heard and imagined all that can be said or supposed on one side of the question, but not on the other. I am nevertheless, with sincere esteem, dear Sir, your most obedient and humble servant,

B. FRANKLIN.*

TO JAMES HUTTON.†

On the Means for producing a Reconciliation between Great Britain and America.

MY DEAR OLD FRIEND,

Passy, 1 February, 1778.

You desired, that if I had no proposition to make, I would at least give my advice. I think it is Ariosto who says, that all things lost on earth are to be found in the moon; on which somebody remarked, that there must be a great deal of good advice in the moon. If so, there is a good deal of mine, formerly given and lost in this business. I will, however, at your request give a little more, but without the least expectation that it will be followed; for none but God can at the

Mr. Izard was appointed by Congress a Commissioner to the court of Tuscany. The state of affairs in Europe was such, however, that he did not go to Florence, but remained in Paris during the whole period of his appointment. He was there while the treaty of alliance was in the progress of negotiation, and he considered himself improperly overlooked in not being consulted as to certain parts of the treaty by the other Commissioners. He wrote a complaining letter on the subject to Dr. Franklin, to which the above is an answer. His letter may be seen in the Diplomatic Correspondence, Vol. II. p. 372. All the particulars respecting the treaty, of an official character, may be found in the first and second volumes of the same work.

James Hutton was a son of Dr. Hutton, (who in the early part of his life had been a bookseller,) and was for many years secretary to the society of Moravians. He died April 25th, 1795, in his eightieth year, at Oxstead Cottage, Surrey; and was buried in the Moravian cemetery at Chelsea. He was a well known character, and very generally esteemed.

same time give good counsel, and wisdom to make use of it.

You have lost by this mad war, and the barbarity with which it has been carried on, not only the gov ernment and commerce of America, and the public revenues and private wealth arising from that commerce, but what is more, you have lost the esteem, respect, friendship, and affection of all that great and growing people, who consider you at present, and whose posterity will consider you, as the worst and wickedest nation upon earth. A peace you may undoubtedly obtain by dropping all your pretensions to govern us; and, by your superior skill in huckstering negotiation, you may possibly make such an apparently advantageous bargain, as shall be applauded in your Parliament; but, if you cannot, with the peace, recover the affections of that people, it will not be a lasting nor a profitable one, nor will it afford you any part of that strength, which you once had by your union with them, and might (if you had been wise enough to take advice) have still retained.

To recover their respect and affection, you must tread back the steps you have taken. Instead of honoring and rewarding the American advisers and pro

He was a faithful brother of the Moravian fraternity fifty-five years; the latter part of his life was spent literally in going about doing good, and his charities were confined to no sect. He married a lady of the Moravian nation and religion, but had no children, and was a widower some years before his death. Mr. Hutton possessed strong sense, with que a feelings and apprehensions, which the illumination of his counterance evinced, even at seventy, thoug a his difficulty of hearing was such, that he could only converse by the assistance of an ear-trumpet. He was inghy esteemed by their present Majesties, and well known to many of the nobility and men of letters; nor was he refused admittance to the highest ranks, even at Buckingham-House, though his ardent benevolence inclined him greatly to neglect has own dress, that he might the better feed the hungry and cover the naked.-W. T. F.

moters of this war, you should disgrace them; with all those who have inflamed the nation against America by their malicious writings; and all the ministers and generals who have prosecuted the war with such inhumanity. This would show a national change of disposition, and a disapprobation of what had passed.

In proposing terms, you should not only grant such as the necessity of your affairs may evidently oblige you to grant, but such additional ones as may show your generosity, and thereby demonstrate your good will. For instance, perhaps you might, by your treaty, retain all Canada, Nova Scotia, and the Floridas. But if you would have a real friendly as well as able ally in America, and avoid all occasion of future discord, which will otherwise be continually arising on your American frontiers, you should throw in those countries. And you may call it, if you please, an indemnification for the burning of their towns, which indemnification will otherwise be some time or other demanded.

