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the committee of correspondence with a copy of their memorial, and requested they would transmit it to you, which they had agreed to do; but, as the Speaker and the rest of the committee are now out of town, I take that task on myself, and send it herewith.

Your well known attachment to the interest and welfare of America leaves our merchants no room to doubt, but that you will afford their friends in England all the advice and assistance in your power, and fully coöperate with them in the measures most proper to be pursued for restoring our commerce to its former flourishing and beneficial state. I am, &c.

JOSEPH GALLOWAY....

FROM JOSEPH GALLOWAY TO B. FRANKLIN.

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Political Pamphlets. Popular Excitement produced by the Stamp Act. Petition to Parliament.

DEAR SIR,

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Philadelphia, 13 January, 1766.

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I received your favors of September 26th and November 9th. We are sensible of the many obstructions and unavoidable difficulties, which you have met with, in proceeding on our petitions; and, from the perfect confidence we repose in you, we have not the least doubt but that every thing has been done for the obtaining the desirable object, a royal government, should it be obtained or not. The presentation of the petitions gives us great pleasure, and we hope the full orders of the present Assembly, to prosecute them to effect forthwith, will facilitate an

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• This letter was likewise addressed to Richard Jackson, the joint agent for Pennsylvania.

issue upon them, and remove any difficulty that may remain with your worthy colleague; though, by his letters to the committee of correspondence, as well as to myself, he seems firmly resolved to unite with you in bringing this affair to a speedy conclusion.

I thank you sincerely for the notice you took of the piece signed "Americanus." Be assured I shall ever esteem your approbation of my conduct among the highest rewards. I have nearly finished a pamphlet on the same subject, entitled "Political Reflections on the Dispute between Great Britain and her Colonies respecting her Right of imposing Taxes on them without their Assent." I shall show it, when done, to my good friend your son, and not publish it without his approbation. Something of this kind seems absolutely necessary to allay the violent temper of the Americans, which has been so worked up as to be ready even for rebellion itself. But the difficulty will be in getting it published, the printers on the continent having combined together to print every thing inflammatory, and nothing that is rational and cool, by which means every thing that is published is ex parte. The people are taught to believe the greatest absurdities, and their passions are excited to a degree of resentment against the mother country, beyond all description.

Our Assembly is now sitting, and yesterday ordered to be transcribed a petition to the Commons for the repeal of the law prohibiting paper money from being lawful tender in the colonies. I hope the decency of it will recommend it to the attention of that House in these violent times, as well as its merits. And I think, if the Parliament duly weighs the effects of granting us the liberty prayed for, they will not refuse it. Without money, labor will be low; and man

ufactures may and must from necessity be carried on in America, which must diminish our British importations. Let us have money, and we shall never think of manufacturing, or, if we do, we shall never be able to perfect it to any degree. I hope the petition will be ready to come by this conveyance.

We impatiently wait for the resolutions of the British Parliament, respecting the Stamp Act. For, while on one part, the law is prevented from being executed by the mobs in the principal colonies of America, on the other, no business is transacted in any of the courts of justice, which is attended with inexpressible mischief. A certain sect of people, if I may judge from all their late conduct, seem to look on this as a favorable opportunity of establishing their republican principles, and of throwing off all connexion with their mother country. Many of their publications justify the thought. Besides, I have other reasons to think, that they are not only forming a private union among themselves, from one end of the continent to the other, but endeavouring also to bring into their union the Quakers, and all other Dissenters, if possible. But I hope this will be impossible. In Pennsylvania I am confident it will. I am, my dear friend, with the sincerest wishes for your happiness,

Your truly affectionate humble servant,

JOSEPH GALLOWAY.

VOL. VII.

20

TO MRS. DEBORAH FRANKLIN.

MY DEAR CHILD,

London, 22 Feoruary, 1766.

I am excessively hurried, being, every hour that I am awake, either abroad to speak with members of Parliament, or taken up with people coming to me at home concerning our American affairs, so that I am much behindhand in answering my friends' letters. But though I cannot by this opportunity write to others, I must not omit a line to you, who kindly write me so many. I am well. It is all I can say at present, except that I am just made very happy by a vote of the Commons for the repeal of the Stamp Act. Your ever loving husband,

B. FRANKLIN.*

TO MRS. DEBORAH FRANKLIN.

MY DEAR CHILD,

London, 27 February, 1766.

I wrote you a few days ago by Mr. Penrose, by way of Maryland, when I wrote also to the Speaker, to Mr. Galloway, Mr. Hughes, and Mr. Hall. I have now as little time as then to enlarge, having wrote besides to-day so much, that I am almost blind. But, by the March packet, I shall freely answer your late letters. Let the vaults alone till my return. As you have a woodyard, perhaps they may not be necessary. I send you some curious beans for your garden. Love

Dr. Franklin's examination before Parliament, concerning the Stamp Act, was closed on the 13th of February, and contributed essentially towards effecting the repeal. The bill for the repeal of the Stamp Act received the royal assent on the 18th of March. For an interesting letter from him on this subject, see Vol. IV. p. 156.

to Sally, and all relations, and to all the ladies that do me the honor to inquire after me. I congratulate you on the soon expected repeal of the Stamp Act, and on the great share of health we both enjoy, though now going in fourscore, that is, in the fourth score. Mr. Whitefield called to-day, and tells me a surprising piece of news. Mr. Dunlap is come here from Barbadoes, was ordained deacon on Saturday last, and priest on Sunday. In haste, but very well. I am, my dear girl, your ever loving husband,

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I received your kind letter of November 27th. You cannot conceive how much good the cordial salutations of an old friend do the heart of a man so far from home, and hearing frequently of the abuses thrown on him in his absence by the enemies, that party has raised against him. In the mean time, I hope I have done even those enemies some service in our late struggle for America. It has been a hard one, and we have been often between hope and despair; but now the day begins to clear. The ministry are fixed for us, and we have obtained a majority in the House of Commons for repealing the Stamp Act, and giving us ease in every commercial grievance. God grant that no bad news of farther excesses in America may arrive to strengthen our adversaries, and weaken the hands of our friends, before this good work is quite completed.

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