Doctor Franklin now began to find his situation in London extremely
unpleasant. For twelve years, like heaven's own minister of peace, he
had pressed the olive-branch on the British ministry; and yet after
all, their war-hawks could hardly tolerate the sight of him. They even
went so far as to call him "_the hoary headed villain, who first
stirred up the Americans to rebellion_." As soon as he could obtain
his passports he left England.
His old friend, Strahan, advised him to continue in that country, for
that America would soon be filled with tumult and bloodshed. He
replied, "_No, sir, where liberty is, there is my country._"
Unbounded was the joy of the Americans on the return of so great a
patriot and statesman. The day following he was elected by the
legislature of Pennsylvania, a member of Congress. The following
letters, in extract, to his constant friend, and the friend of science
and liberty, the celebrated doctor Priestley, will show how full his
hands were
"_Philadelphia, July 7, 1775._
"DEAR FRIEND,
"Britain has begun to burn our sea port towns; _secure_, I suppose,
_that we shall never be able to return the outrage in kind_. She
may doubtless destroy them all. But is this the way to recover our
friendship and trade? She must certainly be distracted; for no
tradesman out of Bedlam ever thought of increasing the number of
his customers by knocking them on the head; or of enabling them to
pay their debts, by burning their houses.
"My time was never more fully employed. I breakfast before six. At
six I hasten to the COMMITTEE of SAFETY for putting the province in
a state of defence. At nine I go to Congress, which sits till after
four. It will scarcely be credited in Britain, that men can be as
diligent with us, from zeal for the public good, as with you, for
_thousands_ per annum. Such is the difference between uncorrupted
new states, and corrupted old ones.
"Great frugality and great industry are now become fashionable
here: gentlemen, who used to entertain with two or three courses,
pride themselves now in treating with simple beef and pudding. By
these means, and the stoppage of our consumptive trade with
Britain, we shall be better able to pay our voluntary taxes for the
support of our troops. Our savings in the article of trade, amount
to near five millions of sterling per annum.--Yours, most
affectionately,
"B. FRANKLIN."
In another letter to the same, dated October 3d, he says:
"Tell our dear good friend, doctor Price, who sometimes has his
doubts and despondencies about our firmness, that America is
determined and unanimous: a very few tories and placemen excepted,
who will probably soon export themselves. Britain, at the expense
of three millions has killed in this campaign, _one hundred and
fifty yankees!_ which is 20,000 pounds sterling a head; and at
Bunker's hill she gained half a mile of ground! During the same
time she lost, at one place, near one thousand men, and we have had
a good sixty thousand children born in America. From these data,
with the help of his mathematical head, lord North will easily
calculate the time and expense necessary to kill us all, and
conquer our whole territory.--
"I am yours, B. FRANKLIN."
In another letter to the same, and of the same date, he says:
"Britain still goes on to goad and exasperate. She despises us too
much; and seems to forget the Italian proverb, that '_there is no
little enemy_.' I am persuaded the body of the British people are
our friends; but your lying gazettes may soon make them our
enemies--and I see clearly that we are on the high road to mutual
enmity, hatred, and detestation. A _separation_ will of course be
inevitable. It is a million of pities so fair a plan, as we have
hitherto been engaged in for increasing _strength_ and _empire_
with PUBLIC FELICITY, should be destroyed by the mangling hands of
a few blundering ministers. It will not be destroyed: GOD WILL
PROTECT AND PROSPER IT: you will only exclude yourselves from any
share of it. We hear that more ships and troops are coming out. We
know you may do us a great deal of mischief, but we are determined
to bear it patiently; but if you flatter yourselves with beating us
into submission, you know neither the people nor the country.
"I am ever your's, most affectionately,
"B. FRANKLIN."
This letter of Doctor Franklin's is the first thing I have seen that
utters a whisper about INDEPENDENCE. It was, however, a _prophetical_
whisper, and soon found its accomplishment in the source that Franklin
predicted--the BARBARITY OF BRITAIN. To see war waged against them by
a power whom they had always gloried in as their MOTHER COUNTRY--to
see it waged because as the _children of Englishmen_, they had only
asked for the _common rights of Englishmen_--to see it waged with a
savageness unknown among civilized nations, and all the powers of
earth and hell, as it were, stirred up against them--the Indians with
their bloody tomahawks and scalping knives--the negroes with their
midnight hoes and axes--the merciless flames let loose on their
midwinter towns--with prisons, chains, and starvation of their
worthiest citizens. "_Such miserable specimens_," as Franklin termed
them, "_of the British government_," produced every where in the
colonies a disposition to _detest and avoid it as a complication of
robbery, murder, famine, fire and pestilence_.