I know your people will not see the utility of such measures, and will never follow them, and even call it insolence and impudence in me to mention them. I have, however, complied with your desire, and am, as ever, your affectionate friend,

B. FRANKLIN.*

P. S. February 12th.-I wrote the above some time before I received yours, acquainting me with your

At this time, it seems, a rumor was current in Paris, that a reconciliation had been effected by a treaty in America. The rumor originated in England, and came to the ears of Count de Vergennes. He wrote on the subject to Dr. Franklin and Mr. Deane, who replied; "The news you have received from England cannot be true; no treaty would be entered into with Howe by Washington when the Congress was at hand; and Howe could have no propositions to make, but such as were authorized by the act of Parliament, and had been long since

speedy and safe return, which gave me pleasure. I doubted after I had written it, whether it would be well to send it; for as your proud nation despises us exceedingly, and demands and expects absolute and humble submission, all talk of treaty must appear impudence, and tend to provoke rather than conciliate. As you still press me by your last to say something, I conclude to send what I had written, for I think the advice is good, though it must be useless; and I cannot, as some amongst you desire, make propositions, having none committed to me to make; but we can treat, if any are made to us; which, however, we do

rejected, viz. Pardon, upon Submission. In short, we esteem the story of a treaty in America to be merely an artifice of the stockjobbers to keep up the funds."— February 1st.

Mr. Hatton had recently been in Paris. Immediately after his return to London, he wrote to Dr. Franklin as follows.

"I got to my own house in seventy-three hours from Paris. I shall never forget your kindness to me, and your kind intentions to serve my brotren. The sensation I had of the certain miseries of war, that would attend all parties embarked in it, caused my heart almost to break. I always thought it a sad misfortune, that there was such a ting as war upon earth. When I left England, I fancied that you and Mr. Deste could treat about prace. I wished it ardently; but, having no commasion, nor any thing to offer, I was sorry to hear nothing on your side, that I could mention, as a ground to treat upon, to such as I fanced could give it weight. I was a loving volunteer, loving bị th p with no common ardor, a friend to peace, a hater of discord, with horror at all bloodshed, wishing you secure in your liberties, and guarded for ever against all apprehensions. I did, before I set out, and I do now still at this smin nt, and I think on better grounds, believe that any thing short of absolute independency almost would be practurable, and could take place. There is such a spirit and temper now in the nation, that I cannot think independency could be ventured to De proposed. If you and Mr. Deane could give me any hunt of any thing practicable, you considering not only your case but ours, I will venture to try what could be done. I know your handwriting, as well as I do your heart. Direct your answer to me, Queen's Row, Pralico, Westerster, under cover to M. Court de Gobean, Rue Pompce, Paris, Cho will put a cover over it; and my friend Mr. Fullerton will, with wat examination, forward it safe to me in the packet of Lord Stormont.” – London, January 27th, 1778.

VOL. VIII.

30

T

not expect. I abominate with you all murder, and I may add, that the slaughter of men in an unjust cause is nothing less than murder; I therefore never think of your present ministers and their abettors, but with the image, strongly painted in my view, of their hands, red, wet, and dropping with the blood of my countrymen, friends, and relations. No peace can be signed by those hands. Peace and friendship will, nevertheless, subsist for ever between Mr. Hutton and his affectionate friend, B. F.

TO DAVID HARTLEY.

American Prisoners in England. -Conduct of France

in Regard to the United States. istry necessary for a Conciliation.

DEAR SIR,

Change of Min

Passy, 12 February, 1778.

A thousand thanks for your so readily engaging in the means of relieving our poor captives, and the pains you have taken, and the advances you have made, for that purpose. I received your kind letter of the 3d instant, and send you enclosed a bill of one hundred pounds. I much approve of Mr. Wren's prudent, as well as benevolent conduct in the disposition of the money, and wish him to continue doing what shall appear to him and to you to be right, which I am persuaded will appear the same to me and my colleagues here. I beg you will present him, when you write, my respectful acknowledgments.

Your "earnest caution and request, that nothing may ever persuade America to throw themselves into the arms of France, for that times may mend, and that an American must always be a stranger in France, but that