mitted on any terms.' Those rules being shown by a manager to Franklin for his opinion, he remarked that one of them excluded GOD ALMIGHTY. 'How so?' said the manager. Because,' replied Franklin, 'He is notoriously the greatest mechanic in the universe; having, as the Scripture testifies, made all things, and that by weight and measure.' The gentlemen became ashamed of their rule, and struck it out."* Another little story, related by Franklin himself, gives us a glimpse of the simple old ways of the colonists at this time. "The skipper of a shallop, employed between Cape May and Philadelphia, had done us some small service, for which he refused to be paid. My wife, understanding that he had a daughter, sent her a present of a new-fashioned cap. Three years after, this skipper being at my house with an old farmer of Cape May, his passenger, he mentioned the cap, and how much his daughter had been pleased with it. But,' said he, 'it proved a dear cap to our congregation.' 'How so?' When my daughter appeared with it at meeting, it was so much admired, that all the girls resolved to get such caps from Philadelphia; and my wife and I computed, that the whole could not have cost less than a hundred pounds.' 'True,' said the farmer, but you do not tell all the story. I think the cap was nevertheless an advantage to us, for it was the first thing that put our girls upon knitting worsted mittens for sale at Philadelphia, that they might have wherewithal to buy caps and ribbons there; and you know that that industry has continued, and is likely to continue and increase to a much greater value, and answer better purposes.' Upon the whole, I was more reconciled to this little piece of luxury, since not only the girls were made happier by having fine caps, but the Philadelphians by the supply of warm mittens."† It was well for the colonies that Franklin put the post-office in order just when he did; for, before another year rolled round, its best facilities were put into constant requisition for organizing defense against the combined forces of a savage and a civilized foe. The colonies were on the eve of that Seven Years' War, in the course of which it was decided, among other things, which should possess * Wm. Temple Franklin's "Memoirs of Franklin," vol. i., p. 448. the continent of North America, the Briton or the Gaul. Franklin bore his part in that momentous contest, serving his country both in the council and in the field. CHAPTER II. THE SEVEN YEARS' WAR. To expel the French from North America was, for seventy-five years, the darling desire of the colonists, particularly those of New England. The French interfered with their fisheries. The French estranged their Indians. The French threatened the Western country. The French were the natural enemies of Britons. The French were Roman Catholics. And, to conclude the list of grievances, the French, by the middle of the last century, had grown to be formidable. They held all Canada, claimed the Valley of the Mississippi, and were preparing to hem in the English by a line of forts from Niagara to the Gulf of Mexico. Three times in North America, already, the French and English had measured their strength in arms. In the reign of William III., during the eight years' war of that sovereign with Louis XIV. of France, the New Englanders made a gallant attempt against Canada. Two thousand men under Sir William Phipps sailed from Boston in thirty or forty transports. The expedition, which was a most prodigious effort for those infant colonies, ended in frustration, wreck, small-pox, and chronic paper-money. This war, which was called by the colonists King William's War, ended in 1697. After five years of peace, Queen Anne's War began-that long contest in which Marlborough won his most brilliant victories, and which ended with the treaty of Utrecht, in 1713. Again, New England, or we might rather say, Massachusetts, put forth exertions gloriously disproportioned to her wealth and numbers. Boston was fortified; Yankee privateers scoured the ocean. Four regiments of New Englanders accompanied the mighty expedition of fifteen men-of-war and forty transports, that was designed to make a complete conquest of Canada. A storm scattered and shattered this great fleet, and many other disasters befell the valiant and generous sons of Massachusetts. But the treaty of Utrecht recognized their patriotic, their unexampled sacrifices, by ceding Nova Scotia to the dominion of Britain. Then there were thirty years of peace, during which Queen Anne died, George I. reigned, and George II. succeeded him. From 1744 to 1748, war again raged on both Continents, and again from Boston sailed a powerful armament against the possessions of the French. The fortress of Louisburg, in the Island of Cape Breton, surrendered to the brave New Englanders under their own Sir William Pepperell and Commodore Tyng, an event which was celebrated throughout the colonies with fire-works, illuminations, and thanksgivings. The fortress was given up at the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle; the valor and conduct of New England thus atoning for the failures and blunders of Old England's generals on the continent of Europe. This war was called by the colonists King George's War. When powerful States make peace, not because either of them is satisfied, but because both are exhausted, the peace generally proves to be little more than a truce. Accordingly, the peace of Aix-laChapelle, which was made because France was tired, and England tired out, because France had lost every thing at sea, and England was in danger of losing every thing on land, was of such short duration, that as early as 1753, the colonies began to prepare for their greatest, their final struggle with the French. The war which ensued was called in Europe the Seven Years' War, but it began in America