On the 7th of June, resolutions respecting independence, were moved
and seconded in Congress. Doctor Franklin threw all the weight of his
wisdom and character into the scale in favour of independence.
"INDEPENDENCE," said he, "_will cut the Gordian knot at once, and give
us freedom_.
"I. _Freedom from the oppressive kings, and endless wars, and mad
politics, and forced religion of an unreasonable and cruel
government._
"II. _Freedom to choose a fair, and cheap, and reasonable government
of our own._
"III. _Freedom to live in friendship with all nations; and_
"IV. _Freedom to trade with all._"
On the 4th of July, the _Independence_ of the United States was
declared. Immediately on the finishing of this great work, doctor
Franklin, with a committee of the first talents in Congress, prepared
a number of very masterly addresses to the courts of Europe, informing
what the United States had done; assigning their reasons for so doing;
and tendering in the most affectionate terms, the friendship and trade
of the young nation. The potentates of Europe were, generally, well
pleased to hear that a new star had risen in the west, and talked
freely of opening their treasures and presenting their gifts of
friendship, &c.
But the European power that seemed most to rejoice in this event was
the French. In August, doctor Franklin was appointed by Congress to
visit the French court, for the purpose of forming an alliance with
that powerful people. It was his friend, Doctor B. Rush, who first
announced to him the choice which Congress had made, adding, at the
same time, his hearty congratulations on that account.
"Why, doctor," replied he with a smile, "I am now, like an old broom,
worn down to the stump in my country's service--near seventy years
old. But such as I am, she must, I suppose, have the last of me." Like
the brave Dutch republicans, each with his wallet of herrings on his
back, when they went forth to negotiate with the proud Dons, so did
doctor Franklin set out to court the great French nation, with no
provisions for his journey, but a few hogsheads of tobacco. He was
received in France, however, with a most hearty welcome, not only as
an envoy from a brave people fighting for their rights, but also as
the famed American philosopher, who by his _paratonerres_ (lightning
rods) had disarmed the clouds of their lightnings, and who, it was
hoped, would reduce the colossal power of Great Britain.
He had not been long in Paris, before the attention of all the courts
of Europe was attached to him, by a publication, wherein he
demonstrated, that, _the young, healthy, and sturdy republic of
America, with her simple manners, laborious habits, and millions of
fresh land and produce, would be a much safer borrower of money, than
the old, profligate, and debt-burthened government of Britain_. The
Dutch and French courts, in particular, read his arguments with such
attention, that they soon began to make him loans. To the French
cabinet he pointed out, "THE INEVITABLE DESTRUCTION OF THEIR FLEETS,
COLONIES, AND COMMERCE, IN CASE OF A RE-UNION OF BRITAIN AND AMERICA."
There wanted but a grain to turn the trembling balance in favour of
America.
But it was the will of Heaven to withhold that grain a good long
while. And Franklin had the mortification to find, that although the
French were an exceedingly polite people; constantly eulogizing
GENERAL WASHINGTON and THE BRAVE BOSTONIANS, on every little victory;
and also for their tobacco, very thriftily smuggling all the fire arms
and ammunition they could into the United States, yet they had no
notion of coming out manfully at once upon the British lion, until
they should first see the American Eagle lay the monster on his back.
Dr. Franklin, of course, was permitted to rest on his oars, at Passy,
in the neighbourhood of Paris, His characteristic philanthropy,
however, could not allow him to be idle at a court, whose pride and
extravagance were so horribly irreconcileable with his ideas of the
true use of riches, _i.e._ INDEPENDENCE for ourselves, and BENEFICENCE
to others. And he presently came out in the Paris Gazette with the
following master piece of WIT and ECONOMICS.
_To the Editors of the Paris Journal._
GENTLEMEN,
I was the other evening in a grand company, where the new lamp of
Messrs. Quinquet and Lange was introduced, and much admired for
its splendour; but a general inquiry was made, whether the oil it
consumed, was not in proportion to the light it afforded; in which
case there would be no saving in the use of it. No one present
could satisfy us on that point; which all agreed ought to be
known, it being a very desirable thing to lessen, if possible, the
expense of lighting our apartments, when every other article of
family expense was so much augmented.
I was pleased to see this general concern for economy; for I love
economy exceedingly.
