182 KEPOBT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE 



most formidable piece of evidence in our eyes so soon 

 as we perceive that the farther we go into the past the 

 surer and sounder this tradition is disclosed to be. It 

 was practically unchallenged. On page 5 of Mr. Du 

 Ponceau's "Account," the President tells how great 

 had always been his interest in the Society and in the 

 history of its founding. "I had frequent conversa- 

 tions with men who took a part in its formation, and 

 particularly with the venerable Bishop White . . . who 

 was a member of the i American Society.' He loved to 

 talk upon the subject. He informed me of many de- 

 tails respecting the union of the two societies which are 

 not to be found in their records. . . . Neither he nor 

 anybody else at that time doubted of the 'American' 

 Society having been a continuation of the Junto. . . . 

 This fact until a very late period was admitted by all. ' ' 

 This is not doubtful testimony ; it surely confirms the 

 "accuracy" of Dr. William Smith; and your Commit- 

 tee lays great stress upon its significance. It is true 

 that Thomson's words are very explicit, and, so far as 

 they go, would seem at first to make for the older Com- 

 mittee 's conclusion. "You remember the Society to 

 which I belonged" written to Franklin would seem to 

 exclude him as its founder. "We did ouselves the 

 honor ... to elect you a member" seems confirmatory 

 of such an inference ; but the Society of 1768 had such 

 different plans, scope, methods, Franklin at many times 

 was so remote and at all times was so busy that his re- 

 election in 1768 might be taken not only as proof of his 



