AS Citizen and Philanthropist 41 



in it. But is it too muchi to claim that those maxims 

 thus sinking deep into the minds of men, as possibly 

 no others sink save those of Holy Writ, swayed and 

 moulded the temper and character of this nation in its 

 early impressible years? If, therefore, Franklin is to 

 be regarded as a type, it is because he himself created 

 the species. 



As time went on, the weak bantling among nations, 

 these United States, needed a representative in Eu- 

 rope, who could secure for them recognition as a 

 nation, an alliance if possible, and, at all hazards, 

 money. The task seemed well nigh hopeless. Never- 

 theless, Congress unanimously appointed Franklin, 

 with two others, a commissioner to France. Faith- 

 ful to his self-sacrificing duty as a citizen, Franklin 

 accepted the appointment, although he was then seventy 

 years old, — many, many years beyond the limit, at which, 

 as we have been recently assured, we cease to be of any 

 use either to the community, to ourselves, or to anybody. 

 But before he left Philadelphia, he performed one 

 act which places him high, very high, in the list of 

 great citizens and of eminent patriots. The life of 

 the nation was very feeble and very flickering. En- 

 thusiasm is truly admirable, but it will not pay salaries 

 nor arm soldiers. A new-born government without 

 either money or credit is as helpless as a new-born 

 child. Franklin's single-eyed devotion to his country 



