William Penn twenty- six million acres of the " best land in the universe.** This land was in the New World, and received the name of Pennsylvania. In return for this grant, Penn agreed to pay annually, at Windsor Castle, two beaver skins, and one-fifth of the gold and silver which the province might yield. He also promised to govern the province in conformity with the laws of England, THE RISING STORMS OF WAR. 1 87 He could treat with the savages, appoint ordi- nary magistrates, and pardon petty crimes. But he could lay no tax, and impose no law without consent of the freemen of the province, represented in the Assembly. Of this whole wide realm, Penn was the absolute proprietor. He refused to sell a single acre, abso- solutely, but in all the sales reserved for himself what may be called a ground-rent. Immense tracts were sold at forty shillings, about ten dollars, for one hundred acres, reserving a rent of one shilling for each hundred acres. He also reserved, entirely to himself, various portions of the territory which promised to become the site of important cities and villages. All these rights descended to the heirs of William Penn. Seventy-four years passed away, when the estate thus founded, was estimated to be worth ten mil- lions sterling, and popular belief affirmed that it produced a revenue of one hundred thousand pounds. ' Penn, when he died, bequeathed the province to his three sons, John, Thomas, and Richard. To John he gave a double part, or one-half of Pennsylvania. John died and left his half to Thomas, who thus be- came proprietor of three-fourths of the province, while Richard held one-fourth. Thus there were 1 88 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. but two proprietors, Thomas and Richard Penn They were both weak men ; resided in England, were thoroughly imbued with Tory principles, and, in the consciousness of their vast estates, assumed to be lords and princes. They ruled their province by a deputy-governor. His position was indeed no sinecure. The two pro- prietaries, who appointed him, could at any time deprive him of office. The Assembly could refuse to vote his salary, and if he displeased the king of England, he might lose, not only his office, but his head. The controversy which had arisen, in conse- quence of these involvements between the proprie- taries and the people, engrossed universal attention. During the four years between 1754 and 1758, the ravaged colony of Pennsylvania had raised the sum -of two hundred and eighteen thousand pounds sterling, (over a million of dollars,) for defending its borders. And still the two lordly proprietaries demanded that their vast possessions should be entirely exempt from taxation. To an earnest remonstrance of the Assembly, they returned an insulting answer, in which they said, " We are no more bound to pay taxes than any other chief governor of the King's colonies. Your THE RISING STORMS OF WAR. 1 89 agitation of this matter is a new trick to secure your re-election. We advise you to show us the respect due to the rank which the crown has been pleased to bestow upon us. The people of Pennsyl- vania, in ordinary times, are so lightly taxed, that they hardly know that they are taxed. What fools you are to be agitating this dangerous topic of American taxation. It is beneath the dignity of the Assem- bly to make trouble about such small sums of money. We do not deny that you have been at some expense in pacifying the Indians, but that is no affair of ours. We already give the province a larger sum per annum, than our share of the taxes would amount to. One of us, for example, sent over four hundred pounds' worth of cannon, for the defence of our city of Philadelphia." Such was their answer. It was conveyed in six- teen sentences which were numbered and which were very similar to the ones we have given. The communication excited great displeasure. It was considered alike false and insolent. Even the tran- quil mind of Franklin was fired with indignation. He replied to the document with a power of elo- quence and logic which carried the convictions of nearly all the colonists. CHAPTER IX. Franklin s Mission to England, New marks Df respect — Lord Loudoun — Gov. Denny and Franklin- Visit the Indians — Franklin commissioner to England — Hii constant good nature — Loudoun's delays — Wise action of an English captain — The voyagers land at Falmouth — Journey to London — Franklin's style of living in London — His electrical experiments — He teaches the Cambridge professor — Complimen- tary action of St. Andrews — Gov. Denny displaced, and dark clouds arising — Franklin's successful diplomacy — His son ap)- pointed Governor of New Jersey — Great opposition — The home- ward voyage — Savage horrors — Retaliating cruelties — Frank- lin's efforts in behalf of the Moravian Indians. The general impression, produced throughout the colonies, by the controversy with the proprieta- ries, was that they were very weak men. Indeed it does not appear that they were much regarded even in London. A gentleman, writing from that city, said, '* They are hardly to be found in the herd of gentry ; not in court, not in office, not in par- liament." In March, Franklin left his home for a post-office tour. Some forty of the officers of his regiment, well mounted, and in rich uniform, without Frank- franklin's mission to ENGLAND. 19I lin's knowledge, came to his door, to escort him out of the village. Franklin says, " I had not previously been made acquainted with their project, or I should have prevented it, being naturally averse to the assuming of state on any occasion." The proprietaries in London heard an account of this affair. They were very much displeased, saying they had never been thus honored, and that princes of the blood alone were entitled to such dis- tinction. The war was still raging. Large bodies of troops were crossing the ocean to be united with the colonial forces. Lord Loudoun was appointed by the court com- mander-in-chief for America. He was an exceed- ingly weak and inefficient man ; scarcely a soldier in the ranks could be found more incompetent for the situation. Governor Morris, of Pennsylvania, worn out with his unavailing conflicts with the Assembly, was withdrawn, and the proprietaries sent out Cap- tain William Denny as their obsequious servant in his stead. The Philadelphians, hoping to conciliate him, received him cordially, and with a public enter- tainment. William Franklin wrote ; " Change of devils, according to the Scotch proverb, is blithesome." At the close of the feast, when most of the party ig2 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. were making themselves merry over their wine, Governor Denny took Franklin aside into an adjoin- ing room, and endeavored, by the most abounding flattery, and by the bribe of rich promises, to induce him to espouse the cause of the proprietaries. But he soon learned that Franklin could not be influ- enced by any of his bribes. There was but a brief lull in the storm. Gov- ernor Denny had no power of his own. He could only obey the peremptory instructions he had received. These instructions were irreconcilably hostile to the resolves of the Assembly. Franklin was the all-powerful leader of the popular party. There was something in his imperturbable good nature which it is difficult to explain. No scenes of woe seemed to depress his cheerful spirits. No \ atrocities of oppression could excite his indignation. He could thrust his keen dagger points into the vitals of his antagonist, with a smile upon his face and jokes upon his lips which would convulse both friend and foe with laughter. He was the most unrelenting antagonist of Governor Denny in the Assembly, and yet he was the only man who remained on good terms with the governor, visiting him, and dining with him. Governor Denny was a gentleman, and well edu- cated, and few men could appear to better advan- FRANKLIN'S MISSION TO ENGLAND. I93 tage in the saloons of fashion. But he was trammeled beyond all independent action, by the instructions he had received from the proprietaries. He was right in heart, was in sympathy with Franklin, and with reluctance endeavored to enforce the arbitrary measures with which he was entrusted. Franklin was one of the most companionable ot men. His wonderful powers of conversation, his sweetness of temper, and his entire ignoring of all aristocratic assumption, made him one of the most fascinating of guests in every circle. He charmed alike the rich and the poor, the learned and the ignorant. In November, 1756, he accompanied Governor] Denny to the frontier to confer with the chiefs of several Indian tribes. The savages, to say the least were as punctillious in the observance of the laws of honor, in securing the safety of the ambassadors on such an occasion, as were the English. The governor and the philosopher rode side by side on horseback, accompanied by only a few body servants. The governor, familiar with the clubs and the wits of England, entertained Franklin, in the highest degree, with the literary gossip of London, and probably excited in his mind an intense desire to visit those scenes, which he himself was so calcu- lated to enjoy and to embellish. On the journey he Q 194 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. wrote the following comic letter to his Hrife. He had been disappointed in not receiving a line from her by a certain messenger. " I had a good mind not to write to you by this opportunity, but I never can be ill-natured enough even when there is most occasion. I think I won't tell you that we are well, and that we expect to re- turn about the middle of the week, nor will I send you a word of news ; that's poz. My duty to moth- er, love to the children, and to Miss Betsy and Gracie. I am your loving husband. " P. S. I have scratched out the loving words^ being writ in haste by mistake, when I forgot I was angry." Gov. Denny, unable to accomplish his purposes with the Assembly, resolved to make a final appeal to the king. The House promptly decided to imi- tate his example. Its Speaker, Mr. Norris, and /Benjamin Franklin, were appointed commissioners.) The Speaker declined the office, /and Franklin was left as sole commissioner.) He probably was not at all reluctant to be introduced to the statesmen, the philosophers, and the fashionable circles of the Old World. To defray his expenses the Assembly voted a sum of nearly eight thousand dollars. He had also wealth of his own. By correspondence, he was quite intimately acquainted with very many of the scieiv franklin's mission to ENGLAND. I95 tific men of England and France. It was very cer- tain that he would have the entree to any circle which he might wish to honor with his presence. It was at that time a very serious affair to cross the Atlantic. The ocean swarmed with pirates, pri- vateers, and men-of-war. On the fourth of April, 1757, Franklin, with his son William, set out from Philadelphia. His cheerfulness of spirits did not forsake him as he left a home where he had been re- markably happy for twenty-six years. The family he left behind him consisted of his wife, his wife's aged mother, his daughter Sarah, a beautiful child of twelve years, one or two nieces, and an old nurse of the family. Franklin had written to the governor to ascertain the precise time when the packet would sail. The reply he received from him was, " I have given out that the ship is to sail on Sat- urday next. But I may let you know entre nous that if you are there by Monday morning you will be in time ; but do not delay any longer." Franklin was accompanied by a number of his friends as far as Trenton, where they spent a very joyful evening together. At one of the ferries on this road, they were delayed by obstructions so that they could not reach the Hudson River until noon of Monday. Franklin feared that the ship might saU 196 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • without him ; but upon reaching the river he wa» reb'eved by seeing the vessel still in the stream. y Eleven weeks passed before Lord Loudoun would issue his permission for the ship to sail. Every day this most