FRA 



FRA 



of. On his return to Philadelphia, Con- 

 gress, sensible how much he was esteem- 

 ed in France, sent him there to put a 

 finishing hand to the private negotiation 

 of Mr. Silas Deane ; and this important 

 commission was readily accepted by the 

 doctor, though then in the 71st year of 

 his age : the event is well known ; a 

 treaty of alliance and commerce was 

 signed between France and America ; 

 arid M. le Roi asserts, that the doctor had 

 a great share in the transaction, by 

 strongly advising M. Maurepasnottolose 

 a single moment, if he wished to secure 

 the friendship of America, and to detach 

 it from the mother country. 



In 1777, he was regularly appointed 

 Plenipotentiary from Congress to the 

 French court ; but obtained leave of dis- 

 mission in 1780. Having at length seen 

 the full accomplishment of his wishes, by 

 the conclusion of the peace in 1783,which 

 gave independence to America, he be- 

 came desirous of revisiting his native 

 country : he therefore requested to be 

 recalled ; and, after repeated solicitations, 

 Mr. Jefferson was appointed in his stead. 

 On the arrival of his successor, he re- 

 paired to Havre de Grace, and, crossing 

 the channel, landed at Newport in the 

 Isle of Wight, from whence, after a fa- 

 vourable passage, he arrived safe at Phi- 

 ladelphia, in September 1785. He was 

 received amidst the acclamations of a 

 vast multitude, who flocked from all 

 parts to see him, and who conducted him 

 in triumph to his own house ; where in 

 a few days he was visited by the mem- 

 bers of Congress, and the principal in- 

 habitants of Philadelphia. He xvas after- 

 wards twice chosen President of the As- 

 sembly of Philadelphia ; but his increas- 

 ing infirmities obliged him to ask per- 

 mission to retire, and spend the remain- 

 der of his life in tranquillity, which was 

 granted in 1788. After this the infirmi- 

 ties of age increased fast upon him ; he 

 became more and more afflicted with the 

 gout and the stone till the time of his 

 death, which happened the 17th of April, 

 1790, about 11 o'clock at night, at 84 

 years of age, leaving one son, Governor 

 William Franklin, a zealous loyalist, who 

 now resides in London ; and a daughter, 

 married to Mr. Richard Beach, merchant, 

 in Philadelphia. 



Dr. Franklin was author of many tracts 

 on electricity and other branches of na- 

 tural philosophy, as well as on political 

 and miscellaneous subjects. He had also 

 many papers inserted in the Philosophi- 



cal Transactions, from the year 1757 to 

 1774. 



FRANKS. See LETTER. 



FRAPPING, in naval affairs, the act of 

 crossing and drawing together the seve- 

 ral parts of the tackle, or other complica- 

 tion of ropes, which had been already 

 strained to their utmost extent; in this 

 sense it resembles the operation of brac- 

 ing a drum. The frapping increases ten- 

 sion, and consequently adds to the secu- 

 rit}- acquired by the purchase. 



FRAUD. All deceitful practices in de- 

 frauding, or endeavouring to defraud, 

 another of his own right, by means of 

 some artful device, contrary to the plain 

 rules of common honesty, are condemn- 

 ed by the common law, and punishable 

 according to the heinousness of the of- 

 fence. 



The distinction laid down, as proper to 

 be attended to in all cases of this kind, is 

 this, that in such impositions or deceits, 

 where common prudence might guard 

 persons frovn the offence, it is not indict- 

 able, but the parly is left to his civil 

 remedy ; but where false weights or 

 measures are used, or false tokens pro- 

 duced, or such measures taken to de- 

 fraud, or deceive, as people cannot by 

 any ordinary care or prudence be guard- 

 ed against, there it is an offence indict- 

 table. Persons convicted of obtaining 

 money or goods by false pretences, or 

 sending threatening letters to extort 

 money or goods, may be punished by 

 fine and imprisonment, or by pillory, 

 whipping, or transportation. 30 G. II. 

 c. 24. 



FRAXINUS, in botany, English ash- 

 tree, a genus of the Polygamia Dioecia 

 class and order. Natural order of Sepia- 

 riae. Jasminese, Jussieu. Essential charac- 

 ter : hermaphrodite ; calyx none, or four- 

 parted ; corolla none, or four-petalled ; 

 stamens two ; pistil one ; seed or capsule 

 one, lanceolate. There are four species. 

 The wood of the ash-tree is in great use 

 among several artificers,as wheel-wrights, 

 cart-wrights, carpenters, turners, Etc. also 

 for making ploughs, harrows, axle-trees, 

 oars, &.C. It is said to be as lasting for 

 building as oak, and often preferred be- 

 fore it; though the timber of the trunk 

 greatly excels that of a bough. Some 

 ash is also so curiously veined, that the 

 cabinet-makers think it equal to ebony, 

 and call it green ebony ; so that the wood- 

 men, whoJight upon such trees, mayhave 

 for it what they will. The season for 

 felling 1 this tree is from November to 