I went home, and to bed, three or four hours after midnight, with
my head full of the subject. An accidental sudden noise awaked me
about six in the morning, when I was surprised to find my room
filled with light; and I imagined, at first, that a number of
these lamps had been brought into it; but rubbing my eyes, I
perceived the light came in at my windows. I got up, and looked
out to see what might be the occasion of it, when I saw the sun
just rising above the horizon, whence he poured his rays
plentifully into my chamber, my domestic having negligently
omitted, the preceding evening, to close the shutters.
I looked at my watch, which goes very well, and found that it was
but six o'clock; and still thinking it something extraordinary
that the sun should rise so early, I looked into the almanack;
where I found it to be the hour given for its rising on that day.
Your readers, who, with me, have never seen any signs of sunshine
before noon, and seldom regard the astronomical part of the
almanack, will be as much astonished as I was, when they hear of
his rising so early; and especially when I assure them _that he
gives light as soon as he rises_. I am certain of the fact. _I saw
it with my own eyes._ And having repeated this observation the
three following mornings, I found always precisely the same
result.
Yet so it happens, that when I speak of this discovery to others,
I can easily perceive by their countenances, though they forbear
expressing it in words, that they do not quite believe me. One,
indeed, who is a learned natural philosopher, has assured me that
I must certainly be mistaken as to the circumstance of the light
coming into my room; for it being well known, as he says, that
there could be no light abroad at that hour, it follows that none
could enter from without; and that of consequence, my windows
being accidentally left open, instead of _letting in the light_,
had only served to _let out the darkness_.
This event has given rise, in my mind, to several serious and
important reflections. I considered that, if I had not been
awakened so early in the morning, I should have slept six hours
longer by the light of the sun, and in exchange have lived six
hours the following night by candle-light; and the latter being a
much more expensive light than the former, my love of economy
induced me to muster up what little arithmetic I was master of,
and to make some calculations, which I shall give you, after
observing, that utility is, in my opinion, the test of value in
matters of invention, and that a discovery which can be applied to
no use, or is not good for something, is good for nothing.
I took for the basis of my calculation, the supposition that there
are 100,000 families in Paris; and that these families consume in
the night half a pound of candles, per hour. I think this a
moderate allowance, taking one family with another; for though I
believe some consume less, I know that many consume a great deal
more. Then, estimating seven hours per day, as the medium quantity
between the time of the _sun's_ rising and _ours_, and there being
seven hours, of course, per night, in which we burn candles, the
account will stand thus:
In 12 months there are nights 365; hours of each night in which we
burn candles 7; multiplication gives for the total number of hours
2555. These multiplied by 100,000, the number of families in
Paris, give 255,000,000 hours spent at Paris by candle-light,
which, at half a pound of wax and tallow per hour, give
127,750,000 pounds, worth, at 3 livres the pound, 383,250,000
livres; upwards of THIRTY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS!!!
An immense sum! that the city of Paris might save every year, by
the economy of using _sunshine_ instead of candles.--If it should
be said, that the people are very apt to be obstinately attached
to old customs, and that it will be difficult to induce them to
rise before noon, consequently my discovery can be of little use,
I answer, we must not despair. I believe all, who have common
sense, as soon as they have learnt, from this paper, that it is
daylight when the sun rises, will contrive to rise with him; and
to compel the rest, I would propose the following regulations:
First. Let a tax be laid of a louis, (a guinea,) per window, on
every window that is provided with shutters to keep out the light
of the sun.
Second. Let guards be placed in the shops of the wax and
tallow-chandlers; and no family be permitted to be supplied with
more than one pound of candles per week.
Third. Let guards be posted, to stop all the coaches, &c. that
would pass the streets after sunset, except those of physicians,
surgeons, and midwives.
Fourth. Every morning, as soon as the sun rises, let all the bells
in the city be set ringing; and if that be not sufficient let
cannon be fired in every street, to awake the sluggards
effectually, and make them open their eyes to see their true
interest.
All the difficulty will be in the first two or three days: after
which the reformation will be as natural and easy as the present
irregularity. Oblige a man to rise at four in the morning, and, it
is more than probable, he shall go willingly to bed at eight in
the evening; and having had eight hours sleep, he will rise more
willingly at four, in the morning following.