dilatory and incompetent of men an- nounced that the packet would sail to-morrow : And thus the weeks rolled on while Franklin was waiting, but we do not hear a single word of impatience or remonstrance from his lips. His philosophy taught him to be happy under all circumstances. With a smiling face he called upon Lord Loudoun and dined with him. He endeavored, but in vain, to obtain a settlement of his claims for supplies furnished to Braddock's army. He found much in the society of New York to entertain him. And more than all, and above all, he was doing everything that could be done for the accom- plishment of his mission. Why, then, should he worry ? ** New York," he records, " was growing im- mensely rich by money brought into it from all quar- ters for the pay and subsistence of the troops." Franklin was remarkably gallant in his intercourse with ladies. He kept up quite a brisk correspond- ence with several of the most brilliant ladies of the day. No man could more prettily pay a compli- ment. To his lively and beautiful friend Miss Ray he wrote upon his departure, franklin's mission to ENGLAND. I97 " Present my best compliments to all that love me ; I should have said all that love you, but that would be giving you too much trouble." At length Lord Loudoun granted permission for the packet to drop down to the Lower Bay, where a large fleet of ninety vessels was assembled, fitted out for an attack upon the Fiench at Louisburg. Frank- lin and his friends went on board, as it was an- nounced that the vessel would certainly sail ** to- morrow." For six weeks longer the packet rode there at anchor. Franklin and his companions had for the third time consumed all the provisions they had laid in store for the voyage. Still we hear not a murmur from our imperturbable philosopher. At length the signal for sailing was given. The whole squadron put to sea, and the London packet, with all the rest, was swept forward toward Louis- burg. After a voyage of five days, a letter was placed in the hands of the captain, authorizing him to quit the fleet and steer for England. The days and nights of a long voyage came and went, when the packet at midnight in a gale of wind, and enveloped in fogs, was approaching Falmouth. A light-house, upon some rocks, had not been vis- ible. Suddenly the Hfting of the fog revealed the light-house and the craggy shore, over which the surf was fearfully breaking, at the distance of but a 198 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. few rods. A captain of the Royal Navy, who chanced to be near the helmsman, sprang to the helm, called upon the sailors instantly to wear ship, and thus, at the risk of snapping every mast, saved the vessel and the crew from otherwise immediate and certain destruction. There was not, at that time, a single light-house on the North American coast. The event impressed the mind of Franklin deeply, and he resolved that upon his return, light-houses should be constructed. About nine o'clock the next morning the fog was slowly dispersed, and Falmouth, with its extended tower, its battlemented castles, and the forests of masts, was opened before the weary voyagers. It was Sunday morning and the bells were ringing fvf church. The vessel glided into the harbor, and joy- fully the passengers landed. Franklin writes, " The bell ringing for church, we went thither immediately, and with hearts full of gratitude re- turned sincere thanks to God for the mercies we had received.** We know not whether this devout act was sug- gested by Franklin, or whether he courteously fell in with the arrangement proposed, perhaps, by some religious companion. It is, however, certain that the sentence which next followed, in his letter, came gushing from his own mind. franklin's mission to ENGLAND. I99 " Were I a Roman Catholic, perhaps I should, on this occasion, vow to build a chapel to some saint. But as I am not, if I were to vow at all it should be to build a light-housed It required a journey of two hundred and fifty miles to reach London. Franklin and his son posted to London, which was the most rapid mode of trav- eling in those days. They seem to have enjoyed the journey in the highest degree, through blooming, beautiful, highly cultivated England. Almost every thing in the charming landscape, appeared different from the rude settlements which were springing up amid the primeval forests of the New World. They visited the Cathedral at Salisbury, Stone- henge, Wilton Hall, the palatial mansion of the Earl of Pembroke. England was in her loveliest attire. Perhaps there could not then be found, upon this globe, a more lovely drive, than that through luxuri- ant Devonshire, and over the Hampshire Downs. Peter Collinson, a gentleman of great wealth, first received the travelers to his own hospitable mansion. Here Franklin was the object of marked attentions fiom the most distinguished scientists of England. Other gentlemen of high distinction honored them- selves by honoring him. Franklin visited the old printing-house, where he had worked forty years before, and treated the workmen with that beer. 200 BENJAMIN FRANRLIN. which he had formerly so efficiently denounced in that same place. Soon he took lodgings with a very agreeable landlady, Mrs. Stevenson, No. 7, Craven street, Strand. He adopted, not an ostentatious, but a very genteel style of living. Both he and his son had brought with them each a body servant from Amer- ica. He set up a modest carriage, that he might worthily present himself at the doors of cabinet min- isters and members of parliament. The Proprietaries received him very coldly, almost insolently. They were haughty, reserved and totally uninfluenced by his arguments. He presented to them a brief memorandum, which very lucidly explained the views of the Assembly. It was as follows, I. "The Royal Charter gives the Assembly the power to make laws; the proprietary instructions deprive it of that power. 2. The Royal Charter confers on the Assembly the right to grant or with- hold supplies ; the instructions neutralize that right. 3. The exemption of the proprietary estate from taxation is unjust. 4. The proprietaries are besought to consider these grievances seriously and redress them, that harmony may be restored.** The Penn brothers denounced this brief docu- ment, as vague, and disrespectful. It was evident franklin's mission to ENGLAND. 201 that Franklin had nothing to hope from them. He therefore directed all his energies to win to his side the Lords of Trade, and the members of the King's Council, to whom the final decision must be referred Twelve months elapsed, during which nothing was accomplished. But we hear not a murmur from his lips. He was not only contented but jovial. For two whole years he remained in England, apparently accomplishing nothing. These hours of leisure he devoted to the enjoyment of fashionable, intellectual and scientific society. No man could be a more welcome guest, in such elevated circles, for no man could enjoy more richly the charms of such society, or could contribute more liberally to its fascination. Electricity was still a very popular branch of nat- ural science. The brilliant experiments Franklin performed, lured many to his apartments. His machine was the largest which had been made, and would emit a spark nine inches in length. He had invented, or greatly improved, a new musical ma- chine of glass goblets, called the Armonica. It was listened to with much admiration, as it gave forth the sweetest tones. He played upon this instrument with great effect. The theatre was to Franklin an inexhaustible source of enjoyment. Garrick was then in the merid- iar. of his fame. He loved a good dinner, and could, 202 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. without inconvenience, empty the second bottle o( claret. He wrote to a friend, " I find that I love company, chat, a laugh, a glass, and even a song as well as ever." At one time he took quite an extensive tour through England, visiting the University at Cam- bridge. He was received with the most flattering attentions from the chancellor and others of the prominent members of the faculty. Indeed every summer, during his stay in England, Franklin and his son spent a few weeks visiting the most attract- ive scenes of the beautiful island. Wherever he went, he left an impression behind him, which greatly increased his reputation. At Cambridge he visited the chemJcal laboratory, with the distinguished Professor of Chemistry, Dr. Hadley. Franklin suggested that temperature could be astonishingly reduced by evaporation. It was en- tirely a new idea to the Professor. They both with others repaired to Franklin's room. He had ether there, and a thermometer. To the astonishment of the Professor of Chemistry in Cambridge Univer- sity, the printer from Philadelphia showed him that by dipping the ball into the ether, and then blowing upon it with bellows to increase the evaporation, the mercury rapidly sunk twenty-five degrees below the freezing point. Ice was formed a quarter of an franklin's mission to ENGLAND. 20$ inch thick, all around the ball. Thus, surrounded by the professors of one of the most distinguished universities of Europe, Benjamin Franklin was the teacher of the teachers. The father and the son visited the villages where their ancestors had lived. They sought out poor relations, and examined the tombstones. In the spring of 1769, they spent six weeks in Scotland. The University of St. Andrews conferred upon Franklin the honorary title of doctor, by which he has since been generally known. Other universities received him with great distinction. The corpora- tion of Edinburgh voted him the freedom of the city. All the saloons of fashion were not only open to receive him, but his presence, at every brilliant entertainment, was eagerly sought. The most dis- tinguished men of letters crowded around him. Hume, Robertson and Lord Kames became his inti- mate friends. These were honors sufficient to turn the head of / almost any man. But Franklin, who allowed no adversity to annoy him, could not be unduly elated by any prosperity or flattery. *• On the whole," writes Franklin, " I must say, that the time we spent there (Scotland) was six weeks of the densest happiness I have met with in any part of my life." 204 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. Still it is evident that occasionally he felt some slight yearnings for the joys of that home, over which his highly esteemed wife presided with such economy and skill. He wrote to her, " The regard and friendship I meet with from persons of worth, and the conversation of ingenuous men give me no small pleasure. But at this time of life, domestic comforts afford the most solid satis- faction : * and my uneasiness at being absent from my family and longing desire to be with them, make me often sigh, in the midst of cheerful company. An English gentleman, Mr. Strahan, wrote to Mrs. Franklin, urging her to come over to England and join her husband. In this letter he said, " I never saw a man who was, in every respect, so perfectly agreeable to me. Some are amiable in one view, some in another ; he in all." Three years thus passed away. It must not be supposed that the patriotic and faithful Franklin lost any opportunity whatever, to urge the all im- portant cause with which he was entrusted. His philosophy taught him that when he absolutely could not do any thing but wait, it was best to wait in the most agreeable and profitable manner. It was one of his strong desires, which he was compelled to abandon, to convert the proprietajry * Franklin was then 53 years of age. franklin's mission to ENGLAND. 