2. That they should cede to the English, and renounce forever all claim to the posts or forts now or late in our possession in their country. And that we should be at liberty to erect as many new forts or trading houses as we pleased, wherever we thought them necessary for security of our trade. And that round each fort now or hereafter to be built, they should cede to us forever as much land as a cannon could throw a shot over, to be cultivated by our people for the more convenient furnishing provisions to the garrison.

3. That in case any one of the tribes should hereafter renew the war against the English, the others should join us in reducing them and bringing them to reason. And that particular murderers hereafter given up to preserve peace, should be tried by the English law, the jury to be half Indians of the same nation with the criminal.

4. That six of the deputies should remain with him as hostages, till the prisoners were restored and these articles confirmed.

These terms were thankfully accepted and signed by the deputies with their marks as usual; they declaring themselves fully authorized for that purpose by the Shawanese, Delawares, Hurons of Sandusky, and the other tribes inhabiting the plains of Scioto, and all the countries between Lake Erie and the Ohio.

The other four deputies, with an English officer and an Indian, were immediately despatched to acquaint the nations with what had passed, and inform them that the Colonel would not discontinue his

march, but proceed to Sandusky, where he expected their chiefs would meet him and ratify the treaty; otherwise they should find two armies of warriors in their country, and no future proposals of peace would be hearkened to, but they should be cut off from the face of the earth.

If this peace holds, it will be very happy for these colonies. We only apprehend that the savages, obtaining a peace so easily, without having suffered the chastisement they deserved for their late perfidy, and without being obliged to make any restitution or satisfaction for the goods they robbed our merchants of, and the barbarities they committed (except the cession of those small tracts round forts), will more readily incline to renew the war on every little

occasion.

Be pleased to present my dutiful respects to the Postmaster-General, and believe me with much esteem, sir, etc.,

B. FRANKLIN.

TO COLONEL BOUQUET

PHILADELPHIA, 30 September, 1764. DEAR SIR: I have been so totally occupied with the sitting of the Assembly and other urgent affairs, that I could not till now do myself the pleasure of writing to you, since the receipt of your obliging favors of August 10th and 22d, and a subsequent one relating to Bradstreet's peace, of which I think as you do.

I thank you cordially for so readily complying with

my request. Your letter was quite full and sufficient, and leaves me nothing to desire by way of addition, except that if any letter of yours relating to the present expedition is like to be seen by the Secretary of State, you would take occasion just to mention me as one ready on that and every other occasion to promote the service of the crown. The malice and industry of my adversaries have, I find, made these precautions a little necessary.

Your sentiments of our constitution are solid and just. I am not sure that the change now attempted will immediately take place, nor am I very anxious about it. But sooner or later it will be effected. And till it is effected, we shall have little internal quiet in the administration of our public affairs.

I have lately received a number of new pamphlets from England and France, among which is a piece of Voltaire's on the subject of religious toleration. I will give you a passage of it, which being read here at a time when we are torn to pieces by faction, religious and civil, shows us that while we sit for our picture to that able painter, 't is no small advantage to us that he views us at a favorable distance: "Mais que dirons-nous," dit il, "de ces pacifiques Primitifs que l'on a nommés Quakers par dérision, et qui, avec des usages peut-être ridicules, ont été si vertueux, et ont enseigné inutilement la paix aux reste des hommes? Ils sont en Pensylvanie au nombre de cent mille; la Discorde, la Controverse, sont ignorées dans l'heureuse patrie qu'ils se sont faite: et le nom seul de leur ville de Philadelphie, qui leur rapelle a tout moment que les hommes sont frères, est l'exem

ple et la honte des peuples qui ne connaissent pas encore la tolérance." The occasion of his writing this Traité sur la Tolérance was what he calls "le Meurtre de Jean Calas, commis dans Toulouse avec le glaive de la Justice, le 9me Mars 1762." There is in it abundance of good sense and sound reasoning mixed with some of those pleasantries that mark the author as strongly as if he had affixed his name. Take one of them as a sample: "J'ai apris que le Parlement de Toulouse et quelques autres tribunaux, ont une jurisprudence singuliere: ils admettent des quarts; des tier sixièmes de preuve. Ainsi, avec six ouï-dires d'un côte,trois de l'autre, et quatre quarts de présomtion ils forment trois preuves complètes; et sur cette belle demonstration ils vous vouent unhomme sans miséricorde. Une légére connaissance de l'art de raisonner sufirait pour leur faire prendre une autre méthode. Ce qu'on apelle une demi-preuve ne peutêtre qu'un soupçon: Il n'y a point a la rigueur, de demi-preuve. Ou une chose est prouvée, ou elle ne l'est pas; il n'y a point, de milieu. Cent mille soupçons réunis ne peuvent pas plus etablir une preuve, que cent mille zéros ne peuvent composer un nombre. Il y a des quarts de ton dans la musique; mais il n'y a ni quart de vérité, ni quart de raisonnement." "

I

'I do not find this passage precisely in any of Voltaire's writings. It certainly is not in the most accepted edition of his Traité sur la Tolérance. Franklin probably quoted at second-hand. What Voltaire actually wrote, which is the foundation for Franklin's quotation probably, will be found in his Commentaire sur le livre des délits et des peines (Euvres de Voltaire par Beuchot, vol. 42, p. 476), and runs as follows:

"Le Parlement de Toulouse a un usage bien singulier. On admet

I send you one of the pamphlets, Jugement rendue dans l'affaire du Canady, supposing it may be the more agreeable to you to see it, as during your war with that colony you must have been made acquainted with some of the characters concerned. With the truest esteem and affection, I am, etc., B. FRANKLIN.

TO ANTHONY TODD, ESQ.

PHILADELPHIA, 6 November, 1764.

SIR: Col. Bouquet marched from Pittsburgh the 4th of October, with 1,500 men, down the Ohio, to attack the Shawana towns; the peace made by Col. Bradstreet at Presquisle not being confirmed. We have not since heard from either of those armies. I am, etc.,

B. FRANKLIN.

TO PETER COLLINSON

LONDON, 13 July, 1767.

DEAR FRIEND:-I have heard of an account you lately received from Russia of some discovery of an ancient sepulchre in the frontiers of that country. I wish I could see that account. In the meantime I

aillieurs des demi-preuves, qui au fond ne sont que des doutes; car on sait qu'il n'y a point de demi-vérités: mais à Toulouse on admet des quarts et des huitièmes de preuves. On y peut regarder, par example, un ouï-dire comme un quart, un autre ouï-dire plus vague comme un huitième; de sorte que huit rumeurs qui ne sont qu'un écho d'un bruit mal fondé peuvent devenir une preuve complète.' EDITOR.