Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

among us, and putting us under more severe restraints. And it must be evident to all that by our rapidly increasing strength we shall soon become of so much importance that none of our just claims of privilege will be as heretofore unattended to, nor any security we can wish for our rights be denied us.

With great respect I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient humble servant, B. FRANKLIN.

TO THE HON. THOMAS CUSHING, ESQ.

1

Lord Dartmouth's wish to heal the Breach between Great Britain and America.

SIR,

(Private) London, April 3, 1773.

My last was of the 9th past, since which nothing material has occurred relating to the colonies. The Assembly's answer to Governor Hutchinson's speech is not yet come over, but I find that even his friends here are apprehensive of some ill consequences from his forcing the Assembly into that dispute, and begin to say it was not prudently done, though they believe it meant well. I inclose you two newspapers in which it is mentioned. Lord Dartmouth the other day expressed his wish to me, that some means could be fallen upon to heal the breach. I took the freedom to tell him, that he could do much in it if he would exert himself; I think I see signs of relenting in some others. The Bishop of St. Asaph's sermon before the Society for propagating the Gospel is much talked of for its Catholic spirit and favourable sentiments relating to the colonies. I will endeavour to get a copy to send you. With great esteem and respect, I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient and most humble B. FRANKLIN.

servant,

To GOVERNOR FRANKLIN.

The Bishop of St. Asaph's Sermon before the Society for propagating the Gospel favourable to America.

DEAR SON,

London, April 6, 1773.

I received yours of February 2, with the papers

of information that accompany it.

I have sent to Mr. Galloway one of the Bishop of St. Asaph's sermons for your Society for propagating the Gospel. I would have sent you one, but you will receive it of course as a member. It contains such liberal and generous sentiments relating to the conduct of government here towards America, that Sir J. Pringle says it was written in compliment to me. But from the intimacy of friendship in which I live with the author, I know he has expressed nothing but what he thinks and feels; and I honour him the more, that through the mere hope of doing good, he has hazarded the displeasure of the Court, and of course the prospect of further preferment. Possibly indeed the ideas of the Court may change; for I think I see some alarm at the discontents in New England, and some appearance of softening in the disposition of govern ment, on the idea that matters have been carried too far there. But all depends upon circumstances and events. We govern from hand to mouth. There seems to be no wise regular plan.

I saw Lord Dartmouth about two weeks since. He mentioned nothing to me of your application for additional salary, nor did I to him, for I do not like it. I fear it will embroil you with your people.

While I am writing comes to hand yours of March 2. My letter by the October packet must have sent as usual to the office by the bell-man. That being, as you inform me, rubbed open as some of yours to me have been, gives an additional circumstance of probability to the conjecture made in mine of December 2. For the future I shall send letters of consequence to the office (when I use the packet conveyance) by my clerk.

Your accounts of the numbers of people, births, burials, &c. in your province, will be very agreeable to me, and particularly so to Dr. Price. Compared with former accounts, they will show the increase of your people, but not perfectly, as I think a great many have gone from New Jersey to the more Southern Colonies.

The parliament is like to sit till the end of June, as Mr. Cooper tells me. I had thoughts of returning home about that time, The Boston Assembly's answer to the Governor's speech, which I have just received, may possibly produce something here to occasion my longer stay. I am, your affectionate father, B. FRANKLIN.

TO THE HON. THOMAS CUSHING, ESQ.

Governor Hutchinson's Speech.-Conversation with Lord Dartmouth respecting the same.

SIR,

(Private). London, May 6, 1773.

I have received none of your favours since that of November 23. I have since written to you of the following dates, December 2, January 5, March 9, and April 3, which I hope got safe to hand.

The Council and Assembly's answer to Governor Hutchinson's speech I caúsed to be printed here as soon as I received them. His reply I see since printed also, but their rejoinder is not yet come. If he intended by reviving that dispute to recommend himself he has greatly missed his aim; for the Administration are chagrined with his officiousness, their intention having been to let all contention subside, and by degrees suffer matters to return to the old channel. They are now embarrassed by his proceedings; for if they lay the Governor's dispatches containing the declaration of the general court before parliament, they apprehend measures may be taken that will widen the breach; which would be more particularly inconvenient at this time, when the disturbed state of Europe gives some apprehensions of a general war; on the other hand, if they do not lay them before parliament they give advantage to opposition against themselves on some future occasion, in a charge of criminal neglect. Some say he must be a fool, others that through some misinformation he really supposed Lord Hillsborough to be again in office.

Yesterday I had a conversation with Lord D. of which I think it right to give you some account. On my saying that I had no late advices from Boston, and asking if his Lordship had any, he said, none since the Governor's second speech; but what difficulties that gentleman has brought us all into by his imprudence! though I suppose he meant well :-yet what can now be done? It is impossible that parliament can suffer such a declaration of the General Assembly, asserting its independency, to pass unnoticed. In my opinion, said I, it would be better and more prudent to take no notice of it. It is words only.

[ocr errors]

Acts of parliament are still submitted to there. No force is used to obstruct their execution. And while that is the case, parliament would do well to turn a deaf ear, and seem not to know that such declarations had ever been made. Violent measures against the province will not change the opinion of the people. Force could do no good. I do not know, said he, that force would be thought of; but perhaps an act may pass to lay them under some inconveniencies till they rescind that declaration. Can they not withdraw it? 1 wish they could be persuaded to reconsider the matter, and do it of themselves voluntarily, and thus leave things between us on the old footing, the points undiscussed. Don't you think (continued his Lordship) such a thing possible? No, my Lord, said I, I think it is impossible. If they were even to wish matters back in the situation before the Governor's speech, and the dispute obliterated, they cannot withdraw their answers till he first withdraws his speech, which methinks would be an awkward operation that perhaps he will hardly be directed to perform. As to an act of parlia ment laying that country under inconveniencies, it is likely that will only put them as heretofore ou some method of incommoding this country till the act is repealed; and so we shall go on injuring and provoking each other, instead of cultivating that good will and harmony so necessary to the general welfare. He said, that might be, and he was sensible our divisions must weaken the whole; for we are yet one empire, said he, whatever may be the sentiments of the Massachusetts Assembly, but he did not see how that could be avoided. He wondered, as the dispute was now of public notoriety, parliament had not already called for the dispatches; and he thought he could not omit

« ZurückWeiter »