I have lately made a Tour thro' Ireland and Scotland. In those Countries a small Part of the Society are Landlords, great Noblemen, and Gentlemen, extreamly opulent, living in the highest Affluence and Magnificence: The Bulk of the People Tenants, extreamly poor, living in the most sordid Wretchedness, in dirty Hovels of Mud and Straw, and cloathed only in Rags.

I thought often of the Happiness of New England, where every Man is a Freeholder, has a Vote in publick Affairs, lives in a tidy, warm House, has plenty of good Food and Fewel, with whole cloaths from Head to Foot, the Manufacture perhaps of his own Family. Long may they continue in this Situation! But if they should ever envy the Trade of these Countries, I can put them in a Way to obtain a Share of it. Let them with three fourths of the People of Ireland live the Year round on Potatoes and Buttermilk, without Shirts, then may their Merchants export Beef, Butter, and Linnen. Let them, with the Generality of the Common People of Scotland, go Barefoot, then may they make large Exports in Shoes and Stockings: And if they will be content to wear Rags, like the Spinners and Weavers of England, they may make Cloths and Stuffs for all Parts of the World.

Farther, if my Countrymen should ever wish for the honour of having among them a gentry enormously wealthy, let them sell their Farms & pay rack'd Rents; the Scale of the Landlords will rise as that of the Tenants is depress'd, who will soon become poor, tattered, dirty, and abject in Spirit. Had I never been in the American Colonies, but was to form my Judgment of Civil Society by what I have lately seen, I should never advise a Nation of Savages to admit of Civilization: For I assure you, that, in the Possession & Enjoyment of the

various Comforts of Life, compar'd to these People every Indian is a Gentleman: And the Effect of this kind of Civil Society seems only to be, the depressing Multitudes below the Savage State that a few may be rais'd above it. My best Wishes attend you and yours, being ever, with great Esteem, Dear Sir, etc. B. [FRANKLIN.]

573. TO THOMAS CUSHING 1

(P. R. O.)

(A. P. S.)

London, Jan. 13, 1772.

SIR,

I am now return'd again to London from a Journey of some Months in Ireland and Scotland. Tho' my Constitution, and too great Confinement to Business during the Winter, seem to require the Air and Exercise of a long Journey once a Year, which I have now practised for more than 20 Years past, yet I should not have been out so long this Time, but that I was well assured the Parliament would not meet till towards the End of January, before which Meeting few of the principal People would be in Town, and no Business of importance likely to be agitated relating to America.

I have now before me your esteemed Favours of June 24. July 9, Sept. 25 and Oct. 2. In the first you mention, that the General Assembly was still held out of its antient and only convenient Seat, the Townhouse in Boston, and by the latest Papers from thence I see, that it was prorogu'd again to meet in Cambridge, wch I a little wonder at, when I recollect a

1 The original of this letter is in London (P. R. O. A. W. I. 684). It is endorsed "very remarkable and requires no commentary." It also exists in an incomplete draft in A. P. S. Sparks printed from the draft. — ED.

Question ask'd me by my Lord H. in Ireland, viz. Whether I had heard from New England lately, since the Gen. Court was return'd to Boston? From this I concluded, Orders had been transmitted by his Lordship for that removal. Perhaps such may have been sent, to be used discretionally. I think I have before mentioned to you one of the Articles of Impeachment brought against a bad Minister of a former King; "That to work his Ends he had caused the Parliament to sit in Villibus et remotis partibus Regni, where few People, propter defectum hospitii et victualium, could attend, thereby to force illos paucos, qui remanebunt de communitate regni, concedere regi quamvis pessima." Lord Clarendon, too, was impeach'd for endeavouring to introduce arbitrary Government into the Colonies.

Lord H.1 seems, by the late Instructions, to have been treading in the Paths, that lead to the same unhappy Situation, if the Parliament here should ever again feel for the Colonies. Being in Dublin, at the same Time with his Lordship, I met with him accidentally at the Lord Lieutenant's, who had happened to invite us to dine with a large Company on the same Day. As there is something curious in our Interview in Ireland I must give you an Account of it. He was surprizingly civil, and urg'd my fellow Traveller and me to call at his House in our intended Journey Northwards where we might be sure of better Accommodations than the Inns would afford us. He press'd us so politely, that it was not easy to refuse, without apparent Rudeness, as we must pass through his town, Hillsborough, and by his Door; and therefore, as it might afford an Opportunity of saying something on American Affairs, I concluded to comply with his Invitation.

His Lord went home some time before we left Dublin. We call'd upon him, and were detain'd at his House four Days, during which time he entertain'd us with great Civility, and a particular Attention to me that appear'd the more extraordinary, as I knew that just before I left London he had express'd himself concerning me in very angry Terms, calling me a Republican, a factious, mischievous Fellow, and the like. In our Conversations he first show'd himself a good Irishman, blaming England for its Narrowness towards that Country in restraining its Commerce, discouraging its Woollen Manufacture, etc. And when I apply'd his Observations to America, he said he had always been of Opinion, that the Subjects in every Part of the King's Dominions had a natural Right to make the best Use they could of the Productions of their Country, and that America ought not to be restrain'd in manufacturing any thing she could manufacture to Advantage; that he suppos'd, that, at present, she found generally more Profit in Agriculture; but, whenever she found that less profitable, or a particular Manufacture more so, he had no Objection to her persuing it; and he censur'd Lord Chatham · for affecting in his Speech, that the Parliament had a Right or ought to restrain Manufactures in the Colonies; adding, that, as he knew the English were apt to be jealous on that head, he avoided every thing that might enflame that Jealousy; and, therefore, tho' the Commons had requested the Crown to order the Governors to send over annually Accounts of such Manufactures, as were undertaken in the Colonies, yet, as they had not ordered such Accounts to be annually laid before them, he should never produce them till they were call'd for.

Then he gave me to understand, that the Bounty on Silk

raised in America was a Child of his, and he hoped would prove of great Advantage to that Country; and that he wish'd to know in what manner a Bounty on raising Wine there might be contrived, so as to operate effectually for that Purpose, desiring me to turn it in my Thoughts, as he should be glad of my Opinion and Advice. Then he inform'd me, that Newfoundland was grown too populous to be left any longer without a regular Government, but there were great Difficulties in the forming such a kind of Government as would be suitable to the particular Circumstances of that Country, which he wish'd me likewise to consider, and that I would favour him with my Sentiments.

He seem'd attentive to every thing, that might make my Stay in his House agreeable to me, and put his eldest Son Lord Kilwarling into his Phaeton with me, to drive me a Round of Forty Miles, that I might see the Country, the Seats, Manufactures, etc. covering me with his own GreatCoat, lest I should take Cold. And in short, seem'd in every-Thing extreamly solicitous to impress me, and the Colonies thro' me, with a good Opinion of him: All which I could not but wonder at, knowing that he likes neither them nor me; and I thought it inexplicable but on the Supposition, that he apprehended an approaching Storm, and was desirous of lessening beforehand the Number of Enemies he had so imprudently created. But, if he takes no Step towards withdrawing the Troops, repealing the Duties, restoring the Castle, or recalling the offensive Instructions, I shall think all the plausible Behaviour I have describ'd is meant only, by-patting and stroaking the Horse, to make him more patient, while the Reins are drawn tighter, and the Spurs set deeper into his Sides.