Three or four days after, I received the following note from Mrs. Howe.

"Mrs. Howe's compliments to Dr. Franklin: lord Howe begs to have the pleasure of meeting him once more before he goes, at her house; he is at present out of town, but returns on Monday, and any day or hour after that, that the doctor will name, he will be very glad to attend him.

is his pistol: that the mode of raising con- |structions to act upon. That I was certainly tributions in an enemy's country was fairer willing to do every thing that could reasonathan this, since there an explicit sum was bly be expected of me. But if any supposed I demanded, and the people who were raising could prevail with my countrymen to take it knew what they were about, and when black for white, and wrong for right, it was they should have done:-and that, in short, not knowing either them or me: they were no free people could ever think of beginning not capable of being so imposed on, nor was I to grant upon such terms: that, besides, a capable of attempting it. He then asked my new dispute had now been raised, by the opinion of sending over a commissioner, for parliament's pretending to a power of alter- the purpose mentioned in a preceding part of ing our charters and established laws, which this account; and my answer was to the same was of still more importance to us than their effect. By the way, I apprehend, that to give claim of taxation, as it set us all adrift, and me an opportunity of discoursing with lord left us without a privilege we could depend Hyde on that point, was a principal motive upon, but at their pleasure; this was a situa- with lord Howe, for urging me to make this tion we could not possibly be in, and as lord visit. His lordship did not express his own North's proposition had no relation to this sentiments upon it. And thus ended this conmatter, if the other had been such as we could versation. have agreed to, we should still be far from a reconciliation. His lordship thought I misunderstood the proposition; on which I took it out and read it: he then waived that point, and said he should be glad to know from me what would produce a reconciliation. I said that his lordship, I imagined, had seen several proposals of mine for that purpose. He said he had; but some of my articles were such as would never be agreed to: that it was apprehended I had several instructions and powers to offer more acceptable terms, but was extremely reserved, and perhaps from a desire he did not blame, of doing better for my constituents; but my expectations might deceive me, and he did think, I might be assured, I should never obtain better terms than what were now offered by lord North; that administration had a sincere desire of restoring harmony with America, and it was thought if I would co-operate with them the business would be easy: that he hoped I was above retaining resentment against them, for what nobody now approved, and for which satisfaction might be made me: that I was, as he understood, in high esteem among the Americans; that if I would bring about a reconciliation on terms suitable to the dignity of government, I might be as highly and generally esteemed here, and be honoured and re-assured him of my readiness at all times of cowarded perhaps beyond my expectation.

I replied, that I thought I had given a convincing proof of my sincere desire of promoting peace, when, on being informed that all wanted for the honour of government, was to obtain payment for the tea, I offered, without any instruction to warrant my so doing, or assurance that I should be reimbursed, or my conduct approved, to engage for that payment, if the Massachusetts acts were to be repealed; an engagement in which I must have risked my whole fortune; which I thought few besides me would have done: that in truth, private resentments had no weight with me in public business; that I was not the reserved man imagined, having really no secret in

"Grafton street, Saturday, March 4 & 5."

I answered that I would do myself the honour of waiting on lord Howe at her house the Tuesday following, at eleven o'clock. We met accordingly. He began by saying, that I had been a better prophet than himself, in foreseeing that my interview with lord Hyde would be of no great use: and then said that he hoped I would excuse the trouble he had given me, as his intentions had been good both towards me and the public: he was sorry that at present there was no appearance of things going into the train he had wished, but that possibly they might yet take a more favourable turn; and as he understood I was going soon to America, if he should chance to be sent thither on that important business, he hoped he might still expect my assistance. I

operating with him in so good a work: and so taking my leave, and receiving his good wishes, ended the nogotiation with lord Howe. And I heard no more of that with Messrs. Fothergill and Barclay: I could only gather from some hints in their conversation, that neither of them were well pleased with the conduct of the ministers respecting these transactions: and a few days before I left London, I met them by their desire, at the doctor's house, when they desired me to assure their friends from them, that it was now their fixed opinion, that nothing could secure the privileges of America, but a firm, sober adherence to the terms of the association made at the congress, and that the salvation of

