common benefit; and in case of such agreement, that every assembly be advised by us to confirm it solemnly by laws of their own, which, once made, cannot be repealed without the assent of the crown.

The last charge, that we are dishonest traders, and aim at defrauding our creditors in Britain, is sufficiently and authentically refuted by the solemn declarations of the British merchants to parliament, (both at the time of the stamp-act, and in the last session) who bore ample testimony to the general good faith and fair dealing of the Americans, and declared their confidence in our integrity; for which we refer to their petitions on the journals of the House of Commons. And we presume we may safely call on the body of the British tradesmen, who have had experience of both, to say, whether they have not. received much more punctual payment from us than they generally have from the members of their own two houses of parliament..

On the whole of the above it appears, that the charge of ingratitude towards the mother country, brought with so much confidence against the colonies, is totally without foundation; and that there is much more reason for retorting that charge on Britain, who not only never contributes any aid, nor affords, by an exclusive commerce, any advantages to Saxony, her mother country; but no longer since than in the last war, without the least provocation, subsidised the King of Prussia while he ravaged that mother country, and carried fire and sword into its capital, the fine city of Dresden. An example we hope no provocation will induce us to imitate.

SECTION II.

AMERICAN POLITICS, SUBSEQUENT TO THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED STATES, IN 1776.

A DIALOGUE BETWEEN BRITAIN, FRANCE, SPAIN,
HOLLAND, SAXONY, AND AMERICA.'

Britain. Sister of Spain, I have a favor to ask of you. My subjects in America are disobedient, and I am about to chastise them; I beg you will not furnish them with any arms or ammunition.

Spain. Have you forgotten, then, that when my subjects in the low countries rebelled against me, you not only furnished them with military stores, but joined them with an army and a fleet? I wonder how you can have the impudence to ask such a favor of me, or the folly to expect it!

Britain. You, my dear sister of France, will surely not refuse me this favor. France. Did you not assist my rebel Huguenots with a fleet and an army at Rochelle? And have you not lately aided privately and sneakingly my rebel subjects in Corsica? And do you not at this instant keep their chief,—pensioned, and ready to head a fresh revolt there, whenever you can find or make an opportunity? Dear sister, you must be a little silly!

Britain. Honest Holland! You see it is remembered that I was once your friend, you will therefore be mine on this occasion. I know indeed you are accustomed to smuggle with these rebels of mine. I will wink at that; sell them as much tea as you please to enervate the rascals, since they will not take it of me; but for God's sake don't supply them with any arms.

Holland. Tis true you assisted me against Philip, my tyrant of Spain, but have I not since assisted you against one of your tyrants; and enabled you to expel him? Surely that accompt, as we merchants say, is balanced, and I am nothing in your debt. I have indeed some complaints against you, for endeavoring to starve me by your navigation acts; but being peaceably disposed, I

A political squib, written by Dr. Franklin shortly after his arrival in France, as Commissioner Plenipotentiary from the United States of America.

2 James II.

VOL. III.

M

do not quarrel with you for that. I shall only go on quietly with my own business. Trade is my profession, 'tis all I have to subsist on. And let me tell you, I should make no scruple, (on the prospect of a good market for that commodity) even to send my ships to Hell and supply the devil with brimstone. For you must know, I can insure in London against the burning of my sails.

America to Britain. Why, you old blood-thirsty bully! you who have been everywhere vaunting your own prowess, and defaming the Americans as poltroons! you who have boasted of being able to march over all their bellies with a single regiment! you who by fraud have possessed yourself of their strongest fortress, and all the arms they had stored up in it! you who have a disciplined army in their country intrenched to the teeth, and provided with every thing! Do you run about begging all Europe not to supply those poor people with a little powder and shot? Do you mean, then, to fall upon them naked and unarmed, and butcher them in cold blood? Is this your courage? Is this your magnanimity?

Britain. Oh! you wicked-Whig-Presbyterian-Serpent! Have you the impudence to appear before me after all your disobedience? Surrender immediately all your liberties and properties into my hands, or I will cut you to pieces. Was it for this that I planted your country at so great an expense? that I protected you in your infancy, and defended you against all your enemies?

America. I shall not surrender my liberty and property but with my life. It is not true that my country was planted at your expense. Your own records'

1

See the Journals of the House of Commons, 1640, viz.

