44 FURNESS: Franklin 



undisguised exultation in being one of the people is 

 revealed in his final solemn utterance to the public; he 

 begins his Last Will and Testament with " I, Benjamin 

 Franklin, Printer." 



He was seventy-nine years old when he returned 

 from France, and a few weeks after his arrival was 

 elected President, we should now say, Governor, of the 

 State, and was re-elected unanimously in the two fol- 

 lowing years. His high standard of the duty a citizen 

 owes to his Commonwealth induced him, notwithstand- 

 ing his great age, to accept the position. Moreover, 

 did he not know that " the used key is always bright, 

 as Poor Richard says"? He declined to accept any 

 salary for himself, but devoted it all to schools and 

 churches. 



In his last year of office his supremacy as a citizen 

 was again acknowledged. He was called upon to aid 

 in framing the Constitution of the United States. He 

 was eighty-one years old, and, while fulfilling every 

 duty required by his presidency of the State, neglected 

 not a single demand on his time or attention as a dele- 

 gate of this Constitutional Convention. A noteworthy 

 fact has been pointed out by our accomplished Secre- 

 tary, Dr. Hays, namely, that the signature of Franklin, 

 and of Franklin alone of all the giants in those days, 

 is to be found on the triple pillars of our government, 

 — it is on the Declaration of Independence, on the 



