situation than our fellow subjects in England. We have an army quartered among us, independent of any supplies freely given by us. We have pensioners, not indebted for what they receive to any grant of our own Parliaments; and this may soon become the case of our governors and principal civil officers; for already Lord Dunmore has a warrant upon the Americans for two thousand pounds sterling per annum, commencing from the date of his commission in January last.

I doubt not your best endeavours to obtain a redress of so capital a grievance, and of all others which we have just reason to complain of. The House, I am told, have addressed a long letter to you, in which I suppose they will be enumerated. I send you this by a safe hand, Mr. Isaac Smith, a young gentleman of good sense, and literary accomplishments, who goes abroad for the improvement of his mind, and the enlarging his observations. With the greatest esteem and warmest attachment, I am, dear Sir, &c. SAMUEL COOPER.

TO THOMAS CUSHING.*

On his Appointment as Agent for Massachusetts. — Opposes the Attempt to abridge the Charter Rights of that Colony.

SIR,

London, 24 December, 1770.

Your favor of October 31st came to hand a few days since, with the vote of the House of Representa

Mr. Cushing was Speaker of the Massachusetts Assembly, and in this capacity corresponded with Dr. Franklin during his agency for that colony in England.

tives appointing me their agent here, which, as it was unsolicited on my part, I esteem the greater honor; and shall be very happy, if I can, in that capacity, render my country any acceptable service.*

I have also just received your letter, of November 6th, containing an account of the state and circumstances of the province, and the grievances it labors under, with sundry depositions and other papers. Another of November 17th, with a pamphlet, entitled, the "Proceedings of Council," &c.; another of November 23d, containing an order on Mr. De Berdt for papers. I can at present only say, that I shall immediately endeavour to make myself master of the business committed to my care, that so, when the Parliament and public boards, which are now adjourned for a month, shall meet again, I may be ready to proceed, in such manner, as, on conferring with Mr. Bol

* He succeeded Mr. De Berdt as agent. Mr. Bollan was agent for the Council. The following extracts are taken from the Journal of the House of Representatives in Massachusetts.

"October 24th, 1770. The House proceeded, according to order, to bring in their votes for an agent to appear for this House at the court of Great Britain for one year; and the committee having assorted and counted the votes, reported that Benjamin Franklin was chosen.”

"October 30th. Ordered, that Mr. Speaker, Mr. Hancock, and Mr. Samuel Adams prepare a resolve authorizing Benjamin Franklin to appear as agent for this House, agreeably to the choice made of him on the 24th instant, and report."

"October 31st. Resolved, that Benjamin Franklin be and hereby is appointed and authorized, in behalf of this House, to appear, as there shall be occasion, before his Majesty in Council, or in either House of Parliament, or before any public board in Great Britain, there to plead and defend, as the exigency of the case and the service of the province may require, for the space of one year henceforward, agreeably to such directions or instructions as he may from time to time receive from the House, or from such committee as may by them be appointed and authorized for that purpose; relying on his vigilance, and the utmost exertion of his abilities, to support the constitutional rights of this House and the province, and, as far as in him lies, to defend against whatsoever may tend to prejudice the same."

VOL. VII.

PP

lan, shall appear advisable for obtaining redress of the grievances so justly complained of.

I have the pleasure to acquaint you, from good authority, that the project formed by the enemies of the province, for bringing into Parliament a bill to abridge our charter rights, though at first it received some countenance, and great pains were taken to recommend it, is now laid aside. I do not presume to suppose, that the opposition I gave to it, (by showing the imprudence of the measure, and declaring openly my opinion on all occasions, that, the charter being a compact between the King and the people of the colony who were out of the realm of Great Britain, there existed nowhere on earth a power to alter it, while its terms were complied with, without the consent of BOTH the contracting parties,) had any weight on the occasion. I rather think, that a disposition prevails of late to be on good terms with the colonies, especially as we seem to be on the eve of a war with Spain; and that, in consequence of that disposition, which I hope we shall cultivate, more attention has been paid to the sober advice of our friends, and less to the virulent instigations of our enemies.

I beg you will present my dutiful respects to the House of Representatives, and assure them of my most faithful endeavours in their service. With great esteem and regard, I have the honor to be, &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

TO MRS. JANE MECOM.

False Rumor respecting his resigning his Place in the Postoffice. - His Sentiments on this Subject. — Singular Will of a Printer's Widow.

DEAR SISTER,

London, 30 December, 1770.

This ship, staying longer than was expected, gives me an opportunity of writing to you, which I thought I must have missed when I desired cousin Williams to excuse me to you. I received your kind letter of September 25th, by the young gentlemen, who, by their discreet behaviour have recommended themselves very much to me and many of my acquaintance. Josiah has attained his heart's desire, of being under the tuition of Mr. Stanley, who, though he had long left off teaching, kindly undertook, at my request, to instruct him, and is much pleased with his quickness of apprehension and the progress he makes; and Jonathan appears a very valuable young man, sober, regular, and inclined to industry and frugality, which are promising signs of success in business. I am very happy in their company.

As to the rumor you mention, (which was, as Josiah tells me, that I had been deprived of my place in the postoffice on account of a letter I wrote to Philadelphia,) it might have this foundation, that some of the ministry had been displeased on my writing such letters, and there were really some thoughts among them of showing that displeasure in that manner. But I had some friends, too, who, unrequested by me, advised the contrary. And my enemies were forced to content themselves with abusing me plentifully in the newspapers, and endeavouring to provoke me to

resign. In this they are not likely to succeed, I being deficient in that Christian virtue of resignation. If they would have my office, they must take it.

I have heard of some great man, whose rule it was, with regard to offices, never to ask for them, and never to refuse them; to which I have always added, in my own practice, never to resign them. As I told my friends, I rose to that office through a long course of service in the inferior degrees of it. Before my time, through bad management, it never produced the salary annexed to it; and, when I received it, no salary was to be allowed, if the office did not produce it. During the first four years it was so far from defraying itself, that it became nine hundred and fifty pounds sterling in debt to me and my colleague. I had been chiefly instrumental in bringing it to its present flourishing state, and therefore thought I had some kind of right to it. I had hitherto executed the duties of it faithfully, and to the perfect satisfaction of my superiors, which I thought was all that should be expected of me on that account. As to the letters complained of, it was true I did write them, and they were written in compliance with another duty, that to my country; a duty quite distinct from that of post

master.

My conduct in this respect was exactly similar to that I held on a similar occasion but a few years ago, when the then ministry were ready to hug me for the assistance I afforded them in repealing a former revenue act. My sentiments were still the same, that no such acts should be made here for America; or, if made, should as soon as possible be repealed; and I thought it should not be expected of me to change my political opinions every time his Majesty thought fit to change his ministers. This was my language on