"Die Veneris, Martii 10, 1642. "Whereas the plantations in New England have, by the blessing of Almighty God, had good and prosperous success, without any public charge to this State; and are now likely to prove very happy for the Propagation of the Gospel in those parts, and very beneficial and commodious to this kingdom and nation; the Commons now assembled in parliament do, for the better advancement of those plantations, and the encouragement of the planters to proceed in their undertaking, ordain that all merchandises and goods that by any merchant, or other person or persons whatsoever, shall be exported out of this kingdom of England into New England, to be spent, used or employed there; or being of the growth of that kingdom, shall be from thence imported hither, or shall be laden or put on board in any ship or vessel for necessaries in passing or returning to and fro; and all and every the owner or owners thereof, shall be freed and discharged of and from paying and yielding any custom, subsidy, taxation, imposition, or other duty for the same, either inward or outward, either in this kingdom or New England, or in any port, haven, creek, or other place whatsoever, until the House of Commons shall

you

refute that falsehood to your face. Nor did you ever afford me a man or a shilling to defend me against the Indians, the only enemies I had upon my own account. But when But when you have quarrelled with all Europe, and drawn me with you into all your broils, then value yourself upon protecting me [from the enemies you have made for me. I have no natural cause of difference with Spain, France, or Holland, and yet by turns I have joined with you in wars against them all. You would not suffer me to make or keep a separate peacé with any of them, though I might easily have done it, to great advantage. Does your protecting me in those wars give you a right to fleece me? If so, as I fought for you, as well as you for me, it gives me a proportionable right to fleece you. What think you of an American law to make a monopoly of you and your commerce, as you have done by your laws of me and mine? Content yourself with that monopoly if you are wise, and learn justice if you would be respected!

Britain. You impudent B-h! am not I your mother country? Is not that a sufficient title to your respect and obedience?

Saxony. Mother country! Hah, hah, hah! What respect respect have you the front to claim as a mother country? You know that I am your mother country, and yet you pay me none. Nay, it is but the other day, that you hired' ruffians to rob me on the highway,' and burn my house! For shame! Hide your face and hold your tongue. If you continue this conduct you will make yourself the contempt of Europe!

Britain. O Lord! where are my friends?

France, Spain, Holland, and Saxony altogether. Friends! Believe us you have none, nor ever will have any till you mend your manners. How can we, who are your neighbors, have any regard for you, or expect any equity from you should your power increase, when we see how basely and unjustly you have used both your own mother and your own children?

take further order therein to the contrary. And all and singular customers, &c. are to observe this order."

And they burnt the fine suburbs of Dresden, the capital of Saxony.

COMPARISON OF GREAT BRITAIN AND AMERICA AS TO CREDIT, IN 1777.'

In borrowing money, a man's credit depends on some or all of the following particulars :

:

First. His known conduct respecting former loans, and his punctuality in discharging them.

Secondly. His industry.

Thirdly. His frugality.

Fourthly. The amount and the certainty of his income, and the freedom of his estate from the incumbrances of prior debts.

Fifthly. His well-founded prospects of greater future ability, by the improvement of his estate in value, and by aids from others.

Sixthly. His known prudence in managing his general affairs, and the advantage they will probably receive from the loan which he desires.

Seventhly. His known probity and honest character, manifested by his voluntary discharge of his debts, which he could not have been legally compelled to pay. The circumstances which give credit to an individual ought to, and will have, their weight upon the lenders of money to public bodies or nations. -If then we consider and compare Britain and America, in these several particulars upon the question, "To which is it safest to lend money?" we shall

find,

1. Respecting former loans; that America, which borrowed ten millions during the last war for the maintenance of her army of 25,000 men, and other charges, had faithfully discharged and paid that debt, and all her other debts, in 1772. Whereas Britain, during those ten years of peace and profitable commerce, had made little or no reduction of her debt; but on the contrary, from time to time, diminished the hopes of her creditors, by a wanton diversion and misapplication of the sinking fund destined for discharging it.

2. Respecting industry; every man (in America) is employed; the greater part in cultivating their own lands; the rest in handicrafts, navigation, and commerce. An idle man is a rarity; idleness and inutility are disgraceful.-In England, the number of that character is immense; fashion has spread it far

This paper was written, translated, printed, and circulated, while Dr. Franklin was at the court of Paris, for the purpose of inducing foreigners to lend money to America in preference to Great Britain.