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PHILADELPHIA, November 27th, 1753.

DEAR SIR,

Having written you fully via Bristol, I have now little to add. Matters relating to the aca demy remain in statu quo. The trustees would be glad to see a rector established there, but they dread entering into new engagements till they are got ou of debt; and I have not yet got them wholly over to my opinion, that a good professor, or teacher e the higher branches of learning, would draw so ma ny scholars as to pay great part, if not the whole of his salary. Thus, unless the proprietors (of the province) shall think fit to put the finishing hand to our institution, it must, I fear, wait some few years longer before it can arrive at that state of perfection which to me it seems now capable of; and all th pleasure I promised myself in seeing you settled among us, vanishes into smoke.

But good Mr. Collinson writes me word, that n endeavors of his shall be wanting; and he hopes with the archbishop's assistance, to be able to pre vail with our proprietors.* I pray God grant then

success.

* Upon the application of archbishop Herring and Collinson, Esq. at Dr. Franklin's request (aided by th letters of Mr. Allen and Mr. Peters) the Hon. Thoma Fenn, Esq. subscribed an annual sum, and afterward gave at least 5000l. to the founding or engrafting th college upon the academy.

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My son presents his affectionate regards, with, dear sir, Yours, &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

P. S. I have not been favored with a line from you since your arrival in England.

DEAR SIR,

PHILADELPHIA, April 18th, 1754.

I have had but one letter from you since your arrival in England, which was a short one, via Boston, dated October 18th, acquainting me that you had written largely by capt. Davis.—Davis was Lost, and with him your letters, to my great disappointment. Mesnard and Gibbon have since arrived here, and I hear nothing from you. My comfort is, an imagination that you only omit writing because you are coming, and purpose to tell me every thing viva voce. So not knowing whether this letter will reach you, and hoping either to see o hear from you by the Myrtilla, Capt. Baddon's ship, which is daily expected, I only add, that 1 am, with great esteem and affection,

Yours, &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

Mr. Smith.

About a month after the date of this last letter, the gendemian to whom it was addressed arrived in Philadelphia, and was immediately placed at the head of the seminary; whereby Franklin, and other trustecs, were enabled to prosecute their plan for perfecting the institurien, and opening the college upon the large and liberal foundation on which it

establishment of this seminary. He soon afterward embarked for England, in the service of his coun try; and having been generally employed abroad, i the like service, for the greater part of the remain der of his life (as will appear in our subsequent ad count of the same) he had but few opportunities o taking any further active part in the affairs of th seminary, until his final return in the year 1785 when he found its charter violated, and his ancien colleagues, the original founders deprived of thei trust, by an act of the legislature; and although hi own name had been inserted among the new trus tees, yet he declined to take his seat among them or any concern in the management of their affairs till the institution was restored by law to its origina Owners. He then assembled his old colleagues a his own house, and being chosen their presi dent, all their future meetings were, at his request held there, till within a few months of his death when with reluctance, and at their desire, lest h might be too much injured by his attention to thei business, he suffered them to meet at the college.

Franklin not only gave birth to many useful in stitutions himself, but he was also instrumental i promoting those which had originated with othe men. About the year 1752, an eminent physicia of this city, Dr. Bond, considering the deplora ble state of the poor, when visited with disease conceived the idea of establishing an hospital.Notwithstanding very great exertions on his part he was able to interest few people so far in his be nevolent plan, as to obtain subscriptions from them

Unwilling that his scheme should prove abortive, he sought the aid of Franklin, who readily engag ed in the business, both by using his influence with his friends, and by stating the advantageous influence of the proposed institution in his paper. These efforts were attended with success. Considerable sums were subscribed; but they were still short of what was necessary. Franklin now made another exertion. He applied to the assemblyand after some opposition, obtained leave to bring in a bill, specifying, that as soon as two thousand pounds were subscribed, the same sum should be drawn from the treasury by the speaker's warrant, to be applied to the purposes of the insti tution. The opposition, as the sum was granted on contingency which they supposed would never take place, were silent, and the bill passed. The friends of the plan now redoubled their efforts, to obtain subscriptions to the amount stated in the bill, and were soon successful. This was the foundation of the Pennsylvania Hospital, which, with the Betteringhouse and Dispensary, bears ample testimony of the humanity of the citizens of Philadelphia.

Dr. Franklin had conducted himself so well in the office of post-master, and had shown himself to be so well acquainted with the business of that department, that it was thought expedient to raise him to a more dignified station. In 1753 he was ap pointed deputy post-master-general for the British colonies. The profits arising from the postage of the revenue, which the crown of Great Britain derived from the colonies. In the hands of Franklin, it is said, that the post-office in America yielded annually thrice as much as that of Ireland.

The American colonies were much exposed to depredations on their frontiers, by the Indians; and

ling to take upon themselves the whole burde erecting forts and maintaining garrisons, whilst th neighbours, who partook equally with themsel of the advantages, contributed nothing to the pence. Sometimes also the disputes, which subs ed between the governors and assemblies, preven the adoption of means of defence; as we have s was the case in Pennsylvania in 1745. To devi plan of union between the colonies, to regulate and other matters, appeared a desirable object. accomplish this, in the year 1754, commission from Newhampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode-Isla New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, me Albany. Dr. Franklin attended here as a comm sioner from Pennsylvania, and produced à pl which, from the place of meeting, has been usu termed "The Albany Plan of Union."

This proposed, that application should be m for an act of parliament, to establish in the colon a general government, to be administered by a p sident-general, appointed by the crown, and by grand council, consisting of members chosen by representatives of the different colonies; their nu ber to be in direct proportion to the sums paid each colony into the general treasury, with this striction, that no colony should have more than ven, nor less than two representatives.

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executive authority was committed to the presid general. The power of legislation was lodged the grand council and president-general joint his consent being made necessary to passing a into a law. The power vested in the president

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