It is possibly an erroneous opinion, but I find myself rather inclined to adopt that modern one which supposes it best for every country to leave its trade entirely free from all incumbrances. Perhaps no country does this at present; Holland comes the nearest to it; and her commercial wealth seems to have increased in proportion. Your excellency has done me the honor of announcing to me your appointment: I hope soon to return the compliment by informing you of my dismission. I find the various employments of merchant, banker, judge of admiralty, consul, &c. &c. besides my ministerial function, too multifarious and too heavy for my old shoulders; and have therefore requested congress that I may be relieved: for in this point I agree even with my enemies, that another may easily be found who can better execute them. B. FRANKLIN. TO THE REV. DR. COOPER. New constitution of Massachusetts-Maintenance of the DEAR SIR, clergy. Passy, May 25, 1781. It gives me great pleasure to learn that your newconstitution is at length settled with so great a degree of unanimity and general satisfaction. It seems to me upon the whole an excellent one; and that if there are some particulars that one might have wished a little different, they are such as could not in the present state of things have been well ob tained otherwise than they are, and if by experience found inconvenient, will probably be changed hereafter. I would only: mention at present one article, that of maintenance for the clergy. It seems to me that by the constitution the Quakers may be obliged to pay the tax for that purpose. But as the great end in imposing it is professedly the promotion of piety, VOL. I. 2 F religion, and morality, and those people have found means of securing that end among themselves without a regular clergy, and their teachers are not allowed to receive money; I should think it not right to tax them and give the money to the teacher of the parish; but I imagine that in the laws to be made for levying parish taxes, this matter may be regulated to their contentment. Yours, &c. B. FRANKLIN. The following paper was delivered this day to M. de Rayneval, to be by him communicated to Count Vergennes in order to correct some wrong ideas of that minister. It seems to have been insinuated, either through mistake or ill-will to the United States; 1st. That their merchants have combined to depreciate the bills drawn on France. !: 2d. That their trade with England is as great as before the war. I have known two instances wherein bills of exchange on England have fallen more than 15 per cent. lower than the present price of bills on France. The first was in 1739, when an expedition being projected against Carthagena, the government of England ordered 3000 men to be raised in America, and transports with provisions, &c. to be furnished, for the amount of which expense bills were ordered to be drawn on the treasury at London. This adventitious quantity of bills coming into market, and being more than the common course of the commerce required, occasioned the lowering of their price 421 per cent. below the rate before accustomed. The like happened a few years after, when on a prospect of short crops of corn in Europe, orders were received in America to purchase and send over vast quantities, and to draw bills and sell them in the country in order to raise money for the purchase. This sudden addition to the quantity of bills produced a fall of 40 per cent. in their price. And this must always happen in some proportion when the quantity of any article in commerce exceeds the present demand. 2 And when it is considered that the merchants of America are numerous and dispersed through thirteen different provinces, at great distance from each other, such a combination will appear as improbable, as that the farmers in France should combine to raise the price of wheat. With regard to the English commerce, there is none certainly but what is contraband, and there can be no temptation to such contraband, but for particular commodities that are cheaper there than in France. The quantity therefore cannot be great. Such contraband is found difficult to prevent in all countries. It is carried on at this time between France and England. But there are many commodities much cheaper in France, such as wines, silks, oil, modes, &c. which will be of great consumption in America; and when correspondences are once settled, and the people there become acquainted with the manufactures of France, the demand for them will increase, these manufactures will of course be improved in goodness and cheapness, and the trade continue to augment accordingly. It is difficult to change suddenly the whole current of connexions, correspondences and confidences that subsist be tween merchants, and carry them all into a new channel; but time and a continuance of friendship will make great alteraB. FRANKLIN... tions. TO THE HON. ROBERT MORRIS, ESQ... DEAR SIR, Passy, July 26, 1781. I have just received your very friendly letter of the 6th of June past, announcing your appointment to the superintendence of our finances. This gave me great pleasure, as from your intelligence, integrity, and abilities, there is reason to hope every advantage the public can possibly receive from such an office. You are wise in estimating before-hand, as the principal advantage you can expect, the consciousness of having done service to your country. For the business you have undertaken is of so complex a nature, and must engross so much of your time and attention, as necessarily to hurt your private interests; and the public is often niggardly even of its thanks resembling those little dirty stinking insects; that attack us only in the dark, disturb our repose, molesting and wounding us while our sweat and blood is contributing to their subsistence. Every assistance that my situation here, as long as it continues, may enable me to afford you, shall certainly be given. For besides my affection for the glorious cause we are both engaged in, I value myself upon your friendship, and shall be happy if mine can be made of any use to you. With great and sincere esteem, I am ever, dear sir, &c. B. FRANKLIN. P. S. With this I shall send an answer to your official letter of June 8. To DR. INGENHAUSZ. Arnold's treachery, &c. Passy, Oct. 2, 1781. * * * You ask for news from America, and particularly what effects attended the defection of Arnold, and what were his motives. He tried to draw others after him, but in vain; not a man followed him. We discovered his motive by an intercepted letter,' which shows it was a bribe of five thousand pounds sterling. This he received in bills of exchange on London, where the money was put into the funds on his account. He lives covered with infamy and despised even by those who expected to be served by his treachery. You will see by a German almanac which I send you herewith, how his effigy was treated at Philadelphia: and since you ask for American newspapers, I will send you some German ones. We have three in that language published weekly at Phila delphia and German Town, by which you may judge that the people with us, who speak it, are very numerous: and now, that England can no longer monopolise the ancient connexions of those people with their mother-country, it will be a means of opening a considerable American trade with Germany, by the north seas and the Mediterranean. Never were wars more unjustly and causelessly begun, than those England is now engaged in with your country2 and mine. If she persists in them she is ruined;-as she deserves to be. These wars were evidently wars of rapine; they had no provocation but the hopes of plunder. I think you used to have a better opinion of the British nation than it deserved. It is extremely corrupted. I am your affectionate friend, B. FRANKLIN. To HIS EXCELLENCY J. ADAMS, ESQ. [EXTRACT.] Passy, Nov. 26, 1781. "I sent forward last Saturday some packets and letters for you, which I hope got to hand in time, Most heartily * See Memoirs of Dr. Franklin, Part iv. .. 2 Holland. |