xviii The Franklin Bi-centennial 



to the eldest male heir perpetually as the joint repre- 

 sentative of both Parties. . . . 



This disposition is hereby confirmed. 



January i, 1806. 



Jon! Williams. 



Mariamne Williams. 



Note. — Doctor Franklin was so well satisfied with 

 Mr. Martin's performance & the likeness was deemed 

 so perfect, that he was induced to have a copy made 

 by the same Artist at his own expense, & it was sent 

 to his Family in Philadelphia. It was after his 

 death, left by his will, to the Supreme Executive 

 Council of Pennsylvania, of which he had been the 

 chief, & was accordingly suspended in their cham- 

 ber. By the new Constitution, the Council of State 

 was abolished & and this poor portraite, became an 

 abandoned orphan, without having any place in 

 which it had a right to hang itself. 



The celebrated Peale, a declaired enemy of every- 

 thing unnatural — took pity on the wretched outcast 

 and has humanely hung it up among his natural 

 curiosities in the Philadelphia Museum. 



The foregoing memorandum is copied from the 

 original, in the Handwriting of my Father, Jonathan 

 Williams, and the signatures are those of himself and 

 my Mother. . . . By virtue of the direction contained 

 in it, the above mentioned portraite passed to me, and 

 has continued in my possession since his death. . . . 



I hereby in accordance with the disposition made 

 by them bequeath it to my eldest male heir. 



November i, 1828. Henry J. Williams. 



