_Reform of the City Watch. Fire Companies. Rev. Mr. Whitefield.
Effects of his Preaching. His Project of building an Orphan House in
Georgia. Anecdotes. Franklin's Opinion of him. Franklin's Prosperity.
Military Defence of the Province. Formation of Companies._
1. Franklin now began to turn his attention to public affairs. One of
his first efforts in this way was to reform the city watch. This was
managed in the different wards by the constables, who assembled a
certain number of housekeepers to attend them for the night. Those who
did not choose to attend paid six shillings a year to be excused. This
made the constableship an office of profit: for, instead of spending
the money thus received in hiring other watchmen, it was spent in
liquors, by which the constables were able to get a parcel of
ragamuffins about them, instead of decent and orderly men.
2. These fellows seldom went the rounds of the watch, but spent most
of the night in tippling. In the course of a few years, by the
exertions of Franklin and his friends, an entire alteration was
produced in the laws upon this subject. About the same time that he
began to converse at the _Junto_ on the abuses of the watch, he wrote
a paper on the different accidents by which houses were set on fire,
and means proposed of avoiding them.
3. This gave rise to a project, which soon followed, of forming a
company to assist, with readiness, at fires. Thirty persons were
immediately found, willing to join in the scheme. Their articles of
agreement obliged every member to keep, always in order and fit for
use, a certain number of leathern buckets, with strong bags and
baskets for packing and carrying goods, which were to be brought at
every fire. They also held a monthly meeting, to converse upon the
subject of fires, and communicate such ideas as might be useful in
their conduct on such occasions.
4. This company proved so useful, that another was soon formed; and
thus went on, one new company after another, till they included most
of the inhabitants who were men of property. The club first formed was
called the UNION FIRE COMPANY, and, we believe, still exists. These
institutions have been exceedingly useful in extinguishing fires and
preserving property.
5. In 1739, the Reverend Mr. Whitefield arrived in Philadelphia, from
Ireland. This man had made himself very remarkable as a preacher,
going about the country and discoursing, sometimes in churches,
sometimes in the fields, to crowds of people, with great effect. He
was, at first, permitted to preach in some of the churches in
Philadelphia, but the clergy soon took a dislike to him, and refused
him their pulpits. This obliged him again to discourse in the streets
and open fields.
6. Large multitudes collected to hear his sermons. "It was wonderful,"
says Franklin, "to see the change soon made in the manners of our
inhabitants. From being thoughtless or indifferent about religion, it
seemed as if all the world were growing religious, so that one could
not walk through the town in an evening, without hearing psalms sung
in different families of every street. And it being found inconvenient
to assemble in the open air, subject to its inclemencies, the building
of a house to meet in was no sooner proposed, and persons appointed to
receive contributions, but sufficient sums were soon received to
procure the ground and erect the building, which was one hundred feet
long and seventy broad; and the work was carried on with such spirit,
as to be finished in a much shorter time than could be expected."
7. On leaving Philadelphia, Mr. Whitefield went preaching all the way
through the colonies to Georgia. The settlement of that province had
then been recently commenced, and was made with people entirely unfit
for such a service. They were unable to endure hardships, and perished
in great numbers, leaving many helpless children, with nothing to feed
or shelter them.
8. "The sight of their miserable situation," says Franklin, "inspired
the benevolent heart of Mr. Whitefield with the idea of building an
orphan house there, in which they might be supported and educated.
Returning northward, he preached up this charity, and made large
collections; for his eloquence had a wonderful power over the hearts
and purses of his hearers, of which I myself was an instance.
9. "I did not disapprove of the design, but as Georgia was then
destitute of materials and workmen, and it was proposed to send them
from Philadelphia, at a great expense, I thought it would have been
better to have built the house at Philadelphia, and brought the
children to it. This I advised, but he was resolute in his first
project, rejected my counsel, and I, therefore, refused to contribute.
10. "I happened, soon after, to attend one of his sermons, in the
course of which, I perceived he intended to finish with a collection,
and I silently resolved he should get nothing from me. I had in my
pocket a handful of copper money, three or four silver dollars, and
five pistoles in gold; as he proceeded, I began to soften, and
concluded to give the copper. Another stroke of his oratory made me
ashamed of that, and determined me to give the silver; and he finished
so admirably, that I emptied my pocket wholly into the collector's
dish, gold and all!
11. "At this sermon there was also one of our club, who, being of my
sentiments respecting the building in Georgia, and suspecting a
collection might be intended, had, by precaution, emptied his pockets
before he came from home; towards the conclusion of the discourse,
however, he felt a strong inclination to give, and applied to a
neighbor who stood near him, to lend him some money for the purpose.
The request was fortunately made to perhaps the only man in the
company who had the firmness not to be affected by the preacher. His
answer was, 'At any other time, friend Hopkinson, I would lend to thee
freely; but not now, for thee seems to me to be out of thy right
senses.'
12. "Some of Mr. Whitefield's enemies affected to suppose that he
would apply these collections to his own private emolument; but I, who
was intimately acquainted with him (being employed in printing his
sermons, journals, &c.), never had the least suspicion of his
integrity, but am to this day decidedly of opinion, that he was, in
all his conduct, a perfectly honest man; and methinks my testimony in
his favor ought to have the more weight, as we had no religious
connection. Ours was a mere civil friendship, sincere on both sides,
and lasted to his death.