English liberty depended now on the perse- | to that town, equal to what was suffered there verance and virtue of America.

by the India company; it follows that such During the whole, my time was otherwise exceeding damage is an injury done by this much taken up, by friends calling continually government, for which reparation ought to be to inquire news from America: members of made. And whereas reparation of injuries both houses of parliament, to inform me what ought always (agreeably to the custom of all passed in the houses, and discourse with me nations savage as well as civilized) to be first on the debates, and on motions made or to be required before satisfaction is taken by a remade; merchants of London and of the manu- turn of damage to the aggressors; which was facturing and port towns on their petitions, the not done by Great Britain in the instance Quakers upon theirs, &c. &c., so that I had abovementioned; I the underwritten, do thereno time to take notes of almost any thing. fore, as their agent, in the behalf of my counThis account is therefore chiefly from recol- try and the town of Boston, protest against lection, in which doubtless much must have the continuance of the said blockade: and I been omitted, from deficiency of memory; but do hereby solemnly demand satisfaction for what there is I believe to be pretty exact; ex- the accumulated injury done them, beyond cept that discoursing with so many different the value of the India company's tea destroypersons about the same time, on the same sub-ed. And whereas the conquest of the Gulph ject, I may possibly have put down some of St. Lawrence, the coast of Labrador and things as said by or to one person, which passed in conversation with another. A little before I left London, being at the house of lords, when a debate in which lord Camden was to speak, and who indeed spoke admirably on American affairs, I was much disgusted, from the ministerial side, by many base reflections on American courage, religion, understanding, &c. in which we were treated with the utmost contempt, as the lowest of mankind, and almost of a different species from the English of Britain; but particularly the American honesty was abused by some of the lords, who asserted that we were all knaves, and wanted only by this dispute to avoid paying our debts; that if we had any sense of equity or justice, we should offer payment of the tea, &c. I went home somewhat irritated and heated; and partly to retort upon this nation, on the article of equity, drew up a memorial to present to lord Dartmouth, before my departure; but consulting my friend, Mr. Thomas Walpole upon it, who is a member of the house of commons, he looked at it and at me several times alternately, as if he apprehended me a little out of my senses. As I was in the hurry of packing up, I requested him to take the trouble of showing it to his neighbour lord Camden, and ask his advice upon it, which he kindly undertook to do; and returned it me with a note, which here follows the proposed memorial.

"To the Right Honourable the Earl of Dartmouth, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State.

Nova Scotia, and the fisheries possessed by
the French there and on the banks of New-
foundland, so far as they were more extended
than at present, was made by the joint forces
of Britain and the colonies, the latter having
nearly an equal number of men in that service
with the former; it follows that the colonies
have an equitable and just right to participate
in the advantage of those fisheries: I do there-
fore, in the behalf of the colony of the Massa-
chusetts Bay, protest against the act now un-
der consideration in parliament; for depriving
that province, with others, of that fishery (on
pretence of their refusing to purchase British
commodities) as an act highly unjust and
injurious: and I give notice, that satisfac-
tion will probably one day be demanded for
all the injury that may be done and suffered
in the execution of such act: and that the in-
justice of the proceeding is likely to give such
umbrage to all the colonies, that in no future
war, wherein other conquests may be medi-
tated, either a man or a shilling will be ob-
tained from any of them to aid such con-
quests, till full satisfaction be made as afore-
said.
B. FRANKLIN.
"Given in London, this 16th day of
March, 1775."

"To Dr. Franklin.

"DEAR SIR,-I return you the memorial, which it is thought might be attended with contribute to exasperate the nation. dangerous consequences to your person, and

"I heartily wish you a prosperous voyage, a long health, and am, with the sincerest re

"A Memorial of Benjamin Franklin, Agent of the gard, your most faithful and obedient ser THOMAS WALPOLE.