205 province of Pennsylvania into a royal province. After Franklin left Philadelphia, the strife between the Assembly, and Governor Denny, as the repre- sentative of the proprietaries, became more violent than ever. The governor, worn out by the cease- less struggle, yielded in some points. This offended the proprietaries. Indignantly they dismissed him and appointed, in his place, Mr. James Hamilton, a more obsequious servant. By the royal charter it was provided that all laws, passed by the Assembly and signed by the governor, should be sent to the king, for his ap- proval. One of the bills which the governor, compelled as it were by the peril of public affairs, liad signed, allowed the Assembly to raise a sum of about five hundred thousand dollars, to be raised by a tax on all estates. This was a dangerous precedent. The aristocratic court of England repealed it, as an encroachment upon the rights of the privileged classes. It was a severe blow to the Assembly. The speaker wrote to Franklin : ** We are among rocks and sands in a stormy season. It depends upon you to do every thing in your power in the present crisis. It is too late for us to give you any assistance." When Franklin received the crushing report against the Assembly he was just setting off foi a 206 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. pleasant June excursion in Ireland. Immediately he unpacked his saddle-bags, and consecrated all his energies to avert the impending evils. He enlisted the sympathies of Lord Mansfield, and accomplished the astonishing feat in diplomacy, of inducing the British Lords of Commission to reverse their decis- ion, and to vote that the act of the Assembly should stand unrepealed. His business detained Franklin in London all summer. In the autumn he took a tour into the west of England and Wales. The gales of winter were now sweeping the Atlantic. No man in his senses would expose himself to a winter passage across the ocean, unless it was absolutely necessary. Indeed it would appear that Franklin was so happy in England, that he was not very impatient to see his home again. Though he had been absent three years from his wife and child, still two years more elapsed before he embarked for his native land. On the 25th of October George II. died. His grandson, a stupid, stubborn fanatically conscien- tious young man ascended the throne, with the title of George III. It would be difficult to compute the multitudes in Europe, Asia and America, whom his arrogance and ambition caused to perish on the bat- tle field. During these two years there was nothing of very special mcment which occurred in the life of FRANKLIN S MISSION TO ENGLAND. 20/ Franklin.. Able as he was as a statesman, science was the favorite object of his pursuit. He wrote several very strong pamphlets upon the political agitations of those tumultuous days, when all nations seem to have been roused to cutting each other's throats. He continued to occupy a prominent po- sition wherever he was, and devoted much time in collecting his thoughts upon a treatise to be desig- nated " The Art of Virtue." The treatise, however^ was never written. His influential and wealthy friend, Mr. Strahan,, was anxious to unite their two families by the mar- riage of his worthy and prosperous son to Mr. Franklin's beautiful daughter, Sarah. But the plan failed. Franklin also made an effort to marry his only son William, who, it will be remembered, was not born in wedlock, to a very lovely English lady, Miss Stephenson. But this young man, who, re- nouncing revealed religion, was a law unto himself, had already become a father without being a hus- band. Miss Stephenson had probably learned this fact and, greatly to the disappointment of Franklin, declined the alliance. The unhappy boy, the dis- honored son of a dishonored father, was born about the year 1760. Nothing is known of what became of the discarded mother. He received the name of William Temple Franklin. 208 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. Benjamin Franklin, as in duty bound, recognized him as his grandson, and received him warmly to his house and his heart. The reader will hereafter be- come better acquainted with the character and career of this young man. In the spring of 1762, Franklin commenced preparations for his return home. He •did not reach Philadelphia until late in the autumn. Upon his departure from England, the University ■of Oxford conferred upon him the distinction of an honorary degree. William Franklin, though devoid of moral princi- ple, was a man of highly respectable abilities, of pleasing manners, and was an entertaining compan- ion. Lord Bute, who was in power, was the warm friend of Dr. Franklin. He therefore caused his son William to be appointed governor of New Jersey. It is positively asserted that Franklin did not solicit the favor. Indeed it was not a very desirable office. Its emoluments amounted to but about three thou- sand dollars a year. The governorship of the col- onies was generally conferred upon the needy sons of the British aristocracy. So many of them had developed characters weak and unworthy, that they were not regarded with much esteem. William Franklin was married on the 2d of Sep- tember, 1762, to Miss Elizabeth Downes. The an- nouncement of the marriage in London, and of his franklin's mission to ENGLAND. 209 appointment to the governorship of New Jersey created some sensation. Mr. John Penn, son of one of the proprietaries, and who was soon to become governor of Pennsylvania, affected great indignation in view of the fact that William Franklin was to be a brother governor. He wrote to Lord Stirling, " It is no less amazing than true, that Mr. WiU Ham Franklin, son of Benjamin Franklin of Philadel- phia, is appointed to be governor of the province of New Jersey. I make no doubt that the people of New Jersey will make some remonstrances at this indignity put upon them. You are full as well ac- quainted with the character and principles of this person as myself, and are as able to judge of the im- propriety of such an appointment. What a dishonor and a disgrace it must be to a country to have such a man at the head of it, and to sit down contented. I should hope that some effort will be made before our Jersey friends would put up with such an insult. If any geyitleman had been appointed, it would have been a different case. But I cannot look upon the person in question in that light by any means. I may perhaps be too strong in my expressions, but I am so extremely astonished and enraged at it, that I am hardly able to contain myself at the thcMght of it." Franklin sailed frcm Portsmouth the latter part 210 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. of August. Quite a fleet of American merchantmen sailed together. The weather during a voyage of nine weeks, was most of the time delightful. Often the vessels glided along so gently over a waveless sea, that the passengers could visit, and exchange invitations for dinner parties. On the first of November, Franklin reached his home. He had been absent nearly six years. All were well. His daughter, whom he had left a child of twelve, was now a remarkably beautiful and ac- complished maiden of eighteen. Franklin was received not only with affection, but with enthu- siasm. The Assembly voted him fifteen thousand dollars for his services in England. His son William, with his bride, did not arrive until the next February. Franklin accompanied him to New Jersey. The people there gave the governor a very kind greeting. He took up his resi- dence in Burlington, within fifteen miles of the home of his father. Franklin had attained the age of fifty-seven. He was in perfect health, had an ample fortune, and excelled most men in his dignified bearing and his attractive features. Probably there never was a more happy man. He had leisure to devote himself to his beloved sciences. It was his dream, his castle in the air, to withdraw from political life, and franklin's mission to ENoLAND. 2X1 devote the remainder of his days to philosophical research. In the year 1763 terminated the seven years' war. There was peace in Europe, peace on the ocean, but not peace along the blood crimsoned frontiers of the wilderness of America. England and France had been hurling savage warriors by tens of thousands against each other, and against the helpless emigrants in their defenceless villages and their lonely cabins. The belligerent powers of Europe, in their ambitious struggles, cared very little for the savages of North America. Like the hungry wolf they had lapped blood. Plunder had become as attractive to them as to the priva- teersman and the pirate. During the summer of 1763, the western regions of Pennsylvania were fear- fully ravaged by these fierce bands. Thousands of settlers were driven from their homes, their buildings laid in ashes, and their farms utterly desolated. In all the churches contributions were raised, in behalf of the victims of this insane and utterly need- less war. Christ church alone raised between three and four thousand dollars ; and sent a mis- sionary to expend the sum among these starving, woe-stricken families. The missionary reported seven hundred and fifty farms in Pennsylvania alone, utterly abandoned. Two hundred and fifty women 212 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. and children, destitute and despairing, had fled to Fort Pitt for protection. •. In the midst of these awful scenes, Governor Hamilton resigned, and the weak, haughty John Penn arriving, took his place. The Assembly, as usual, gave him a courteous reception, wishing, if possible, to avert a quarrel. There were many fanatics in those days. Some of these assumed that God was displeased, because the heathen Indians had not been entirely exterminated. The savages had perpetrated such horrors, that by them no distinction was made between those friendly to the English, and those hostile. The very name of Indian was loathed. In the vicinity of Lancaster, there was the feeble remnant of a once powerful tribe. The philanthropy of William Penn had won them to love the English. No one of them had ever been known to lift his hand against a white man. There were but twenty remaining, seven men, five women and eight chil- dren. They were an industrious,' peaceful, harmless people, having adopted English names, English customs and the Christian religion. A vagabond party of Scotch-Irish, from Paxton, set out, in the morning of the 14th of December for their destruction. They were well mounted and well armed. It so happened that there were franklin's mission to ENGLAND. 2 1 3. but six Indians at home. They made no defence. Parents and children knelt, as in prayer, and silently received the death blow. Every head was cleft by the hatchet. These poor creatures were very affectionate, and had greatly endeared themselves to their neighbors. This deed of infamous assassina- tion roused the indignation of many of the most worthy people in the province. But there were thousands of the baser sort, who deemed it no crime to kill an Indian, any more than a wolf or a bear. Franklin wrote, to the people of Pennsylvania^ a noble letter of indignant remonstrance, denounc- ing the deed as atrocious murder. Vividly he pic- tured the scene of the assassination, and gave the names, ages and characters of the victims. A hun- dred and forty Moravian Indians, the firm and un- suspected friends of the English, terrified by this massacre, fled to Philadelphia for protection. The letter of Franklin had excited much sympathy in their behalf. The people rallied for their protec- tion. The Paxton murderers, several hundred in- number, pursued the fugitives, avowing their deter- mination to put every one to death. The imbecile governor was at his wits* end. Franklin was sum- moned. He, at once, proclaimed his house headquarters ; rallied a regiment of a thousand men, and made 214 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. •efficient arrangements to give the murderers a warm reception. The Paxton band reached Germantown. Franklin, anxious to avoid bloodshed, rode out with three aids, to confer with the leaders. He writes, " The fighting face we had put on, and the rea« sonings wc used with the insurgents, having turned them back, and restored quiet to the city, I became a less man than ever ; for I had, by this transaction, tn*^J€ myself many enemies among the populace." CHAPTER X. Franklin s Second Mission to England, Fiendish conduct of John Penn — Petition to the crown — Debt BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. Curiously two political parties were thus organ- ized. The governor, intensely inimical to Fianklin, led all the loose fellows who approved of the massacre of the friendly Indians. Franklin was sup* ported by the humane portion of the community, who regarded that massacre with horror. There was much bitterness engendered. Franklin was assailed and calumniated as one of the worst of men. He, as usual, wrote a pamphlet, which was read far and wide. Earnestly he urged that the crown, as it had a right to do, should, by purchase, take pos- session of the province and convert its government into that of a royal colony. It should be remem- bered that this was several years before the troubles of the revolution arose. The people were in heart true Englishmen. Fond of their nationality, sin- cere patriotism glowed in all bosoms. They ever spoke of England as ** home." When the Assembly met again three thousand citizens, influenced mainly by Franklin's pamphlet, sent in a petition that the province might revert to the crown. The Penns succeeded in presenting a counter petition signed by three hundred. The British cabinet, in its insatiable thirst for universal coiquest, or impelled by necessity to repel the encroachments of other nations, equally wicked and equally grasping, had been by fleet and army, SECOND MISSION TO ENGLAND. 