up by those that keep the filatures. In Sicily each family winds its own silk, for the sake of having the remains to card and spin for family use. If some provision were made by the Assembly for promoting the growth of mulberry trees in all parts of the province, the culture of silk might afterwards follow easily. For the great discouragement to breeding worms at first is the difficulty of getting leaves and the being obliged to go far for them.

There is no doubt with me but that it might succeed in our country. It is the happiest of all inventions for clothing. Wool uses a good deal of land to produce it, which, if employed in raising corn, would afford much more subsistence for man, than the mutton amounts to. Flax and hemp require good land, impoverish it, and at the same time permit it to produce no food at all. But mulberry trees may be planted in hedgerows on walks or avenues, or for shade near a house, where nothing else is wanted to grow. The food for the worms, which produce the silk, is in the air, and the ground under the trees may still produće grass, or some other vegetable good for man or beast. Then the wear of silken garments continues so much longer, from the strength of the materials, as to give it greatly the preference. Hence it is that the most populous of all countries, China, clothes its inhabitants. with silk, while it feeds them plentifully, and has besides a vast quantity both raw and manufactured to spare for exportation. Raw silk here, in skeins well wound, sells from twenty to twenty-five shillings per pound; but, if badly wound, is not worth five shillings. Well wound is, when the threads are made to cross each other every way in the skein, and only touch where they cross. Badly wound is, when they are laid par

VOL. VII.

58

M M

allel to each other; for so they are glued together, break in unwinding them, and take a vast deal of time more than the other, by losing the end every time the thread breaks. When once you can raise plenty of silk, you may have manufactures enough from hence. With great esteem, I am, my dear friend, yours affectionately,

B. FRANKLIN.*

DEAR SIR,

TO SAMUEL COOPER.

London, 30 September, 1769.

Your favor of August 3d has given me great pleasure. I have only time now to acknowledge the receipt of it, but purpose to write fully by the next opportunity. I am just returned from France, where I found our dispute much attended to, several of our pamphlets being translated and printed there, among the rest my Examination † and the Farmer's Letters,‡ with two of my pieces annexed, of which last I send

* Some of the author's friends in Philadelphia, engaged in raising silk, sent over a sample of their manufacture, as a present to the Queen, which is alluded to in the following note.

"Dr. Franklin presents his respectful compliments to Sir John Pringle, and is much obliged to him for the trouble he has so kindly taken in the affair of the silk, and is very happy to learn that the Queen has graciously condescended to accept it with the purpose of wearing it. Her Majesty's countenance so afforded to the raisers of silk in Pennsylvania, where her character is highly revered, will give them great encouragement to proceed in a measure, which the British Parliament seems to have had much at heart, the procuring a supply of that valuable article from our colonies, for which at present large sums are paid to France, Spain, Italy, and the Indies."

† Examination before the British House of Commons. See Vol. IV p. 161.

Written by John Dickinson, and recently published in London with a Preface by Dr. Franklin. See Vol. IV. p. 256.

you a copy. In short, all Europe (except Britain) appears to be on our side of the question. But Europe has its reasons. It fancies itself in some danger from the growth of British power, and would be glad to see it divided against itself. Our prudence will, I hope, long postpone the satisfaction our enemies expect from our dissensions. With sincere and great esteem, I am, dear Sir, &c.

(

B. FRANKLIN.

FROM A COMMITTEE OF THE TOWN OF BOSTON TO B. FRANKLIN.

Transmitting a Correspondence with Bernard, Gage,

and Hood.

SIR,

Boston, 23 October, 1769.

It is with the greatest pleasure we obey the orders of the town of Boston, in transmitting to you their remarks upon the letters from Governor Bernard, the Commissioners of his Majesty's Customs, General Gage, and Commodore Hood; copies of which the town have been furnished with by Mr. Bollan.

The town of Boston are fully sensible of your extensive influence, and, from your past conduct, have the strongest reason to assure themselves, that you will exert your great abilities in promoting the united interests of Great Britain and her colonies.

The happiness of British subjects is founded on the freedom of the constitution; and, in behalf of the town of Boston, we beg you would always, and particularly at this time, defend this injured town against the injurious calumnies of those, who wish the total abolition

of liberty, both in Great Britain and America. We are, with strict truth, Sir, &c.

THOMAS CUSHING,

SAMUEL ADAMS,

JOHN ADAMS,

JAMES OTIS,

JOSEPH WARREN,

RICHARD DANA,

JOSHUA HENSHAW,

JOSEPH JACKSON,

BENJAMIN KENT,

Committee of the town of Boston.

FROM A COMMITTEE OF NEW JERSEY TO B. FRANKLIN.

Communicating his Appointment as Agent for New Jersey, and Instructions.

SIR,

Burlington, 7 December, 1769.

The House of Representatives of this colony, on the 8th ultimo, unanimously chose you their agent in London, and appointed us to correspond with you on the affairs of the colony. The resolve of the House, by which you are appointed agent, his Excellency will transmit to you properly attested.

To a gentleman, whose inclination to serve these colonies we believe equal to his knowledge of their true interests, much need not be said to induce an attention to American concerns, in the ensuing session of Parliament; and the confidence the House have in the assurances of his Majesty's ministers, that they will use their endeavours for the repeal of the revenue acts, and that those endeavours will be successful, renders any particular direction to you on this head un

necessary. But we could wish his Majesty's faithful American subjects to stand in their true point of light before him, that no doubt may remain of their loyalty and firm attachment to his royal person and govern

ment.

We are directed by the House to desire you will apply to the proper offices, and solicit his Majesty's assent to the bill for a septennial election of representatives, and the bill giving the counties of Morris, Cumberland, and Sussex, a right to choose representatives in the Assembly, transmitted in 1768. The province is very solicitous for a confirmation of these laws, and we must desire you will use your influence to obtain the royal assent to them as soon as possible. Another bill in 1765 was transmitted for amending the practice of the law, which the House would rather choose should not have the royal assent, as a bill they like better has been passed by the House this session, which, although the governor could not pass it, yet he has, upon a message from the House, promised to ask his Majesty's permission to give his assent to at a future session.

His Excellency, our governor, will transmit, for his Majesty's royal approbation, an act of Assembly, passed this session, for making current one hundred thousand pounds in bills of credit, to be let on loan at five per cent. The particular distress of this province for want of a currency, and the little prospect of being able to obtain a bill very soon to make the bills a legal tender, was what induced the Assembly to comply with this method; and, as the funds for the redemption of the bills are good beyond a doubt, we are under no apprehension of any difficulty, as to the bills obtaining a credit and passing in lieu of money. We refer to the preamble to the bill, and to your own knowledge M M*