An economical project

On early marriages

Effect of carly impressions on the mind

The whistle

A petition to those who have the superintendency of education

The handsome and de formed leg

Morals of chess

The art of procuring pleasant dreams

Dialogue between Franklin and the gout

On the death of relatives

The ephemera an emblem of human life

Letter to Sir Hans Sloane

Letter to Michael Collinson, Esq.

Line.

Page.

469

475

478

480

483

485

- 488

493

499

507 508

APPENDIX, NO. I.-CONTAINING PAPERS PROPER FOR INSERTION, BUT OMITTED IN THE PRECEDING VOLUMES.

Letter respecting captain Cook
An address to the public, from the Pensylvania society for promoting
the abolition of slavery, and the relief of free negroes, unlawfully
held in bondage

Plan for improving the condition of the free blacks

Paper: a poem

Plain truth; or, serious considerations on the present state of the
city of Philadelphia, and province of Pensylvania
Four letters to Mr. Whetley

ERRATA.

Page.

24-8 from the bottom: for DAY, read LAY.

59-6, for iuppose, read suppose.

60- -5 from the bottom: for Cruger, read Stube

449-7 from the bottom: for PLEIADS, read PLEIADES,

Letter from the late Dr. Price to a gentleman in America

Letter from Mr. Thomas Jefferson to the late Dr. William Smith, of

APPENDIX, NO. II.-CONTAINING LETTERS BY SEVERAL EMINENT PERSONS, ILLUSTRATIVE OF DR. FRANKLIN'S MANNERS AND CHARACTER.

513

514

515

517 519 523

524 543*

543

545 547

[The papers under the present head, of American Politics before the Troubles, in the volume of Dr. Franklin's works, printed for Johnson in 1799, from which they are nearly all taken, were divided into two parts, as if distinct from each other, viz. Papers on American Subjects before the Troubles; and Papers on Subjects of Provincial Politics. As we can see no grounds for this distinction, we have brought them together, and have placed them in the order of their dates, conceiving such to be the natural order of papers furnishing materials for history.]

C

PAPERS

ON

AMERICAN SUBJECTS,

BEFORE THE

REVOLUTIONARY TROUBLES.

ALBANY PAPERS.

Containing, I. Reasons and Motives on which the PLAN of UNION for the COLONIES was formed;-II. Reasons against partial Unions ;-III. And the Plan of Union drawn by B. F. and unanimously agreed to by the Commissioners from New Hampshire, Massachusett's Bay, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maryland, and Pensylvania", met in Congress at Albany, in July 1754,

* The reader must be informed here, that this plan was intended for all the colonies; but, commissioners from some of them not attending (from causes which I cannot specify) their consent to it was not, in this respect, universally expressed. Governor Pownall, however, says, “That he had an opportunity of conversing with, and knowing the sentiments of the commissioners appointed by their respective provinces, to attend this congress, to which they were called by the crown; of learning from their experience and judgment, the actual state of the American business and interest; and of hearing amongst them, the grounds and reasons of that American union, which they then had under deliberation, and transmitted the plan of to England;" and he adds, in another place, "that the sentiments of our colonies were collected in an authentic manner on this subject in the plan proposed by Dr. Franklin, and unanimously agreed to in congress.” See Governor Pownall's Administration of the British Colonies. Vol. I. p. 13. Edit. 4, 1774, and Vol. II. p. 86. B. V.

B 2

to

to consider of the best Means of defending the King's Dominions in America, &c. a War being then apprehended; with the Reasons or Motives for each Article of the Plan.

B. F. was one of the four commissioners from Pensylvania*.

I. Reasons and Motives on which the Plan of Union was formed.

THE commissioners from a number of the northern colonies being met at Albany, and considering the difficulties that have always attended the most necessary general measures for the common defence, or for the annoyance of the enemy, when they were to be carried through the several particular assemblies of all the co'lonies; some assemblies being before at variance with their governors or councils, and the several branches of the government not on terms of doing business with each other; others taking the opportunity, when their concurrence is wanted, to push for favourite laws, powers, or points, that they think could not at other times. be obtained, and so creating disputes and quarrels; one assembly waiting to see what another will do, being afraid of doing more than its share, or desirous of doing less; or refusing to do any thing, because its country is not at present so much exposed as others, or because another will reap more immediate advantage; from one

*"Mr. [since Governor] Hutchinson was one of the commissioners for Massachusett's Bay." Governor Pownall as above, Vol. II. p. 144. "Thomas Pownall, Esq.; brother to John Pownall, Esq.; one of the secretaries to the board of trade, and afterwards Governor of the Massachusetts, was upon the spot." History of the British Empire in North America, p. 25. B. V.