FRANKLIN. 



the crown, an influence greater than ap- 

 peared to them proper in a plan of go- 

 vernment intended for freemen. Perhaps 

 this rejection, on both sides, is the strong- 

 est proof that could be adduced of the 

 excellence of it, as suited to the situation 

 of Great Britain and America at that 

 time. It appears to have steered directly 

 in the middle, between the opposite in- 

 terests of both. Whether the adoption 

 of Ais plan would have prevented the se- 

 paration of America from Great Britain, 

 is a question which might afford much 

 room for speculation. 



In the year 1755, General Braddock, 

 with some regiments of regular troops 

 and provincial levies, was sent to dispos- 

 sess the French of the posts upon which 

 they had seized in the back settlements. 

 After the men were all ready, a difficulty 

 occurred which had nearly prevented the 

 expedition : this was the want of wag- 

 gons. Franklin now stepped forward, 

 and with the assistance of his son, in a 

 little time, procured 150. After the de- 

 feat of Braddock, Franklin introduced 

 into the assembly a bill for organizing a 

 militia, and had the dexterity to get it 

 passed. In consequence of this act a very 

 respectable militia was formed, and 

 Franklin was appointed colonel of the re- 

 giment of Philadelphia, which consisted 

 of 12uO men ; in which capacity he ac- 

 quitted himself with much propriety, and 

 was of singular service ; though this mi- 

 litia was soon after disbanded by the Eng- 

 lish ministry. 



In 1757, he was sent to England with 

 a petition to the king and council, against 

 the proprietaries, who refused to bear 

 any share in the public expenses and as- 

 sessments, which he got settled to the sa- 

 tisfaction of the state. Afterthe comple- 

 tion of this business, Franklin remained 

 at the court of Great Britain for some 

 time, as agent to the province of Penn- 

 sylvania; and also for those of Massachu- 

 setts, Maryland, and Georgia. Soon after 

 this he published his Canada pamphlet, 

 in which he pointed out, in a very for- 

 cible manner, the advantages that would 

 result from the conquest of this province 

 from the French. An expedition was 

 accordingly planned, and the command 

 given to General Wolf ; the success of 

 which is well known. He now divided 

 his time, indeed, between philosophy and 

 politics, rendering many services to both. 

 Whilst here, he invented the elegant 

 musical instrument called the Armonica, 

 formed of glasses, played upon by the 

 ringers. 



VOL V. 



In the summer of 1762, he returned 

 to America; on his passage to which he 

 observed the singular effect produced by 

 agitation of a vessel containing oil floating 

 on water : the upper surface of the oil 

 remained smooth and undisturbed, whilst 

 the water was agitated with the utmost 

 commotion. On his return he received 

 the thanks of the Assembly of Pennsyl- 

 vania, which having annually elected him 

 a member in his absence, he again took 

 his seat in this body, and continued a 

 steady defender of the liberties of the 

 people. 



In 1764, by the intrigues of the pro- 

 prietaries, Franklin lost his seat in r',e 

 assembly, which he had possessed for 14 

 years; but he was immediately appointed 

 provincial agent to England, for wiiicli 

 country he presently set out. 



In 1765, he was examined before the 

 parliament relative to the stamp act ; 

 which was soon after repealed. The 

 same year he made a journey into Hol- 

 land and Germany, and another into 

 France ; being every where received 

 with the greatest respect by the literati 

 of all nations. 



In 1773, he attracted the public atten- 

 tion by a letter on the duel between Mr. 

 Whately and Mr. Temple, concerning 

 the publication of Governor Hutchinson's 

 letters, declaring that he was the person, 

 who had discovered those letters. v)nthe 

 29th of January, next year, he was exa- 

 mined before the privy-council, on a pe- 

 tition he had presented long before, as 

 agent for Massachusetts Bay, against Mr. 

 Hutchinson ; but this petition being disa- 

 greeable to the ministry,it was precipitate- 

 ly rejected,and Dr. Franklin was soonafter 

 removed from his office of Post-master 

 General for America. Finding now all 

 efforts to restore harmony between Great 

 Britain and her colonies useless, he re- 

 turned to America in 1775, just after the 

 commencement of hostilities. Being nam- 

 ed one of the delegates of the Continen- 

 tal Congress, he had a principal share in 

 bringing about the revolution and decla- 

 ration of Independency on the part of the 

 colonies. 



In 1776, he was deputed by Congress 

 to Canada, to negotiate with the peo- 

 ple of that country, and to persuade 

 them to throw off" the British yoke; but 

 the Canadians had been so much dis- 

 gusted with the hot zeal of the New 

 Englanders, who had burnt some of their 

 chapels, that they refused to listen to the 

 proposals, though enforced by all the 

 arguments Dr. Franklin could make use 



F f 



Of TH1 