Province of Massachusetts Bay.

"Whereas an injury done, can only give the party injured a right to full reparation; or, in case that be refused, a right to return an equal injury; and whereas the blockade of Boston, now continued nine months, hath every week of its continuance done damage

vant,

was thought my having no instructions direct- | place-his philosophical works; but the foling me to deliver such a protest, would make lowing general reflections connected thereit appear still more unjustifiable, and be deem-with, by this friend of the human race, may, ed a national affront: I had no desire to make with propriety, be here introduced. matters worse, and, being grown cooler, took "Navigation, when employed in supplying the advice so kindly given me. necessary provisions to a country in want, The evening before I left London, I receiv-and thereby preventing famines, which were ed a note from Dr. Fothergill, with some let- more frequent and destructive before the inters to his friends in Philadelphia. In that vention of that art, is undoubtedly a blessing note he desires me to get those friends, "and to mankind. When employed merely in two or three more together, and inform them, transporting superfluities, it is a question that whatever specious pretences are offered, whether the advantage of the employment it they are all hollow; and that to get a larger affords, is equal to the mischief of hazarding field on which to fatten a herd of worthless so many lives on the ocean. But when emparasites, is all that is regarded. Perhaps it ployed in pillaging merchants and transportmay be proper to acquaint them with David ing slaves, it is clearly the means of angBarclay's and our united endeavours, and the menting the mass of human misery. It is effects. They will stun at least, if not con- amazing to think of the ships and lives risked vince, the most worthy, that nothing very fa- in fetching tea from China, coffee from Aravourable is intended, if more unfavourable ar- bia, sugar and tobacco from America, all which ticles cannot be obtained.". The doctor in the our ancestors did well without. Sugar emcourse of his daily visits among the great, in ploys near one thousand ships, tobacco almost the practice of his profession, had full oppor- as many. For the utility of tobacco there is tunity of being acquainted with their senti- little to be said; and for that of sugar, how ments, the conversation every where turning much more commendable would it be, if we upon the subject of America. Icould give up the few minutes gratification afforded once or twice a day, by the taste of sugar in our tea, rather than encourage the cruelties exercised in producing it. An eminent French moralist says, that when he considers the wars we excite in Africa to obtain slaves, the numbers necessarily slain in those wars, the many prisoners who perish at sea by sickness, bad provisions, foul air, &c. in the transportation, and how many afterwards die from the hardships of slavery, he cannot look on a piece of sugar without conceiving it stained with spots of human blood! had he added the consideration of the wars we make to take and retake the sugar islands from one another, and the fleets and armies that perish in those expeditions, he might have seen his sugar not merely spotted, but thoroughly dyed scarlet in grain! It is these wars that made the maritime powers of Europe, the inhabitants of London and Paris, pay dearer for sugar than those of Vienna, a thousand miles from the sea, because their sugar costs not only the price they pay for it by the pound, but all they pay in taxes to maintain the fleets and armies that fight for it."

Here Dr. Franklin's own narrative closes, and the editor resumes the continuation of the subject.

During the passage to America, Dr. Franklin not only occupied himself in writing the preceding narrative of his noble efforts to prevent a war, which the rapacity and infatuation of the British ministry utterly defeated, but he likewise employed himself in making experiments and observations on the waters of the ocean, by means of the thermometer, in order to ascertain the exact course of the gulph stream; by the knowledge of which, mariners might hereafter avoid or avail themselves of its current, according to their various destinations.* These experiments and observations will be found in their appropriate

It is ascertained by Dr. Franklin's experiments, that a navigator may always know when he is in the gulph stream, by the warmth of the water, which is much greater than that of the water on either side of cross the stream to get out of it as soon as possible;

it. If, then, he is bound to the westward, he should

and if to the eastward, endeavour to remain in it.

12

MEMOIRS

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

PART IV.