two years before hostilities were commenced in Europe. It was in this war that Frederick II., of Prussia, performed that startling series of exploits which caused him to be called "the Great" in this war that young Colonel Washington first heard the whistling of hostile bullets, which he said was music in his ears: in this war that William Pitt doubled the consequence, and trebled the arrogance of England by winning Canada and India, after a series of intoxicating victories by sea and land. Assuming that the reader is familiar with the important events of this war, we have only to relate the useful and not unimportant part played in it by the unwarlike Franklin. In June, 1754, we find him at the old Dutch town of Albany, in the province of New York, a conspicuous figure in a scene that was animated and picturesque. Twenty-five of the leading men of the seven Northern colonies were there assembled by the orders of the home government, for the purpose of meeting the chiefs of the Six Nations, and concerting measures with them for the defeuse of the country. The four Commissioners sent to this Conference by the Governor of Pennsylvania were John Penn, Benjamin Franklin, Richard Peters, and Isaac Norris. One of the members from Massachusetts was that Thomas Hutchinson, afterwards Governor of Massachusetts, with whom Franklin was destined in later years to have much to do. James De Lancey, Lieutenant-Governor of New York, whose name survives in that of one of the streets of the city in which he lived, was chosen to preside over this Assembly. The town was filled with a concourse of Indians, the hereditary allies of the English, and the hereditary enemies of the French. All the Commissioners brought presents for the tribes, and many days were passed in distributing these, and in holding those solemn and tedious Talks in which Indians delight. The Indian business, however, does not concern us, nor was that the chief object of the gathering. No sooner had it become clear to Franklin that the French meant war, than his mind darted to the best means of resisting the attack. The French power in North America was wielded by a single hand, and all their measures were parts of one scheme. The power of England, on the contrary, was dissipated among many governments, always independent of one another, often a little jealous, and never too cordial or neighborly. We must unite, or be overcome, said Franklin. In May, 1754, just before leaving home to attend the Congress at Albany, he published an article to this effect in the Gazette, and appended to it one of those allegorical wood-cuts of which he was so fond. It was the picture of a snake cut into as many pieces as there were colonies, each piece having upon it the first letter of the name of a colony, and under the whole, in capital letters, appeared the words, JOIN OR DIE. On his way from Philadelphia to New York, he drew up a plan for the union of the colonies, which, being approved by several of his friends, he determined to offer to the consideration of the Congress. Upon arriving at Albany, he found that the necessity of union was felt by all the members, several of whom had even prepared plans of union. A committee of seven was appointed to consider the subject, one from each province; Franklin representing Pennsylvania, and Hutchinson, Massachusetts. Franklin exhibited his plan, which was duly considered, and compared with those drawn up by other members. His was preferred, amended, reported, and after twelve days' debate, approved by the Congress, and commended to the favorable consideration of Parliament and the king, without whose authority, it was agreed, nothing could be done. A Franklin's scheme of union was remarkably similar to that by which these States were afterwards made one nation. Each province was to preserve its independence, except so far as might be necessary to enable the colonies to present to an enemy a united front, and fight him with one plan, one purse, and one head. President-General, appointed and supported by the king, was to administer the affairs of the general government. A Grand Council of forty-eight members, chosen by the several Assemblies, should constitute the parliament of the confederation; to meet once a year, and the members to serve three years. Philadelphia, the most central large town, should be the place of meeting, until otherwise appointed. The President-General, and seven members of the Grand Council, should have the power to summon the Grand Council on any emergency. The Grand Council should choose their own speaker, and neither be dissolved, nor prorogued, nor detained longer than six weeks, without their own consent, or the king's command. The members of the Grand Council should be paid ten shillings a day, and ten shillings for every twenty miles of travel. No act of the Grand Council to be valid without the assent of the President-General. The President-General, with the advice and consent of the Grand Council, to make all Indian treaties; to regulate the Indian trade; to declare, conduct, and terminate Indian wars; to purchase Indian lands; to make and govern new settlements beyond the boundaries of the old colonies; to raise, pay, and direct soldiers; to build ships of war and forts; to levy taxes for the support of the general government, and for the defense of the country. All the acts of the Grand Council were to accord with the laws of England, and to be submitted to the king in council for approbation. The President-General to nominate all officers for the military and naval service of the colonies, but none to be commissioned until approved by the Grand Council. The Grand Council to nominate all civil officers, but none to be employed until approved by the President-General. In cases of sudden emergency, each colony could adopt any requisite measure of defense, the expense |