13. "The last time I saw Mr. Whitefield was in London, when he
consulted me about his orphan house concern, and his purpose of
appropriating it to the establishment of a college.
14. "He had a loud and clear voice, and articulated his words so
perfectly that he might be heard and understood at a great distance;
especially as his auditories observed the most perfect silence. He
preached one evening from the top of the court house steps, which are
in the middle of Market street, and on the west side of Second street,
which crosses it at right angles. Both streets were filled with
hearers to a considerable distance; being among the hindmost in Market
street, I had the curiosity to learn how far he could be heard, by
retiring backwards down the street towards the river, and I found his
voice distinct till I came near Front street, when some noise in that
street obscured it. I computed that he might well be heard by more
than thirty thousand. This reconciled me to the newspaper accounts of
his having preached to 25,000 people in the fields, and to the history
of generals haranguing whole armies, of which I had sometimes
doubted."
15. Franklin's business was now constantly increasing, and his
newspaper had become very profitable. He began to feel the truth of
the old proverb, "that after getting the first hundred pounds, it is
more easy to get the second." Those of his workmen who behaved well,
he established in printing houses in different colonies, on easy
terms. Most of them did well, and were able to repay him what he had
advanced, and go on working for themselves.
16. At this period, there were no preparations for military defence in
Pennsylvania. The inhabitants were mostly Quakers, and had neglected
to take any suitable measures against the enemies to whom they might
be exposed. There was also no college in the state, nor any proper
provision for the complete education of youth. Franklin accordingly
turned his attention to these very important subjects.
17. Spain had been several years at war with Great Britain, and had
now been recently joined by France. From the French possessions in
Canada, Pennsylvania was exposed to continual danger. The governor of
the province had been some time trying to prevail upon the Quaker
assembly to pass a militia law, and take other necessary steps for
their security. He tried, however, in vain.
18. Franklin thought something might be done by a subscription among
the people. To promote this plan, he wrote and published a pamphlet
called PLAIN TRUTH. In this he stated their exposed and helpless
situation, and represented the necessity of union for their defence.
The pamphlet had a sudden and surprising effect. A meeting of the
citizens was appointed, and attended by a considerable number.
Proposals of the intended union had been printed, and distributed
about the room, to be signed by those who approved them. When the
company separated, the papers were collected and found to contain
above twelve hundred signatures.
19. Other copies were scattered about the country, and the subscribers
at length amounted to upwards of ten thousand. All these furnished
themselves, as soon as they could, with arms, formed themselves into
companies and regiments, chose their own officers, and met every week
to be instructed in military exercises. The women made subscriptions
among themselves, and provided silk colors, which they presented to
the companies, painted with different ornaments and mottoes, supplied
by Franklin.
20. The officers of the companies that formed the Philadelphia
regiment chose Franklin for their colonel. Not considering himself fit
for the office, he declined; and recommended that Mr. Lawrence, a man
of influence and of a fine person, should be chosen in his place. This
gentleman was accordingly elected.
21. Franklin now proposed a lottery, to pay the expenses of building a
battery below the town, and of furnishing it with cannon. The lottery
was rapidly filled, and the battery soon erected. They brought some
old cannon from Boston, and these not proving sufficient, they sent to
London for more. The associates kept a nightly guard at the battery,
and Franklin regularly took his turn of duty, as a common soldier.
22. His activity in these measures was agreeable to the governor and
council, and secured their favor. They took him into their confidence,
and consulted him on all operations in respect to the military.
Franklin took the opportunity to propose a public fast, to promote
reformation, and implore the blessing of Heaven on their undertaking.
They embraced the motion, but as this was the first fast ever thought
of in the province, there was no form for the proclamation. Franklin
drew it up in the style of the New England proclamation; it was
translated into German, printed in both languages, and circulated
through the province. This gave the clergy of the different sects an
opportunity of influencing their hearers to join the association; and
it would, probably, have been general among all but the Quakers, if it
had not been for the news of peace.
* * * * *
1. What reform did Franklin introduce, when he first turned his
attention to public affairs?
2. On what subject did he write a paper for the Junto?
3. To what project did this give rise? How did it succeed?
4. Was it useful? What was it called?
5. What is stated of the Reverend Mr. Whitefield?
6. What does Franklin say of the change in the manners of the
inhabitants?
7. Where did Mr. Whitefield go on leaving Philadelphia?
8. What charitable design did he form at this period?
9. What was Franklin's opinion upon the subject?
10. What anecdote does Franklin relate of the collection?
11. What anecdote of a member of the club?
12. What does Franklin say of Mr. Whitefield's character?
13. Where did Franklin see him for the last time?
14. What does he say of his eloquence? By how many did he compute that
he might be heard at a time?
15. How were Franklin's affairs succeeding at this time?
16. To what very important subjects did Franklin now turn his
attention?
17. How was Pennsylvania exposed to danger? What obstacle was there to
the passage of a militia law?
18. What did Franklin write on the subject? What did he propose for
their defence?
19. How many subscribers were obtained to these proposals? What
measures did they take?
20. To what office was Franklin now chosen, and why did he decline?
21. By what means was the battery erected and furnished?
22. What did Franklin propose? How was the proclamation for fast drawn
up and circulated? What news was brought at this time?