_Anecdote. William Penn. Education of Youth. Subscription for an
Academy. Franklin overloaded with public Offices. Member of the
Assembly. Treaty with the Indians at Carlisle. Public Hospital.
Anecdote._
1. It was thought by some of the friends of Franklin, that he would
offend the peace-loving sect of Quakers, by his activity in these
warlike preparations. A young man, who had some friends in the
assembly, and wished to succeed him as their clerk, told him, in a
quiet way, that it was intended to displace him at the next election,
and that, as a friend, he should advise him to resign.
2. The answer which Franklin made to this obliging young man was in
the following words:--"I have heard or read of some public man, who
made it a rule never to ask for an office, and never to refuse one
when offered to him. I approve of this rule, and shall practise it
with a small addition; I shall never _ask_, never _refuse_, nor ever
RESIGN an office. If they will have my office of clerk to dispose of
it to another, they shall take it from me. I will not give it up." At
the next election, Franklin was unanimously elected clerk.
3. Notwithstanding the general sentiments of the Quakers, Franklin
thought the military defence of the country not disagreeable to any of
them. One of their number, the learned and honorable Mr. Logan, wrote
an address to them, declaring his approbation of defensive war, and
supporting his opinion by very strong arguments. This gentleman
related an anecdote of his old master, William Penn, in respect to the
subject of defence, which is quite amusing.
4. "He came over from England, when a young man, as secretary to this
distinguished Quaker. It was war time, and their ship was chased by an
armed vessel, supposed to be an enemy. Their captain prepared for
defence, but told William Penn and his company of Quakers, that he did
not expect their assistance, and they might retire into the cabin.
They all retired except James Logan, who chose to stay upon deck, and
was quartered to a gun.
5. "The supposed enemy proved a friend, so there was no fighting. When
the secretary went to carry the information to his friends in the
cabin, William Penn spoke to him in severe language for staying upon
deck, and undertaking to assist in the defence of the vessel, contrary
to the principles of the Friends. This reproof, being before all the
company, vexed the secretary, who replied--'I being thy servant, why
did thee not order me to come down; but thee was willing enough that I
should stay and help to fight the ship, when thee thought there was
danger.'"
6. Peace being concluded, and the business of defence at an end,
Franklin next turned his thoughts to the affair of establishing an
academy. The first step he took was to associate in the design a
number of his active friends; the next was to write and publish a
pamphlet, entitled "Proposals relating to the Education of Youth in
Philadelphia." This he distributed among the principal inhabitants,
and in a short time opened a subscription for supporting an academy.
The subscribers were desirous of carrying the plan into immediate
execution. The constitutions for the government of the academy were
soon drawn up and signed, a house was hired, masters engaged, and the
school opened. This was in the year 1749.
7. The scholars increased rapidly, the house was soon found too small,
when accident threw in their way a large house, ready built, which,
with a few alterations, would exactly answer their purpose. This was
the building erected by the hearers of Mr. Whitefield. Some difficulty
had been found by the trustees in paying the expenses of this church,
and they were prevailed upon to give it up for the academy. It was
soon made fit for that purpose, and the scholars were removed into the
building. The whole care and trouble of superintending this work fell
upon Franklin, who found sufficient leisure to attend to it, from
having taken a very able and industrious partner in his printing
business.
8. Franklin now thought that he should find leisure, during the rest
of his life, to pursue his philosophical studies and amusements. He
purchased all the instruments and apparatus of Dr. Spence, who had
come from England to lecture on philosophy in Philadelphia. His
intention was to proceed with diligence in his experiments in
electricity. But the public now considered him a man of leisure, and
laid hold of him for their purposes.
9. He seems to have been quite overloaded with offices. The governor
made him a justice of the peace. The city corporation chose him a
member of the common council, and shortly after alderman. The citizens
elected him to represent them in the assembly, of which he had so long
been clerk. All these offices were signs of the esteem and respect in
which he was held among his fellow citizens.
10. Franklin tried the office of justice of the peace a little while,
by attending a few courts, and sitting on the bench to hear causes.
Finding, however, that it required more knowledge of the law than he
possessed, he gradually withdrew from it; excusing himself by being
obliged to attend his duties as member of the assembly. To this office
he was chosen for ten years in succession, without ever asking any
elector for his vote, or signifying, directly or indirectly, any
desire of the honor. On taking his seat in the house, his son was
appointed their clerk.
11. During the next year, a treaty was to be held with the Indians at
Carlisle. The governor sent a message to the house, requesting that
they should nominate some of their members, to be joined with some
members of council, for that purpose. The house named the speaker, Mr.
Norris, and Dr. Franklin; and being commissioned, they went to
Carlisle to treat with the Indians.