21^ fighting all over the world. After spending every dollar which the most cruel taxation could extort from the laboring and impoverished masses, the government had incurred the enormous debt of seventy-three millions sterling. This amounted to over three hundred and sixty-five millions of our money. The government decided to tax the Americans to help pay the interest on this vast sum. But the colonies were already taxed almost beyond endu- rance, to carry on the terrible war against the French and Indians. This war was not one of their own choosing. It had been forced upon them by the British Cabinet, in its resolve to drive the French off the continent of North America. The Americans were allowed no representation in Parlia- ment. They were to be taxed according to the caprice of the government. Franklin, with patriotic foresight, vehemently, and with resistless force of logic, resisted the outrage. It will be perceived that there were now two quite distinct sources of controversy. First came the conflict with the proprietaries, and then rose the still more important strife with the cabinet of Great Britain, to repel the principle of taxation without representation. This principle once ad- mitted, the crown could tax the Americans to any lo 2l8 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • amount whatever it pleased. Many unreflecting people could not appreciate these disastrous results. Thus all the partisans of the Penns, and all the office holders of the crown and their friends, and there were many such, became not only opposed to Franklin, but implacable in their hostility. The majority of the Assembly was with him. He was chosen Speaker, and then was elected to go again to England, to carry with him to the British Court the remonstrances of the people against " taxation with- out representation/* and their earnest petition to be delivered from the tyranny of the Penns. More un- welcome messages to the British Court and aris- tocracy, he could not well convey. It was certain that the Penns and their powerful coadjutors, would set many influences in array against him. Mr. Dick- inson, in the Assembly, remonstrating against this appointment, declared that there was no man in Pennsylvania who was more the object of popular dislike than Benjamin Franklin. But two years had elapsed since Franklin's teturn to America, after an absence from his home of six years. He still remembered fondly the " dense happi- iiess " which he had enjoyed in the brilliant circles abroad. This, added to an intensity of patriotism, which rendered him second to none but Washington, among the heroes of the Revolution, induced him SECOND MISSION TO ENGLAND. 219 promptly to accept the all important mission. He allowed but twelve days to prepare for his embarka- tion. The treasury was empty, and money for his expenses had to be raised by a loan. A packet ship, bound for London was riding at Chester, fifteen miles below the city. Three hundred of the citizens of Philadelphia, on horseback, escorted Franklin to the ship. He seldom attended church, though he always encouraged his wife and daughter to do so. It was genteel ; it was politic. A family could scarcely com- mand the respect of the community, which, in the midst of a religious people, should be living without any apparent object of worship. The preacher of Christ Church, which the family attended, was a par- tisan of the Penns. Sometimes he " meddled with politics.'* Franklin in his parting letter, from on ship>- board, wrote to his daughter : " Go constantly to church, whoever preaches. The active devotion in the common prayer-book, is your principal business there, and if properly attended to, will do more towards amending the heart, than sermons generally can do. For they were composed by men of much greater piety and wisdom, than our common composers of sermons can pretend to be. Therefore I wish that you would never miss the prayer days. Yet I do not mean you 220 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. should despise sermons, even of the preachers yon dislike ; for the discourse is often much better than the man, as sweet and clear waters come through very dirty earth." The voyage was stormy; it lasted thirty days. On the evening of the tenth of December, 1764, he again took up his residence in the house of Mrs. Stephenson and her daughter, where he was received with delight. He found several other agents of the <:olonies in London, who had also been sent to re- monstrate against the despotic measures which the British Cabinet threatened, of taxing the Americans at its pleasure, without allowing them to have any voice in deciding upon the sums which they should pay. Grenville was prime minister. He was about to introduce the Stamp Act, as an initiatory measure. It imposed but a trivial tax, in itself of but little importance, but was intended as an experiment, to ascertain whether the Americans would submit to the principle. This fact being once established, the government could then proceed to demand money at its pleasure. Franklin opposed the tax with all his energies. He declared it, in his own forceful language, to be the " mother of mischiefs." With four other colonial agents, he held an interview with Lord Grenville. The usual arguments were employed SECOND MISSION TO ENGLAND. 221 on both sides. Lord Grenville was courteous, but veiy decided. The Americans he declared must help England pay the interest on her debt, and the parliament of Great Britain alone could decide how large an amount of money the Americans should pay The bill was introduced to parliament, and passed by a large majority. The king signed it in a scrawling hand, which some think indicated the insanity he was beginning to develop. The trivial sum expected to be raised by the Stamp Act amounted to scarcely one hundred thou- sand pounds a year. It was thought that the Amer- cans would not venture upon any decisive opposition to England for such a trifle. Franklin wrote to a friend : " I took every step in my power, to prevent the passing of the Stamp Act. But the tide was too strong against us. The nation was provoked by American claims of legislative independence ; and all parties joined in resolving, by this act, to settle the point." Thus Franklin entirely failed in arresting the passing of the Stamp Act. He was also equally un- successful in his endeavor to promote a change of government, from the proprietary to the royal. And still his mission proved a success. By conversations, pamphlets and articles in the newspapers, he raised ■ / ,1 / V 222 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. throughout the country such an opposition to the measure that parliament was compelled to repeal it. The tidings of the passage of the Stamp Act was received in intelligent America, with universal ex- pressions of displeasure, and with resolves to oppose its operation in every possible way. It is remarked of a celebrated theological pro- fessor, that he once said to his pupils, " When you go to the city to preach, take your best coat ; when to the country, take your best sermon." The lords and gentry of England were astonished at the intelligence displayed in the opposition, by the rural population of America. They fancied the colonists to be an ignorant, ragged people, living in log cabins, scattered through the wilderness, and, in social position, two or three degrees below Eu- ropean and Irish peasantry. Great was their sur- prise to hear from all the colonies, and from the remotest districts in each colony, the voice of intel- ligent and dignified rebuke. The Act was to go into execution on the first of November, 1765. Before that time, Franklin had spread, through all the mechanical, mercantile and commercial classes, the conviction that they would suffer ten-fold more, by the interruptions of trade which the Stamp Act would introduce, than govern- SECOND MISSION TO ENGLAND. 223 ment could hope to gain by the measure. He spread abroad the intelligence which came by every fresh arrival, that the Americans were resolving, with won- derful unanimity, that they would consume no more English manufactures, that they would purchase no more British goods, and that, as far as possible, in food, clothing, and household furniture, they would depend upon their own productions. They had even passed resolves to eat no more lamb, that their flocks might so increase that they should have wool enough to manufacture their own clothing. England had thus far furnished nearly all the supplies for the rapidly increasing colonies, already numbering a population of between two and three millions. The sudden cessation of this trade was felt in nearly every warehouse of industry. No more orders came. Goods accumulated without purchasers. Violent opposition arose, and vast meetings were held in the manufacturing districts, to remonstrate against the measures of the govern- ment. Edmund Burke, a host in himself, headed the opposition in parliament. Burke and Franklin were' intimate friends, and the renowned orator obtained from the renowned philosopher, many of those arguments and captiva- ting illustrations, which, uttered on the floor of par- liament, astonished England, and reaching our 224 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • shores, electrified America. The state of affairs became alarming. In some places the stamps were destroyed, in others, no one could be found who would venture upon the obnoxious task of offering to sell them. The parliament resolved itself into a committee of the whole house, and spent six weeks in hearing testimony respecting the operation of the act in America. The hall was crowded with eager listeners. The industrial prosperity of the nation seemed at stake. Franklin was the princi- pal witness. His testimony overshadowed all the rest. The record of it was read with admiration. Seldom has a man been placed in a more embarrass- ing situation, and never has one, under such circum- stances, acquitted himself more triumphantly. He was examined and cross-examined, before this vast and imposing assemblage, by the shrewdest lawyers of the crown. Every attempt was made to throw him into embarrassment, to trip him in his speech. But never for a moment did Franklin lose his self-possession. Never for an instant, did he hesitate in his reply. In the judgment of all his friends, not a mistake did he make. His mind seemed to be omnisciently furnished, with all the needful statistics for as rigorous an examination as any mortal was ever exposed to. Burke wrote to a friend, " that Franklin as he stood before the bar SECOND MISSION TO ENGLAND. 