For the great benefit of this discovery, thus freely communicated
and bestowed by me, on the good city of Paris, I demand neither
place, pension, exclusive privilege, nor any other reward
whatever. I expect only to have the _honour_ of it. And yet I know
there are little envious minds, who will, as usual, deny me this,
and say that my invention was known to the ancients. I will not
dispute that the ancients knew that the sun would rise at certain
hours. They possibly had almanacks that predicted it; but it does
not follow, thence, that they knew _that he gave light an soon as
he rose. This is what I claim as my discovery._ If the ancients
knew it, it must long since have been forgotten; for it certainly
was unknown to the moderns, at least to the Parisians; which to
prove, I need use but one plain simple argument. They are as well
instructed and prudent a people as exist, any where in the world;
all professing, like myself, to be lovers of economy; and, from
the many heavy taxes required from them by the necessities of the
state, have surely reason to be economical. I say it is impossible
that so sensible a people, under such circumstances, should have
lived so long by the _smoky, unwholesome and enormously expensive
light of candles, if they had really known that they might have as
much pure light of the sun for nothing_. I am, &c.
An ABONNE.
And now, as Dr. Franklin is permitted to breathe a little from his
herculean toils, let us, good reader, breathe a little too, and amuse
ourselves with the following anecdotes.
Nothing can better illustrate the spirit, which Dr. Franklin carried
with him to the court of Louis XVI., and the spirit he found there.
On Dr. Franklin's arrival at Paris, as plenipotentiary from the United
States, during the revolution, the king expressed a wish to see him
immediately. As there was no going to the court of France in those
days without permission of the wigmaker, a wigmaker of course was sent
for. In an instant a richly dressed Monsieur, his arms folded in a
prodigious muff of furs, and a long sword by his side, made his
appearance. It was the king's WIGMAKER, with his servant in livery, a
long sword by _his_ side too, and a load of sweet scented band-boxes,
full of "_de wig_," as he said, "_de superb wig for de great docteer
Franklin_." One of the wigs was tried on--a world _too small_!
Band-box after band-box was tried; but all with the same ill success!
The wigmaker fell into the most violent rage, to the extreme
mortification of Dr. Franklin, that a gentleman so bedecked with silks
and perfumes, should, notwithstanding, be such a child. Presently,
however, as in all the transports of a _grand discovery_, the wigmaker
cried out to Dr. Franklin, that he had just found out where the fault
lay--"_not in his wig as too small; O no, by gar! his wig no too
small; but de docteer's head too big; great deal too big._" Franklin,
smiling, replied, that the fault could hardly lie _there_; for that
his head was made of God Almighty himself, who was not subject to err.
Upon this the wigmaker took in a little; but still contended that
there must be something the matter with Dr. Franklin's head. It was at
any rate, he said, _out of the fashion_. He begged Dr. Franklin would
only please for remember, _dat his head had not de honeer_ to be made
in PARREE. No, by gar! for if it had been made in PARREE, it no bin
more dan _half such a head_. "_None of the French Noblesse_," he
swore, "_had a head any ting_ like his. Not de great duke d'Orleans,
nor de grand monarque himself had _half such a head as docteer
Franklin_. And _he did not see_," he said, "_what business any body
had wid a head more big dan de head of de grand monarque_."
Pleased to see the poor wigmaker recover his good humour, Dr. Franklin
could not find in his heart to put a check to his childish rant, but
related one of his _fine anecdotes_, which struck the wigmaker with
such an idea of his wit, that as he retired, which he did, bowing most
profoundly, he shrugged his shoulders, and with a look most
significantly arch, he said:
"_Ah, docteer Frankline! docteer Frankline!_ I no wonder your head too
big for my wig. By gar I 'fraid your head be too big for _all de
French nationg_."
THE BLUE YARN STOCKINGS.
When Dr. Franklin was received at the French court as American
minister, he felt some scruples of conscience in complying with their
_fashions as to dress_. "He hoped," he said to the minister, "that as
he was himself a very plain man, and represented a plain republican
people, the king would indulge his desire to appear at court in his
usual dress. Independent of this, the season of the year, he said,
rendered the change from warm yarn stockings to fine silk, somewhat
dangerous."
The French minister made him a bow, but said, that THE FASHION was too
sacred a thing for him to meddle with, but he would do himself the
honour to mention it to his MAJESTY.
The king smiled, and returned word that Dr. Franklin was welcome to
appear at court in _any dress he pleased_. In spite of that delicate
respect for strangers, for which the French are so remarkable, the
courtiers could not help staring, at first, at Dr. Franklin's
quaker-like dress, and especially his "BLUE YARN STOCKINGS." But it
soon appeared as though he had been introduced upon this splendid
theatre only to demonstrate that, great genius, like true beauty,
"needs not the foreign aid of ornament." The court were so dazzled
with the brilliancy of his mind that they never looked at his
stockings. And while many other ministers who figured in all the gaudy
fashions of the day are now forgotten, the name of Dr. Franklin is
still mentioned in Paris with all the ardour of the most affectionate
enthusiasm.