12. As the Indians were very apt to drink to excess, and when drunk
were very quarrelsome and disorderly, the commissioners strictly
forbade the sale of any liquor to them. When they complained of this,
they were told that, on condition of their remaining perfectly sober
during the treaty, they should have plenty of rum when the business
was over. They accordingly promised this, and kept their promise for
the very best reason in the world--because they were unable to break
it. The treaty was conducted with perfect order, and concluded to the
satisfaction of both parties.
13. They then claimed and received the rum. This was in the afternoon.
The Indians were about one hundred in number, men, women and children,
and were lodged in cabins, built in the form of a square, just without
the town. In the evening there was a great noise among them, and the
commissioners walked out to see what was the matter. They found a
great bonfire built in the middle of the square, and the men and
women, in a state of intoxication, fighting and quarrelling around it.
The tumult could not be stilled, and the commissioners retired to
their lodgings.
14. At midnight, a number of the Indians came thundering at their
door, demanding more rum; but the commissioners took no notice of
them. The next day they were sensible of their misbehavior, and sent
three of their old counsellors to make an excuse. The orator
acknowledged the fault, but laid it upon the rum; and then endeavored
to excuse the rum, by saying--"The Great Spirit, who made all things,
made every thing for some use, and whatever use he designed any thing
for, that use it should always be put to: now, when he made rum, he
said, 'Let this be for the Indians to get drunk with,' and it must be
so." It is a sad truth that among all savage nations, the introduction
of spirituous liquor has been the most severe curse that ever fell
upon them.
15. In 1751, Dr. Thomas Bond formed a plan to establish an hospital in
Philadelphia, for the reception and cure of poor sick persons, whether
inhabitants of the province or strangers. He was very active in
endeavoring to procure subscriptions for it, but the proposal being
new in America, and at first not well understood, he met with but
little success. At length he came to Franklin with the compliment that
there was no such a thing as carrying a public-spirited thing through,
without his being concerned in it. "For," said he, "I am often asked
by those to whom I propose subscribing, _Have you consulted Franklin
on this business? And what does he think of it?_ And when I tell
them I have not, they do not subscribe, but say, _they will consider
it_."
16. Franklin inquired into the nature and probable usefulness of the
scheme, and being satisfied in respect to it, not only subscribed
himself, but was active in procuring subscriptions from others. Some
aid was obtained from the assembly of the province. A convenient and
handsome building was soon erected, the institution was found useful,
and flourishes to the present day.
17. It was about this time that another projector, the Rev. Gilbert
Tennent, came to Franklin with a request that he would assist him in
procuring subscriptions to erect a new meeting-house. It was to be
devoted to the use of a congregation he had gathered among the
original disciples of Mr. Whitefield. Franklin was too wise to make
himself disagreeable to his fellow citizens, by such frequent calls
upon their generosity, and absolutely refused. The gentleman then
desired he would furnish him with a list of the names of persons he
knew by experience to be generous and public-spirited. This, also, was
refused; for it was hard that their kind compliance with a request of
charity should mark them out to be worried by all who chose to call
upon them.
18. Franklin was then asked to give his advice. "That I will do," he
replied; "and in the first place, I advise you to apply to all those
who you know will give something; next, to those of whom you are
uncertain whether they will give any thing or not, and show them the
list of those who have given; and lastly, do not neglect those who you
are sure will give nothing; for in some of them you may be mistaken."
The clergyman laughed, and promised to take his advice. He did so, for
he asked of _every body_, and soon obtained money enough to erect
a spacious and elegant meeting house.
19. Franklin now exerted himself in several matters that, however
small they may seem, affected the convenience and comfort of his
fellow citizens in a great degree. This was in respect to cleaning,
paving, and lighting the streets. By talking, and writing in the
papers, he was able to introduce great changes in these matters, which
were very important to the cleanliness and good appearance of the
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* * * * *
1. What advice did Franklin receive at this time?
2. What answer did he return? What was the result of the election?
3. What did Franklin consider the opinion of Quakers on the subject of
defence?
4. What anecdote is related of William Penn?
6. To what did Franklin turn his attention on the declaration of
peace? In what year was the academy founded?
7. What building was taken for the school house?
8. To what pursuits did he now intend to devote himself? What did the
public consider him?
9. What offices did he receive at this time?
10. Why did he retire from the office of justice of the peace?
11. Who were appointed to treat with the Indians?
12. What is related of the Indians? How was the treaty concluded?
13. What happened in the evening?
14. What course did they pursue the next day? How did the
commissioners excuse themselves?
15. Who proposed the plan for the Philadelphia hospital? What
compliment did he pay to Franklin?
16. Did Franklin approve of the scheme and assist in it?
17. What did Mr. Gilbert Tennent request of Franklin? How was his
request treated?
18. What advice did Franklin give?
19. To what smaller matters of public interest did Franklin now
attend?