22$ of parliament, presented such an aspect of dignity and intellectual superiority as to remind him of a schoolmaster questioned by school boys." Rev. George Whitefield wrote, '* Our worthy friend. Dr. Franklin, has gained immortal honor, by his behavior at the bar of the house. The answer was always found equal, if not superior to the questioner. He stood unappalled, gave pleasure to his friends, and did honor to his country." After great agitation and many and stormy debates, the haughty government was compelled to yield to the demands of the industrial classes. Indeed, with those in England, who cried most loudly for the repeal of the stamp act, there were comparatively few who were influenced by any sym- pathy for the Americans, or by any appreciation of the justice of their cause. The loss of the American trade was impoverishing them. Selfish considera- tions alone, — their own personal interests — moved them to action. There were individuals, in and out of Parliament, who recognized the rights of Englishmen, and regarding the Americans as Englishmen, and Amer- ica as a portion of the British empire, were in heart and with all their energies, in sympathy with the y\mericans in their struggle for their rights. When 226 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. the despotism of the British court led that couit to the infamous measure of sending fleets and armies, to compel the Americans to submission, and the feeble colonists, less than three millions in number, performing the boldest and most heroic deeds ever yet recorded in history, grasped their arms in self- defence, thus to wage war against the most power- ful naval and military empire upon this globe, Lord Chatham, with moral courage rarely surpassed, boldly exclaimed in the House of Lords, " Were I an American, as I am an Englishman, I would never lay down my arms, never, never, NEVER." In all England, there was no man more deter- mined in his resolve to bring the Americans to ser vile obedience, than the stubborn king, George III The repeal gave him intense offence. The equally unprincipled, but more intelligent, ministers were compelled to the measure, as they saw clearly that England was menaced with civil war, which would array the industrial classes generally against the aristocracy. In such a conflict it was far from im- probable that the aristocracy would be brought to grief. Horace Walpole wrote, ** It was the clamor of trade, of merchants, and of manufacturing towns, that had borne down all opposition. A general insurrection was appre- hended, as the immediate consequence of upholding SECOND MISSION TO ENGLAND. 22/ the bill. The revolt of America, and the destruc- tion of trade, was the prospect in future." Still the question of the repeal was carried in the House but by a majority of one hundred and eight votes. Of course Franklin now solicited permission to return home. The Assembly, instead of granting his request, elected him agent for ano- ther year. It does not appear that Franklin was disappointed. The report of his spleadid and triumphant exam- ination, before the Commons, and the republication of many of his pamphlets, had raised him to the highest position of popularity. The Americans, throughout all the provinces, received tidings of the Repeal with unbounded delight. Bells were rung, bon-fires blazed, cannon were fired. " I never heard so much noise in my life," wrote Sally to her '' honored papa." " The very children seemed distracted." The Tory party in England developed no little malignity in their anger, in view of the discomfiture of their plans. The bigoted Tory, Dr. Johnson, wrote to Bishop White of Pennsylvania, that if he had been Prime Minister, instead of repealing the act, he would have sent a man-of-war, and laid one or more of our largest cities in ashes.* * Wilson's Life of Bishop White, p. $9. 22» BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • The king felt personally aggrieved. His de. nunciations of those who favored the Repeal were so indecent, that some of his most influential friends ventured to intimate to him that it was highly im- politic. Indeed, as the previous narrative has shown, many who were in entire sympathy with the king, and who were bitterly opposed to any conces- sion to the Americans, felt compelled to vote for the Repeal. To propitiate the unrelenting and half-crazed monarch, with his obdurate court, a Declaratory Act, as it was called, was passed, which affirmed the absolute supremacy of Parliament over the colonies. We hear very much of the corruption of our own Congress. It is said that votes are sometimes bought and sold. Sir Nathaniel Wraxall, who was a member of Parliament during all this period, declares, in his intensely interesting and undoubted- ly honest Memoir, that under the ministry of Lord Bute, Ross Mackay was employed by him as " cor- rupter-general " whose mission it was to carry important measures of government by bribery. Wraxall writes that Ross Mackay said to him. at a dinner party given by Lord Besborougli, as the illustrious guests were sipping their wine, ** The peace of 1763 was carried through and approved by a pecuniary dispensation. Nothing SECOND MISSION TO ENGLAND. 229 else could have surmounted the difficulty. I was myself the channel through which the money passed. With my own hand I secured above one hundred and twenty votes on that most important question to ministers. Eighty thousand pounds were set apart for the purpose. Forty members of the House of Commons received from me a thou- sand pounds each. To eighty others I paid five hundred pounds a-piece." The unrelenting king was still determined that the Americans, unrepresented in Parliament, should still pay into his treasury whatever sums of money he might exact. Calling to his aid courtiers more shrewd than himself, they devised a very cunning act, to attain that object in a way which would hardly be likely to excite opposition. They laid a tax, insignificant really in its amount, upon paper, paint, glass, and tea. This tax was to be collected at the custom-houses in the few ports of entry in the colonies. The whole amount thus raised would not exceed forty thousand pounds. It was thought that the Americans would never make opposition to so trivial a payment. But it established a principle that England could tax the colonies without allowing those colonies any representation in Parliament. If the Court had a right thus to demand forty thousand pounds, they 230 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. had a right to demand so many millions, sHould it seem expedient to king and cabinet so to do. The great blunder which the court committed, was in not appreciating the wide-spread intelligence of the American people. In New England particu- larly, and throughout the colonies generally, there was scarcely a farmer who did not perceive the trick, and despise it. They deemed it an insult to their intelligence. ' Instantly there arose, throughout all the provin- ces, the most determined opposition to the measure. It was in fact merely a renewal of the Stamp Act, under slightly modified forms. If they admitted the justice of this act, it was only declaring that .hey had acted with unpardonable folly, in opposing the tax under the previous form. Dr. Franklin, with honest shrewdness, not with trickery or with cunning, but with a sincere and pen- etrating mind, eagerly scrutinized all the measures of the Court. George III. was a gentleman. He was irreproachable in all his domestic relations. He was, in a sense, conscientious ; for certainly he was not disposed to do anything -vhich he thought to be wrong. Conscientious men have burned their fel- low-Christians at the stake. It is said that George the Third was a Christian. He certainly was a full believer in the religion of Jesus Christ , and earnest- SECOND MISSION TO ENGLAND. 23 1 ly advocated the support and extension of that reli- gion. God makes great allowance for the frailties of his fallen children. It requires the wisdom of omniscience to decide how much wickedness there may be in the heart, consistently with piety. No man is perfect. During the reign of George III., terrible wars were waged throughout all the world, mainly incited by the British Court. Millions perished. The moans of widows and orphans ascended from every hand. This wicked Christian king sent his navy and his army to burn down our cities and villages, and to shoot husbands, fathers, and sons, until he could compel America to submit to his despotism. The population of England being exhausted by those wide spread wars, he hired, of the petty princes of Europe, innocent peasantry, to abandon their homes in Germany, to burn and destroy the homes of Americans. Ending that not sufficient, he sent his agents through the wilderness to rouse, by bribes, savage men, who knew no better, to ravage our frontiers, to burn the cabins of lonely farmers, to tomahawk and scalp their wives and children. Such a man may be a good Christian. God, who can read the secrets of the heart, and who is infinite in his love and charity, alone can decide. But if we imagine that man, George Guelph, at the bar of 232 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • judgment, and thronging up as witnesses against him, the millions whose earthly homes he converted into abodes of misery and despair, it is difficult to imagine in our frail natures, how our Heavenly Fa- ther, who loves all his children alike, and who, as revealed in the person of Jesus, could weep over the woes of humanity, could look with a loving smile upon him and say, " Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Franklin of course continued in as determined an opposition to the new tax as to the old one. He wrote, ** I have some little property in America. I will freely spend nineteen shillings in the pound to defend my right of giving or refusing the other shilling. And after all, if I cannot defend that right, I can retire cheerfully with my little family into the bound- less woods of America, which are sure to afford free- dom and subsistence to any man who can bait a hook or pull a trigger." The ability which Franklin had displayed as the agent of Pennsylvania before the court of St. James, gave him, as we have said, a high reputation in all the colonies. In the spring of 1768 he was highly / gratified by the intelligence that he was appointed, / by the young colony of Georgia its London agent. I The next year New Jersey conferred the same honor SECOND MISSION TO ENGLAND. 233 upon him, and the year after, he was appointed agent of his native province of Massachusetts. These several appointments detained him ten years in Eng- land. During all this time he did not visit home. The equanimity of his joyful spirit seems never to have been disturbed. His pen describes only pleasant scenes. No murmurs are recorded, no yearnings of home-sickness. But month after month the animosity of the Brit- ish Court towards the Americans was increasing. The king grew more and more fixed in his purpose, to compel the liberty-loving Americans to submis- sion. Hostile movements were multiplied to indicate that if the opposition to his measures was continued, English fleets and armies would soon commence operations. Several thousand troops were landed in Boston. Fourteen men-of-war were anchored before the town, with the cannon of their broad-sides loaded and primed, ready, at the slightest provocation to lay the whole town in ashes. Protected by this terrible menace, two British regiments paraded the streets-, with their muskets charged, with gleaming sabres and bayonets, with formidable artillery prepared to vomit forth the most horrible discharges of grape shot, with haughty English officers well mounted, and soldiers 534 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • and officers alike in imposing uniforms. This invin- cible band of highly disciplined soldiers, as a peace measure, took possession of the Common, the State House, the Court House and Faneuil Hall. Even now, after the lapse of more than a hundred years, it makes the blood of an American boil to con- template this insult. Who can imagine the feelings ■of exasperation that must have glowed in the bosoms of our patriotic fathers ! Franklin, in England, was treated with ever in- creasing disrespect. Lord Hillsborough, then in charge of American affairs, told him peremptorily, even insolently, that America could expect no favors while he himself was in power, and that he was de- termined to persevere with firmness in the policy which the king was pursuing. The king was so shielded by his ministers that Franklin knew but little about him. Even at this time he wrote, " I can scarcely conceive a king of better dispo- sitions, of more exemplary virtues, or more truly desirous of promoting the welfare of his subjects.