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you had in carrying safely through the House, at a very difficult time, the bill for £60,000 during Lord Loudoun's command. But, without recapitulating instances in which I was not directly concerned, I remember gratefully, that as early as 1756, when I was sent by Lord Loudoun to obtain quarters in Philadelphia for the first battalion of the Royal American Regiment, I could not have surmounted the difficulties made by your people, who, at that time unacquainted with the quartering of troops, expressed the greatest reluctance to comply with my request, till you were so good as to take the affair in hand, and obtain all that was desired.

I have not been less obliged to you in the execution of the present act, having been an eyewitness of your forwardness to carry at the Board, as a commissioner, every measure I proposed for the success of this expedition. This acknowledgment being the only return I can make, for the repeated services I have received from you in my public station, I beg you will excuse my prolixity upon a subject so agreeable to myself, as the expression of my gratitude. I am, with great regard, &c.

HENRY BOUQUET.*

• Colonel Bouquet was an enterprising British officer, who had acted a conspicuous part in the late French and Indian wars. He was on terms of intimate friendship with Colonel Washington, and they were together in the expedition against Fort Duquesne under General Forbes, in the year 1758. Colonel Bouquet likewise distinguished himself in a successful battle with the Indians, August 5th and 6th, 1763, near the head of Turtle Creek, while on his march to the Ohio River.

FROM A COMMITTEE OF RHODE ISLAND TO
B. FRANKLIN.*

Proceedings of the Rhode Island Assembly for opposing the Design of Parliament to tax the Colonies.

Rhode Island, 8 October, 1764.

SIR, We have been appointed a committee by the General Assembly of the colony of Rhode Island to correspond, confer, and consult with any committee or committees that are or shall be appointed by any of the British colonies on the continent, and, in concert with them, to prepare and form such representations of the condition of the colonies, the rights of the inhabitants, and the interests of Great Britain, as connected with them, as may be most likely to be effectual to remove or alleviate the burdens which the colonists at present labor under, and to prevent new ones being added.

The impositions already laid on the trade of these colonies must have very fatal consequences. The act in embryo, for establishing stamp duties, if effected, will further drain the people, and strongly point out their servitude. And the resolution of the House of Commons, that they have a right to tax the colonies, if carried into execution, will leave us nothing to call our own. How far the united endeavours of all the colonies might tend to prevent those evils, cannot be determined; but certain it is worth their while to try

This letter was directed to Franklin as Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly, although he had ceased to act in that capacity when it was received. The letter itself is remarkable for the sentiments it contains, and as showing, that, on this occasion, the same system of Committees of Correspondence for uniting the colonies in a common cause was suggested by Rhode Island, which was afterwards adopted with so much success at the beginning of the revolution.

every means in their power, to preserve every thing they have worth preserving.

Zealous to do all we can in a business of so much importance, more especially as the colony that employs us seems heartily disposed to exert its utmost efforts to preserve its privileges inviolate, looking on this as the critical conjuncture when they must be effectually defended, or finally lost; we have given you the trouble of this address, desiring to be informed whether your colony has taken these matters under consideration; and, if it has, what methods have been thought of as most conducive to bring them to a happy issue.

If all the colonies were disposed to enter with spirit into the defence of their liberties; if some method could be hit upon for collecting the sentiments of each colony, and for uniting and forming the substance of them all into one common defence of the whole; and this sent to England, and the several agents directed to join together in pushing and pursuing it there, in the properest and most effectual manner, it might be the most probable method to produce the end aimed at.

However, as we do not pretend to prescribe rules, but to receive information, we hope to be excused for this freedom, and that the cause we are concerned in, and your candor, will procure us your pardon for this trouble, given by, Sir, your most obedient and most humble servants,

STEPHEN HOPKINS,
DANIEL JENKES,

NICHOLAS BROWN.

TO JONATHAN WILLIAMS.

Second Mission to England.

LOVING KINSMAN,

Philadelphia, 3 November, 1764.

The case of the Armonica came home to-night, and the spindle, with all the rest of the work, seems well done. But, on further consideration, I think it is not worth while to take one of them to London, to be filled with glasses as we intended. It will be better to send you one complete from thence, made under my direction; which I will take care shall be good. The glasses here will serve for these cases when I come back, if it please God that I live to return, and some friends will be glad of them.

Enclosed I send you that impostor's letter. Perhaps he may be found by his handwriting.

We sail on Wednesday. The merchants here in two hours subscribed eleven hundred pounds to be lent the public for the charges of my voyage, &c. I shall take with me but a part of it, five hundred pounds sterling. Any sum is to be had, that I may want. My love to all. Adieu. Yours affectionately,

B. FRANKLIN.*

* Dr. Franklin was appointed to this second mission to England by the Assembly of Pennsylvania, October 26th, 1764, and he was instructed to depart with all convenient despatch. As the Assembly had not then in the treasury any money, that could be appropriated for this purpose, they passed a resolve, "that the expense attending his voyage, and the execution of the trust reposed in him, should be provided for in the next bill prepared by the House for raising money to defray the public debis." On the strength of this pledge, the money was loaned by the merchants, although a party had made a considerable opposition to the appointment of an agent, who was known to be hostile to the Proprietaries, and had been active in promoting petitions for a change of the Pennsylvania government.

Dr. William Smith, the provost of the Philadelphia College, after

Paternal Advice.

TO SARAH FRANKLIN.

Devotion and Attendance at Church.

On the Eve of sailing for England.

Reedy Island, 7 at night, 8 November, 1764.

MY DEAR SAlly,

We got down here at sunset, having taken in more live stock at Newcastle, with some other things we wanted. Our good friends, Mr. Galloway, Mr. Wharton, and Mr. James, came with me in the ship from Chester to Newcastle and went ashore there. It was kind to favor me with their good company as far as they could. The affectionate leave taken of me by so many friends at Chester was very endearing. God bless them and all Pennsylvania.

My dear child, the natural prudence and goodness of heart God has blest you with make it less necessary for me to be particular in giving you advice. I shall therefore only say, that the more attentively dutiful and tender you are towards your good mamma, the more you will recommend yourself to me. But why should I mention me, when you have so much higher a promise in the commandments, that such conduct will recommend you to the favor of God. You know I have many enemies, all indeed on the public account, (for I cannot recollect that I have in a private capacity given just cause of offence to any one

wards wrote, "that, under whatsoever circumstances this second embassy was undertaken, it appears to have been a measure preordained in the counsels of Heaven; and it will be for ever remembered to the honor of Pennsylvania, that the agent selected to assert and defend the rights of a single province, at the court of Great Britain, became the bold asserter of the rights of America in general, and, beholding the fetters that were forging for her, conceived the magnanimous thought of rending them asunder before they could be riveted."

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