my remain in ftatu quo. The trustees would be glad to fee a rector established there, but they dread entering into new engagements till they are got out of debt; and I have not yet got them wholly over to my opinion, that a good profeffor, or teacher of the higher branches of learning, would draw so many scholars as to pay great part, if not the whole of his falary. Thus, unlefs the proprietors (of the province) fhall think fit to put the finifhing hand to our inftitution, it muft, I fear, wait fome few years longer before it can arrive at that state of perfection, which to me it feems now capable of; and all the pleasure I promised myself in seeing you fettled among us, vanishes into smoke. But good Mr. Collinfon writes me word, that no endeavours of his fhall be wanting; and he hopes, with the archbishop's affistance, to be able to prevail with our proprietors *. I grant them fuccefs. pray God My fon prefents his affectionate regards, with, dear Sir, Yours, &c. B. FRANKLIN. P. S. I have not been favoured with a line from you fince your arrival in England. DEAR SIR, Philad. April 18th, 1754. I have had but one letter from you fince your arrival in England, which was a fhort one, via difcipline and government of the English univerfities of Oxford and Cambridge, and was expunged from the following editions of this work. * Upon the application of archbishop Herring and P. Collinfon, Efq; at Dr. Franklin's request, (aided by the letters of Mr Allen and Mr. Peters) the hon. Thomas Penn, Efq; fubfcribed an annual fum, and afterwards gave at least 5000l. to the founding or engrafting the college upon the academy. Boston, Boston, dated October 18th, acquainting me that you had written largely by Capt. Davis.-Davis was loft, and with him your letters, to my great difappointment.-Mefnard and Gibbon have fince arrived here, and I hear nothing from you. -My comfort is, an imagination that you only omit writing because you are coming, and purpofe to tell me every thing viva voce. So not knowing whether this letter will reach you, and hoping either to fee or hear from you by the Myrtilla, Capt. Budden's fhip, which is daily expected, I only add, that I am, with great esteem and affection, Mr. Smith. Yours, &c. B. FRANKLIN, About a month after the date of this laft letter, the gentleman to whom it was addreffed arrived in Philadelphia, and was immediately placed at the head of the feminary; whereby Dr. Franklin and the other truftees were enabled to profecute their plan, for perfecting the institution, and opening the college upon the large and liberal foundation on which it now ftands; for which purpose they obtained their additional charter, dated May 27th, 1755. Thus far we thought it proper to exhibit in one view Dr. Franklin's fervices in the foundation and establishment of this feminary. He foon afterward embarked for England, in the public fervice of his country; and having been generally employed abroad, in the like fervice, for the greatefl part of the remainder of his life (as will appear in our fubfequent account of the fame), he had but few opportunities of taking any fur ther ther active part in the affairs of the feminary, until his final return in the year 1785, when he found its charters violated, and his ancient colleagues, the original founders, deprived of their truft, by an act of the legiflature; and although his own name had been inserted among the new trustees, yet he declined to take his feat among them, or have any concern in the management of their affairs, till the inftitution was reftored by law to its original owners. He then affembled his old colleagues at his own house, and being chofen their prefident, all their future meetings were, at his request, held there, till within a few months of his death, when with reluctance, and at their defire, left he might be too much injured by his attention to their business, he suffered them to meet at the college. Franklin not only gave birth to many useful inftitutions himself, but he was also instrumental in promoting those which had originated with other men. About the year 1752, an eminent physician of this city, Dr. Bond, confidering the deplorable state of the poor, when vifited with disease, conceived the idea of establishing an hofpital. Notwithstanding very great exertions on his part, he was able to interest few people so far in his benevolent plan, as to obtain fubfcriptions from them. Unwilling that his fcheme fhould prove abortive, he fought the aid of Franklin, who readily engaged in the business, both by ufing his influence with his friends, and by ftating the advantageous influence of the propofed inftitution in his paper. Thefe efforts were attended with fuccefs. Confiderable fums were fubfcribed; but they were ftill fhort of what was neceffary. Franklin now made another exertion. He applied to the affembly; and, after fome oppofition, obtained leave to bring in a bill, specifying, that as as foon as two thoufand pounds were fubfcribed, the fame fum fhould be drawn from the treasury by the speaker's warrant, to be applied to the purposes of the inftitution. The oppofition, as the fum was granted upon a contingency which they fuppofed would never take place, were filent, and the bill paffed. The friends of the plan now redoubled their efforts, to obtain fubfcriptions to the amount ftated in the bill, and were foon fuccefsful. This was the foundation of the Pennsylvania Hospital, which, with the Bettering-house and Dispensary, bears ample teftimony of the humanity of the citizens of Philadelphia. Dr. Franklin had conducted himself fo well in the office of poft-mafter, and had shown himself to be fo well acquainted with the business of that department, that it was thought expedient to raife him to a more dignified ftation. In 1753 he was appointed deputy poft-mafter-general for the British colonies. The profits arifing from the poftage of letters formed no inconfiderable part of the revenue, which the crown of GreatBritain derived from thefe colonies. In the hands of Franklin, it is faid, that the poft-office in America yielded annually thrice as much as that of Ireland. The American colonies were much exposed to depredations on their frontiers, by the Indians ; and more particularly whenever a war took place between France and England. The colonies, individually, were either too weak to take efficient meafures for their own defence, or they were unwilling to take upon themfelves the whole burden of erecting forts and maintaining garrifons, whilft their neighbours, who partook equally with themfelves of the advantages, contributed nothing to the expence. Sometimes alfo alfo the difputes, which fubfifted between the governors and affemblies, prevented the adoption of means of defence; as we have feen was the cafe in Pennsylvania in 1745. To devise a plan of union between the colonies, to regulate this and other matters, appeared a desirable object. To accomplish this, in the year 1754, commiffioners from New-Hampfhire, Maffachusetts, Rhode-lfland, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, met at Albany. Dr. Franklin attended here, as a commiffioner from Pennsylvania, and produced a plan, which, from the place of meeting, has been ufually termed "The Albany Plan of Union." This propofed, that applica tion should be made for an act of parliament, to establish in the colonies a general government, to be administered by a prefident-general, appointed by the crown, and by a grand council, confifting of members chofen by the representatives of the different colonies; their number to be in direct proportion to the fums paid by each colony into the general treasury, with this restriction, that no colony should have more than seven, nor lefs than two reprefentatives. The whole executive authority was committed to the prefidentgeneral. The power of legislation was lodged in the grand council and prefident-general jointly; his confent being made neceffary to paffing a bill into a law. The power vefted in the prefident and council were, to declare war and peace, and to conclude treaties with the Indian nations; to regulate trade with, and to make purchases of vacant lands from them, either in the name of the crown, or of the union; to fettle new colonies, to make laws for governing these until they should be erected into feparate governments, and to raise troops, build forts, fit out armed veffels, and ufe other means for the general de fence: |