*' Franklin never had occasion to speak differ- ently of his domestic virtues. Nay, it is more than probable that the king daily, in prayer, looked to God for guidance, and that ne thought that he was ■doing that which was promotive of the interests of England. Alas for man ! He can perpetrate the SECOND MISSION TO ENGLAND. 235. most atrocious crimes, honestly believing that he is doing God's will. He can burn aged women under the charge of their being witches. He can torture in the infliction of unutterable anguish, his brother man — mothers and daughters, under the charge of heresy. He can hurl hundreds of thousands of men against each other in most horrible and woe-inflict- ing wars, while falling upon his knees and praying to God to bless his murderous armies. Franklin had with him his grandson, William Temple Franklin, the dishonored son of William Franklin, then Governor of New Jersey. He was a bright and promising boy, and developed an estima- ble character, under the guidance of his grandfather,, who loved him. William Franklin in New Jersey was, however becoming increasingly the scourge of his father. It would seem that Providence was thus, in some measure, punishing Franklin for his sin. The gov- ernor, appointed by the Court of England to his office, which he highly prized, and which he feared to lose, was siding with the Court. He perceived that the storm of political agitation was increasing in severity. He felt that the power of the colonies was as nothing compared with the power of the British government. Gradually he became one of the most violent of the tories. 236 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. The moderation of Franklin, and his extraordl narily charitable disposition, led him to refrain from all denunciations of his ungrateful son, or even reproaches, until his conduct became absolutely in- famous. In 1773, he wrote, in reference to the course which the governor was pursuing, " I only wish you to act uprightly and steadily, avoiding that duplicity which, in Hutchinson, adds contempt to indignation. If you can promote the prosperity of your people, and leave them happier than you found them, whatever your political prin- ciples are, your memory will be honored." While Franklin was absent, a young merchant of Philadelphia, Richard Bache, offered his hand to Franklin's only daughter, from whom the father had been absent nearly all of her life. Sarah was then twenty-three years of age, so beautiful as to become quite a celebrity, and she was highly accomplished. Mr. Bache was not successful in business, and the young couple resided under the roof of Mrs. Frank- lin for eight years. The husband, with an increas- ing family, appealed to his illustrious father-in-law, to obtain for him a governmental appointment, Franklin wrote to his daughter, " I am of opinion, that almost any profession a man has been educated in, is preferable to an office held at pleasure, as rendering him more independ- SECOND MISSION TO ENGLAND. 237 ent, more a free man, and less subject to the ca- prices of his superiors. I think that in keeping a store, if it be where you dwell, you can be service- able to him, as your mother was to me ; for you are not deficient in capacity, and I hope you are not too proud. You might easily learn accounts ; and you can copy letters, or write them very well on occasion. By industry and frugality you may get forward in the world, being both of you very young. And then what we may leave you at our death, will be a pretty addition, though of itself far from suffi- cient to maintain and bring up a family." Franklin gave his son-in-law about a thousand dollars to assist him in the purchase of a stock of merchandise. The children, born to this happy couple, were intelligent and beautiful, and they greatly contributed to the happiness of their grand- mother, who cherished them with a grandmother's most tender love. In the year 1862, there were one hundred and ten surviving descendants of Richard Bache and Sarah Franklin. Ten of these were serving in the Union army perilling their lives to maintain that national fabric, which their illustrious ancestor had done so much to establish. Franklin was by no means a man of one idea. His compre- hensive mind seemed to grasp all questions of statesmanship, of philanthropy, of philosophy. 238 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. During the ten years of his residence in England he visited the hospitals, carefully examined theif management, and transmitted to his home the re- sult of his observations. This was probably the origin of the celebrity which the medical schools of Philadelphia have attained. He visited the silk manufactories, and urged the adoption of that branch of industry, as peculiarly adapted to oui climate and people. Ere long he had the pleasure of presenting to the queen a piece of American silk, which she accepted and wore as a dress. As silk was an article not produced in England, the govern- ment was not offended by the introduction of that branch of industry. For Hartford college he pro- cured a telescope, which cost about five hundred dollars. This was, in those days, an important event. The renowned Captain Cook returned from his first voyage around the world. The narrative of his adventures, in the discovery of new islands, and new races of men, excited almost every mind in England and America. Franklin was prominent in the movement, to raise seventy-five thousand dol- lars, to fit out an expedition to send to those be- nighted islanders the fowls, the quadrupeds and the seeds of Europe. He wrote, in an admirable strain, *' Many voyages have been undertaken with SECOND MISSION TO ENGLAND. 239 views of profit or of plunder, or to gratify resent- ment. But a voyage is now proposed to visit a dis- tant people on the other side of the globe, not to cheat them, not to rob them : not to seize their lands or to enslave their persons, but merely to do them good, and make them, as far as in our power lies, to live as comfortable as ourselves." There can be no national prosperity without virtue. There can not be a happy people who do not ** do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God." It was a noble enterprise to send to those naked savages corn and hoes, with horses, pigs and poultry. But the Christian conscience awoke to the conviction that something more than this was necessary. They sent, to the dreary huts of the Pacific, ambassadors of the religion of Jesus, to gather the children in schools, to establish the sanctity of the family relation, and to proclaim to all^ the glad tidings of that divine Saviour, who has come to earth ** to seek and to save the lost." CHAPTER XI. The Intolerance of King and Court. Parties in England — Franklin the favorite of the opposition — Fl&ni of the Tories — Christian III — Letter of Franklin — Dr. Priestley — Parisian courtesy — Louis XV — Visit to Ireland — Attempted al- teration of the Prayer Book — Letter to his son — Astounding let- ters from America — Words of John Adams — Petition of the Assembly — Violent conspiracy against Franklin — His bearing in the court-room — Wedderburn's infamous charges — Letter of Franklin — Bitter words of Dr. Johnson — Morals of English lords — Commercial value of the Colonies — Dangers threatening Franklin. Wherever there is a government there must be an opposition. Those who are out of office wish to eiect those in office, that they may take their places. There was a pretty strong party in what was called the Opposition. But it was composed of persons animated by very different motives. The first con- sisted of those intelligent, high minded, virtuous statesmen, who were indignant in view of the wrong which the haughty, unprincipled Tory government was inflicting upon the American people. The sec- ond gathered those who were in trade. They cared nothing for the Americans. They cared nothing THE INTOLERANCE OF KING AND COURT. 24I for government right or wrong. They wished to sell their hats, their cutlery, and their cotton and woolen goods to the Americans. This they could not do while government was despotically enforcing the Stamp Act or the Revenue Bill. Then came a third class, who had no goods to sell, and no con- science to guide to action. They were merely am- bitious politicians. They wished to thrust the Tories out of office simply that they might rush into the occupancy of all the places of honor, emolument or power. Franklin was in high favor with the opposition, He furnished their orators in Parliament with argu- ments, with illustrations, with accurate statistical information. Many of the most telling passages in parliamentary speeches, were placed on the lips of the speakers by Benjamin Franklin. He wrote pam- phlets of marvellous popular power, which were read in all the workshops, and greatly increased the num- ber and the intelligence of the foes of the govern- ment measures. Thus Franklin became the favorite of the popular party. They lavished all honors upon him. In the same measure he became obnoxious to the haughty, aristocratic Tory government. Its ranks were filled with the lords, the governmental officials, and all their dependents. This made a party very powerful in numbers, and still more pow. II 242 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. erful in wealth and influence. They were watching for opportunities to traduce Franklin, to ruin his rep- utation, and if possible, to bring him into contempt. This will explain the honors which were conferred upon him by one party, and the indignities to which he was subjected from the other. At times, the Tories would make efforts by flattery, by offers of po- sition, of emolument, by various occult forms of bribery, to draw Franklin 4:o their side. He might very easily have attained almost any amount of wealth and high official dignity. The king of Denmark, Christian VII., was broth- er-in-law of George III. He visited England ; a mere boy in years, and still more a weak boy in insipidity of character. A large dinner-party was given in his honor at the Royal Palace. Franklin was one of the guests. In some way unexplained, he impressed the boy-king with a sense of his inher- ent and peculiar greatness. Christian invited a select circle of but sixteen men to dine with him. Among those thus carefully selected, Franklin was honored with an invitation. Though sixty-seven years of age he still enjoyed in the highest degree, convivial scenes. He could tell stories, and sing songs which '^ave delight to all. It was his boast that he could empty his two bottles of wine, and still retain entire sobriety. He wrote to Hugh Roberts, THE INTOLERANCE OF KING AND COURT. 