clearly the disposition of the Assembly, and that the fair intentions above ascribed to them in making the former act, are not merely the imagination of the writer. Indeed, the clamor has been much augmented by numbers joining it, who really had no claim on our country. Every debtor in Britain, engaged in whatever trade, when he had no better excuse to give for delay of payment, accused the want of returns from America. And the indignation thus excited against us now appeared so general among the English that one would imagine their nation, which is so exact in expecting punctual payment from all the rest of the world, must be at home the model of justice, the very pattern of punctuality. Yet, if one were disposed to recriminate, it would not be difficult to find sufficient matter in several parts of their conduct. But this I forbear. The two separate nations are now at peace, and there can be no use in mutual provocations to fresh enmity. If I have shown clearly that the present inability of many American merchants to discharge their debts, contracted before the war, is not so much their fault as the fault of the crediting nation, who, by making an unjust war on them, obstructing their commerce, plundering and devastating their country, were the cause of that inability, I have answered the purpose of writing this paper. How far the refusal of the British court to execute the treaty in delivering up the frontier posts may, on account of that deficiency of payment, be justifiable, is cheerfully submitted to the world's impartial judgment. MDLI TO MRS. JANE MECOM Philadelphia, 3 August, 1789. DEAR SISTER-I am glad to learn that you have at length got some of the letters I so long since wrote to you. I think your post-office is very badly managed. I expect your bill, and shall pay it when it appears. I would have you put the books into our cousin's hands, who will dispose of them for you, if he can, or return them hither. I am very much pleased to hear that you have had no misunderstanding with his father. Indeed, if there had been any such I should have concluded it was your fault; for I think our family were always subject to being a little miffy. By the way, is our relationship in Nantucket quite worn out? I have met with none from thence of late years who were disposed to be acquainted with me, except Captain Timothy Folger. They are wonderfully shy. But I admire their honest plainness of speech. About a year ago I invited two of them to dine with me. Their answer was, that they would, if they could not do better. I suppose they did better; for I never saw them afterwards, and so had no opportunity of showing my miff, if I had one. I shall make the addition you desire to my superscriptions, desiring in return that you will make a subtraction from yours. The word Excellency does not belong to me, and Doctor will be sufficient to distinguish me from my grandson.' This family joins in love to you and yours. B. FRANKLIN. 'On this point his sister replied: "I was a little suspicious whether Excellency was according to rule in addressing my brother at this time; MDLII INSCRIPTION FOR THE PHILADELPHIA LIBRARY It being in contemplation at this time to lay the foundation of a new building for the Philadelphia Library, the following correspondence took place between Mr. Rd. Wells and Dr. Franklin on the subject of a suitable inscription for the same. Rd. Wells presents his best respects to Dr. Franklin, and takes the liberty of suggesting something of the substance of what he believes would give general satisfaction. As it is well known to the present inhabitants of this city how much they are indebted to Dr. Franklin for the first idea, as well as execution of the plan of a Public Library, Rd. Wells is very certain it would be the general wish to perpetuate a grateful remembrance of it. PHILA., August 29th, 1789. REPLY Dr. Franklin presents his respects to Mr. Wells; he did not intend any mention of himself in the proposed inscription, and even wrote it at first without the words "cheerfully, at the instance of one of their members," but, in compliance with Mr. Wells' idea, has added them; though he still thinks it would be better without them. He cannot, however, but be pleased with every mark of the kind regard of his but I did not write the address; and of late, because he lives nearer than Cousin Williams, I have sent my letters to Dr. Lathrop, who is very obliging to me, and I thought he must know what is right, and I gave no directions about it. But I shall do it another time."August 23d. fellow-citizens towards him. It is his own being concerned in promoting such testimonies that he thinks improper; and as that drawn by Mr. Wells may be understood as proceeding from him, he wishes it may be so considered. Saturday, P.M., August 29, 1789. Be it Remembered in Honour of the Philadelphian Youth that, in M,DCC,XXXII, they cheerfully, at the instance of one of their number, instituted the Philadelphia Library, is become highly valuable and which the Walls of this Edifice the 31st Day of August, MDLIII ON A LATE AUSPICIOUS MARRIAGE Our noble founder spread, with liberal hand, The father's virtues bury'd on his grave, The grandsire in the grandson oft is seen, By generous blood commixt, is to his race restor❜d. MDLIV TO M. LE VEILLARD PHILADELPHIA, 5 September, 1789.' DEAR FRIEND:-I have had notice of sundry books sent out by you, but none of them are come to hand except the Dictionnaire d'Agriculture, by l'Abbé Rogier. My grandson also complains of not receiving a package or case sent by you to him, he knows not by what conveyance, nor where to enquire for it. It is long since I have had the pleasure of hearing The Guadiana, which is said to run underground eighteen Spanish leagues. 2 a Bigelow's Life of Franklin, Vol. III., Appendix No. 5. |