243 '* I wish you would continue to meet the Junto. It wants but about two years of forty since it was established. We loved, and still love one another ; we have grown grey together, and yet it is too early to part. Let us sit till the evening of life is spent ; the last hours are always the most joyous. When we can stay no longer, it is time enough to bid each other good night, separate, and go quietly to bed." Franklin was the last person to find any enjoyment in the society of vulgar and dissolute men. In those days, it was scarcely a reproach for a young lord to be carried home from a festivity in deadly intoxica- tion. Witticisms were admitted into such circles which respectable men would not tolerate now. FrankHn's most intimate friends in London were found among Unitarian clergymen, and those philosophers who were in sympathy with him in his rejection of the Christian rehgion. Dr. Richard Price, and Dr. Joseph Priestly, men both eminent for intellectual ability and virtues, were his bosom friends. Dr. Priestly, who had many conversations with Franklin upon religious topics, deeply deplored the looseness of his views. Though Dr. Priestly rejected the divinity of Christ, he still firmly adhered to the belief that Christianity was of divine origin. In his autobiography, Dr. Priestly writes : " It is much to be lamented that a man of Dr. 244 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. Franklin's generally good character and great influ- ence, should have been an unbeliever in Christianity, and also have done so much as he did to make others unbelievers. To me, however, he acknowledged that he had not given so much attention as he ought to have done to the evidences of Christianity ; and he desired me to recommend him a few treatises on the subject, such as I thought most deserving his notice." Priestly did so ; but Franklin, all absorbed in his social festivities, his scientific researches, and his in- tense patriotic labors, could find no time to devote to that subject — the immortal destiny of man, — which is infinitely more important to each individual than all others combined.* It was indeed a sad circle of unbelievers, into whose intimacy Franklin was thrown. Dr. Priestly writes, '' In Paris, in 1774, all the philosophical persons to whom I was introduced, were unbelievers in Chris- * Mr. Parton, in his excellent Life of Franklin, one of the best biographies which was ever written, objects to this withholding of the Christian name from Dr. Franklin. He writes, ** I do not understand what Dr. Priestly meant, by saying that Franklin was an unbeliever in Christianity, since he himself was open to the same charge from nine-tenths of the inhabitants of Chris- tendom. Perhaps, if the two men were now alive, we might express the theological difference between them by saying that Priestly was 9 Unitarian of the Channing school, and Franklin of that of Theodore Parker. Again he writes, " I have ventured to call Franklin the con- summate Christian of his time. Indeed I know not who, of any time, has exhibited more of the Spirit of Christ." — Parton^ s FrankHn Vol, I. p. 546. Vol. 2 p. 646. THE INTOLERANCE OF KING AND COURT. 245 tianity, and even professed atheists. I was told by some of them, that I was the only person they had ever met, of whose understanding they had any opinion, who professed to believe in Christianity. But I soon found they did not really know what Christianity was." It was Franklin's practice to spend a part of every summer in traveling. In 1767, accompanied by Sir John Pringle, he visited Paris. With Frank- lin, one of the first of earthly virtues was courtesy. He was charmed with the politeness of the French people. Even the most humble of the working classes, were gentlemanly ; and from the highest to the lowest, he, simply as a stranger, was treated with consideration which surprised him. He writes, " The civilities we everywhere receive, give us the strongest impressions of the French politeness. It seems to be a point settled here universally, that strangers are to be treated with respect ; and one has just the same deference shown one here, by being a stranger, as in England, by being a lady." Two dozen bottles of port-wine were given them at Bordeaux. These, as the law required, were seized by the custom-house officers, as they entered Paris by the Porte St. Denis ; but as soon as it was ascertained that they were strangers, the wine was remitted. 246 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. There was a magnificent illumination of the Church of Notre Dame, in honor of the deceased Dauphiness. Thousands could not obtain admission. An officer, learning merely that they were strangers, took them in charge, conducted them through the vast edifice, and showed them every thing. Franklin and his companion had the honor of a presentation to the king, Louis XV., at Versailles. This monarch was as vile a man as ever occupied a throne. But he had the virtue of courtesy, which Franklin placed at the head of religious principle. The philosopher simply records, " The king spoke to both of us very graciously and very cheerfully. He is a handsome man, has a very lively look, and appears younger than he is." In 1772, Franklin visited Ireland. He was treated there with great honor ; but the poverty of the Irish peasantry overwhelmed his benevolent heart with astonishment and dismay. He writes, ** I thought often of the happiness of New Eng- land, where every man is a free-holder, has a vote in public affairs, lives in a tidy, warm house, has plenty of good food and fuel, with whole clothes from head to foot, the manufacture perhaps of his own family. Long may they continue in this situation." In the year 1773, Franklin spent several weeks In the beautiful mansion of his friend, Lord Despen- THE INTOLERANCE OF KING AND COURT. 247 cer. We read with astonishment, that Franklin, who openly renounced all belief in the divine origin of Christianity, should have undertaken, with Lord Despencer, an abbreviation of the prayer-book of the Church of England. It is surprising, that he could have thought it possible, that the eminent Christians, clergy and laity of that church, would accept at the hands of a deist, their form of worship. But Franklin was faithful in the abbreviation, not to make the slightest change in the evangelical charac- ter of that admirable work, which through ages has guided the devotion of millions. The abbreviated service, cut down one-half, attracted no attention, and scarcely a copy was sold. At this time, Franklin's reputation was in its meridian altitude. There was scarcely a man in Europe or America, more prominent. Every learned body in Europe, of any importance, had elected him a member. Splendid editions of his works were published in London ; and three editions were issued from the press in Paris. In France, Franklin met with no insults, with no opposition. All alike smiled upon him, and the voices of commendation alone fell upon his ear. Returning to England, his reputation there, as a man of high moral worth, and of almost the highest intellectual attainments and a man honored in the 248 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. most remarkable degree with all the highest offices which his countrymen could confer upon him, swept contumely from his path, and even his enemies were ashamed to manifest their hostility. From London he wrote to his son, " As to my situation here, nothing can be more agreeable. Learned and ingenious foreigners that come to England, almost all make a point of visit- ing me ; for my reputation is still higher abroad, than here. Several of the foreign ambassadors have assiduously cultivated my acquaintance, treating mc as one of their corps, partly, I believe, from the desire they have from time to time, of hearing some- thing of American affairs ; an object become of im- portance in foreign courts, who begin to hope Brit- ain's alarming power will be diminished by the defection of her colonies." * * " For dinner parties Franklin was in such demand that, during the London season, he sometimes dined out six days in the week for several weeks together. He also confesses that occasionally he drank more wine than became a philosopher. It would indeed hav« been extremely difficult to avoid it, in that soaking age, when a man s force was reckoned by the number of bottles he could empty." — Par- ton's Life of Franklin, vol. i, p. 540. As an illustration of the state of the times, I give the following verse from one of the songs which Franklin wrote, and which he in future ages, detest the name of Englishman, a? much as the children in Holland now do those of Alva and Spaniard. " William Temple Franklin inherited the attrac- tions of person, and the fascination of manners, so conspicuous in his grandfather. He was a great 332 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. favorite in the social circles of the gay metiopolis. Dark days came, with tidings of discomfiture, Franklin devoted twelve hours out of the twenty- four, to the arduous duties of his mission. PhiU adelphia fell. "Well, Doctor," said an Englishman in Paris, with the customary courtesy of his nation, ** Howe has taken Philadelphia." ** I beg your pardon," Franklin replied, " Phila- delphia has taken Howe." The result proved that Franklin's joke was almost a reality. Burgoyne surrendered. His whole army was taken captive. Massachusetts immediately sent John Loring Austin to convey the rapturous tidings to Franklin. This great success would doubtless en- courage France to open action. No tongue can tell the emotions excited in the bosoms of Franklin, Lee and Deane, as Austin entered their presence at Passy, with the announcement, " General Burgoyne and his whole ar^ny are prisoners of war^ There were no shoutings, no rushing into each other's arms. But tears filled their eyes. They felt assured that France would come openly to their aid, and that the independence of their country was no longer doubtful. Silently they returned to Franklin's spacious apartment, where they spent the THE STRUGGLES OF DIPLOMACY. 333 whole day in reading the enrapturing dispatches, and in preparing for immediate alliance with France. France made no attempt to conceal its joy. A treaty of alliance was soon formed. Nobly the Count de Vergennes said, ** We wish to take no advantage of your situa- tion. We desire no terms which you may hereafter regret having made ; but would enter into arrange- ments of mutual interest, which may last as long as human institutions endure." England was now greatly alarmed from fear that the trade of the colonies might be transferred to France. Envoys were sent to Passy to offer the American ambassadors everything they had de- manded at the commencement of the conflict. But it was too late. America now demanded Inde- pendencCy and would accept nothing less. A large cake was one day sent to the amb;».'isa- dor's apartment, at Passy, with the inscription *' Le Digne Franklin," the worthy Franklin. Mr. Lee said, " Well, Doctor, we have to thank you for our accommodations, and to appropriate your present to our use." " Not at all," said Franklin. " This cake is for all the Commissioners. The P'rench, not being able to write good English, do not spell our names correctly. The meaning doubtless is Lee, Deane, Franklin." 334 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. The memorable treaty was signed on the 5 th of February, 1778. It was stated that the object of the treaty was to establish the independence of the United States, and that neither party should con- clude either truce or peace with England, without the consent of the other. Tidings of the treaty, which for a short time was kept secret, had been whispered in England, caus- ing intense excitement. On the 17th of February, 1778, the House of Parliament was crowded. Lord North, amid breathless silence, presented a " Con- ciliation Bill," granting everything which Frank- lin had demanded. Fox, who was in the Op- position, arose and announced the treaty. " The astonishment," writes Walpole, " was totally inde- scribable." Soon the fact, of the treaty of alliance, was form- ally announced in France. The American envoys were invited to an audience with the king. Frank- lin was richly dressed. His hair was carefully ar- ranged by a French perruquier. He wore an admira- bly fitting suit of plain, black, silk velvet. Ruffles of elaborate embroidery and snowy whiteness adorned his wrists and bosom. White silk stockings aided in displaying the perfect proportions of his frame. Large silver buckles were on his shoes. No one could accuse him of failing in due respect THE STRUGGLES OF DIPLOMACY. 33 S for the king, by appearing in his presence in slat- ternly dress. His costume was superb, and was such as was then worn, on important occasions, by Amer- ican gentlemen of the highest rank. The audience took place at Versailles, on the morning of the 20th of March. Each of the American envoys rode in his own carriage, attended by the usual retinue of servants. On the way they were cheered with the utmost enthusiasm by the crowd. The king, Louis XVI., received them with extreme courtesy, and the queen, Marie Antoinette, was marked in her atten- tions to Franklin. The British ambassador, Lord Stormont, was so enraged, that, regardless of all the claims of courtesy, he immediately returned to Eng- land, without even taking leave of the king. Who can describe the exultation, the rapture, the tears, with which these tidings were received by the patriots of America. On the 6th of May, George Washington drew up his little band at Valley Forge, to announce the great event, and to offer to God prayers and thanksgivings. The tone of the Eng« lish was immediately changed. They abandoned threats and tried the effect of entreaties. Several emissaries, from the government, approached Dr. Franklin, all bearing in substance the same message They said, ' We cannot endure the thought that our beloved 33^ BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. • colonists should enter into alliance with our hered- itary natural enemy, France. Can you, who are Protestants, consent to unite with a nation of Ro- man Catholics? If you will remain firm in your adhesion to England, we will grant you all you ever wished for, and even more. But do not forsake your mother country to swell the pride and power of perfidious France." But all these efforts were unavailing. The col- onists began to despise England. They had no wish for war with their unnatural parent, and they knew that their independence was assured ; and that no efforts which England could possibly make, could now prevent it. All alike felt disposed to spurn the bribes which England so lavishly offered. A very extraordinary letter was sent to Dr. Franklin, which was signed, Charles de Wissenstein. Franklin, who was accustomed to sifting evidence, became satisfied that the message came from king George III. himself. The letter declared that the perfidious French would certainly deceive the Amer- icans with false promises, and defraud them. After making the most liberal offers of popular rights, if the Americans would continue to remain colonists under the British crown, the document presented the fol- lowing extraordinary promise to those American pa- triots whom England had denounced as traitors, and THE STRUGGLES OF DIPLOMACY. 337 doomed to be hung. It was deemed a bribe which human virtue could not r>=*sist. " As it is unreasonable that their (the American patriots) services to their country should deprive them of those advantages which their talents would otherwise have gained them, the following persons shall have offices or pensions for life, at their option, namely, Franklin, Washington, Adams, Hancock, etc. In case his Majesty, or his successors, should ever create American peers, then those persons, or their descendants, shall be among the first created if they choose it." Franklin, after conference with his colleagues, replied to the letter. His soul was all on fire with the insults our country had received, and the wrongs she had endured. He wrote as if personally address- ing the king. We can only give the concluding paragraph. After stating that the independence of America was secured, that all attempts of England to prevent it would be impotent, and that conse- quently it was quite a matter of indifference to the Americans whether England acknowledged it of not, he wrote,* * In reference to the promises contained in the letter, Franklin referred to a book which it was said George III. had carefully studied, called Arcana Imperii. A prince, to appease a revolt, had promised mdemnity to the revolters. The question was submitted to the 338 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. " This proposition, of delivering ourselves bound and gagged, ready for hanging, without even a right to complain, and without a friend to be found afterward among all mankind, you would have us embrace upon the faith of an Act of Parliament. Good God ! an act of your Parliament. This de- monstrates that you do not yet know us ; and that you fancy that we do not know you. But it is not merely this flimsy faith that we are to act upon. You offer us hope, the hope of PLACES, PENSIONS and PEERAGES. " These, judging from yourselves, you think are motives irresistible. This offer to corrupt us, sir, is with me, your credential ; and convinces me that you are not a private volunteer in your application. It bears the stamp of British Court character. It is even the signature of your king. But think, for a moment, in what light it must be viewed in America. " By PLACES, you mean places among us ; for you take care, by a special article, to secure your own to yourselves. We must then pay the salaries in order to enrich ourselves with those places. But you will give us PENSlONa, probably to be paid too keepers of the king's conscience, whether he were bound to keep his promises. The reply was, •* No ! It was right to make the promises, because the ifvolt could not otherwise be suppressed. It bones." Soon after he was elected President, or as we should now say, Governor of Pennsylvania. The vote rested with the Executive Council and the As- sembly, seventy-seven in all. He received seventy- •six votes. Notwithstanding the ravages of war, life's closing scenes. 363; peace came with her usual blessings in her hand. The Torj' journals of England, were presenting de- plorable views of the ruin of the country since deprived of the beneficial government of the British cabinet. Franklin wrote to his old friend, David Hartley, " Your newspapers are filled with accounts of distresses and miseries, that these states are plunged into, since their separation from Britain. You may believe me when I tell you that there is no truth in those accounts. I find all property in land and houses, augmented vastly in value ; that of houses in town at least four-fold. The crops have been plentiful ; and yet the produce sells high, to the great profit of the farmer. Working people have plenty of employ, and high pay for their labor." There were many imperfections attending the old Confederacy. In the year 1787, a convention met in Philadelphia, to frame a new constitution. There was strong opposition to this movement. Wash- ington and Franklin were both delegates. Washing- ton took the chair. The good nature and wisdom of Franklin ruled the house. The convention met in the State House. Franklin, eighty-one years of age, was regularly in his seat, five hours a day, for four months. He was thoroughly democratic in his views, and opposed every measure which had any 364 BENJAMIN FRANKl.N. tendency to extend aristocratic privilege. He had seen that the British government was in the hands of the nobles. And silent, as prudence rendered it necessary for him to be, in reference to the arbitrary government of France, he could not but see that the peasantry were subject to the most intolerable abuses. This led him to detest a monarchy, and to do every thing in his power to place the government of this country in the hands of the people. Much time was occupied in deciding upon the terms of union between the smaller and the larger States. It will be remembered that this was the subject of very excited debates in the convention of 1776. The discussion was earnest, often acrimo- nious. Such bitterness of feeling was engendered that, for some time it was feared that no union could be effected. It is evident that Franklin, as he approached the grave, became more devout, and that he lost all con- fidence in the powers of philosophical speculations to reform or regenerate fallen man. He saw that the interposition of a divine power was needed to allay the intense excitement in the convention, and to lead the impassioned members to act under the conviction that they were responsible to God. On the 28th of June, this venerable, patriarchal man offered the following memorable resolve : LIFE'S CLOSING SCENES. 365 " Resolved, That henceforth prayers, implc ring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in the Assembly every morn- ing before we proceed to business ; and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to offici- ate in that service." The speech which accompanied this motion will forever be conspicuous in our annals. He said : " Mr. President ! The small progress we have made, after four or five weeks close attendence and continual reasonings with each other ; our different sentiments on almost every question, is, methinks, a melancholy proof of the imperfection of the human understanding. " In this situation of this Assembly groping, as it were, in the dark, to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, sir, that we have not yet hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of Lights to illuminate our understandings? " In the beginning of the contest with Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers, in this room, for divine protection ! Our prayers, sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us, who were engaged in the struggle, must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor. To that 366 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. kind Providence we owe thfs happy opportunity of consulting, in peace, on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now for- gotten that powerful friend ? or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance ? " I have lived, sir, a long time. And the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth ; That God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without his aid ? We have been assured, sir, in the Sacred Writings, that * except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.' I firmly believe this. And I also believe that, without His concur- ring aid, we shall succeed in this political building, no better than the building of Babel." It is almost incomprehensible that, under the influence of such an appeal, the great majority of the Assembly should have voted against seeking divine aid. In a note appended to this speech, Frankhn writes, " The convention, except three or four persons, thought prayers unnecessary."* * Mr. Parton undoubtedly suggested the true reason for this l^&Qge refusal to seek divine guidance. He writes, • I think it not improbable that the cause of this opposition to • proposal so seldom negatived in the United States, was the preva- lence in the Convention of the French tone of feeling with regard to religious observances. If so, it was the more remarkable to see the aged Franklin, who was a deist at fifteen, and had just returned from life's closing scenes. 367 The convention came to a triumphant dose, early In September, 1787. Behind the speaker's chair there was a picture of the Rising Sun. While the mem- bers were signing, Franklin turned to Mr. Madison, and said, " I have often, in the course of the session, and the vicissitudes of my hopes and fears as to its issue, looked at the picture behind the President, without being able to tell whether the sun were rising or set- ting. But now at length, I have the happiness to know that it is a rising, not a setting sun. Washington was universally revered. Franklin was both revered and loved. It was almost the uni- versal feeling that, next to Washington, orr nation was indebted to Franklin for its Indf.f endence. "Franklin occupied, in the arduous field of diplomacy, the position which Washington occupied 'it the head of our armies. It was certain that Frai klin had, at one period of his life, entirely renouncec his belief in Christianity, as a divine revelation. 1 lis christian friends, numbering hundreds, encourage- 1 by some of the utterances of his old age, were anxio is to know if he had returned to the faith of his fathen. Dr. Ezra Stiles, President of Yale College, was a friend of Franklin's of many years standing. When the France, coming back to the sentiments of his ancestors." — Pat Ion* t Franklin yv^ ^^^-v-t io LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 011 801 783 3 III*] 1] r::!''!| ' *l . ' \ I ^':'Mi ' 'i.» I ■ )i 'l,.M ]"•. ,^ ■f < '■'< fit;!' ■ U' -■ ', iiliii^ :fi' • (' .•>;>' M ii ;i!::j;'^ '\i ;' i- ,1 -i- :■ i A ( , , ' V ii ■;\;ii'"'* 'lii t; ,♦: . f ■ ' ' ,! (