TO MRS. DEBORAH FRANKLIN. Arrival in England. MY DEAR DEBBY, Saint Helen's Road, Isle of Wight, This line is just to let you know, that we have this moment come to an anchor here, and that I am going ashore at Portsmouth, and hope to be in London on Tuesday morning. No father could have been tenderer to a child than Captain Robinson has been to me, for which I am greatly obliged to Messrs. James and Drinker; but we have had terrible weather, and I have often been thankful, that our dear Sally state we are in, the clearer I am confirmed in my judgment of the absolute necessity of the measure [a change of government]; and for my own part cannot help saying, that I think a Legislative Council will one day or other be found to be the greatest support of our privileges, as well as that of the rights of the crown. For, when I consider the natural increase of the Pns, and the vast numbers yearly arriving among us, I am induced to believe they will have the rule and direction of our elections. If that should prove the circumstance, nothing can contribute to our freedom so much as a Legislative Council, who would, no doubt, receive their appointment from London, and every avenue would be well guarded on that side of the water; so that those people would not have it in their power to fill both the legislative and executive branches of government.” — Philadelphia, December 4th. The blank in this extract doubtless refers to the Presbyterians. It would seem that religious motives, as well as political, mingled in this controversy about the change of government. In this point of view the following "Circular Letter" throws some light on the subject. "Philadelphia, 30 March, 1764. "Our General Assembly have adjourned for a short time to consult their constituents, whether an humble address should be drawn up and transmitted to his Majesty, praying that he would be pleased to take this province under his immediate protection and government; that is, whether the freemen of this province should petition the King, that we may be reduced to the form of a King's government. The fres VOL. VII. 36 X* was not with me. Tell our friends that dined with us on the turtle, that the kind prayer they then put up for thirty days' fair wind to me was favorably heard and answered, we being just thirty days from land to land. I am, thanks to God, very well and hearty. John has behaved well to me, and so has everybody on board. I thank all my friends for their favors, which contributed so much to the comfort of my voyage. I have not time to name names. You know whom I love and honor. Say all the proper things for me to everybody. Love to our children, and to my dear brother and sister. I am, dear Debby, your ever loving husband, B. FRANKLIN.* byterians here, upon mature deliberation, are of opinion, that it is not safe to do things of such importance rashly. Our privileges by these means may be greatly abridged, but will never be enlarged. We are under the King's protection now, as much as we can be, for he will never govern us in person; and it is of no great consequence whether his deputy be recommended by the Proprietaries, or by some other great man by his Majesty's approbation. Our charter is in danger by such a change, and let no man persuade you to the contrary. "There has been a half-yearly meeting of the Quakers in this city; but this change of government has not been proposed in their meeting, as we can yet understand, nor is it approved of by the heads of that Society. This affair is in all probability a trap, laid to ensnare the unwary, and then to cast an odium on the Presbyterians for ruining, or attempting to ruin, the province. The frontier counties are now suing for redress of grievance, and we have the greatest reason to believe, that it is no more than an artful scheme to divide or divert the attention of the injured frontier inhabitants from prosecuting their petitions, which very much alarm them. For these reasons, we would earnestly recommend to you to lose no time in advising all under your influence, whether of our denomination or others, not to sign any such petition. "Signed per order, "GILBERT TENNENT, He reached London in the evening of the 10th of December, and went immediately to his old lodgings. In a short letter to Miss Ste TO MRS. DEBORAH FRANKLIN. MY DEAR CHILD, London, 9 February, 1765. I have been so hurried of late, that I could not write much by this packet. One letter to the Speaker, and one to you, are all I shall be able to make out. Thanks to God, I am got perfectly well; my cough quite gone. My arms, too, continue mending, so that I can now put on and off my clothes, but do not practice it yet, as it still hurts me a little. John continues with me, behaves very well, and talks of returning with me. Mrs. Stevenson has bought the things you wrote for, and they will go by Captain Robinson. She presents her compliments, and wishes you would come over and bring Sally. I purpose sending in the chest some books for cousin Colbert, if the bookseller sends them soon enough. I hope to be able to return about the end of summer. I will look out for a watch for Sally, as you venson, who was then in the country, he said; "I have once more the pleasure of writing a line to my dear Polly, from Craven Street, where I arrived on Monday evening, in about thirty days from Philadelphia. Your good mamma was not at home, and the maid could not tell where to find her; so I sat me down and waited her return, when she was a good deal surprised to find me in her parlour." The intelligence of this event seems to have caused a sensation among his friends in Philadelphia. "A vessel from Ireland to New York," says Cadwallader Evans in a letter to him, "brought us the most agreeable news of your arrival in London, which occasioned a great and general joy in Pennsylvania among those, whose esteem an honest man would value most. The bells rang on that account till near midnight, and libations were poured out for your health, success, and every other happiness. Even your old friend Hugh Roberts stayed with us till eleven o'clock, which you know was a little out of his common road, and gave us many curious anecdotes within the compass of your forty years' acquaintance."- March 15th, 1765. desire, to bring with me. The reason I did not think of it before, was your suffering her to wear yours, which you seldom use yourself. Major Small arrived here about three weeks since very well, and gave me the pleasure of hearing that he left you and Sally and our other children well also. The news of Colonel Bouquet's success gave great satisfaction here, but to none more than myself, upon his account as well as the country's. I do not know whether I mentioned in any former letter, that I could wish you to send me what letters come to your hands directed to me in my absence. I particularly want those, that went from the post-office here. I am obliged to our landlord for his civility, and shall always remember it. I hope by this time your trouble of moving is over, and that you are completely settled. I went to see Mrs. West. She was then unwell, and I did not see her, and have since been too busy; but shall wait on them again very soon. My love to all. I am, my dear Debby, your affectionate husband, B. FRANKLIN. FROM JOSEPH GALLOWAY TO B. FRANKLIN. Alarm in Pennsylvania on the News being received, that the Petitions of the Assembly had been rejected by the King. DEAR SIR, Philadelphia, 27 February, 1765. I wrote to you by the packet, including a copy of the extract of a letter from Thomas Penn to his nephew, the governor, which is enclosed in this letter. This account of the petitions for a change of this government from proprietary to royal, has struck our friends with the utmost consternation, and, indeed, I am not a little alarmed at the consequences. For, you well know, the Assembly party are the only loyal part of the people here, and are those very persons, who have preserved the peace and good order of the province, not only against the Paxton rioters and murderers, but also in these times of general tumult and distraction, when all the powers of this government were asleep, and its officers were inactive in the opposition; and they conceive, that this good demeanor and remarkable service to the crown justify their claim of some share of merit, and, at least, entitle them to a hearing of their complaints. But they say, if this extract be true, that his Majesty's Privy Council has rejected the humble petitions of their representatives without even a hearing; that they have not been permitted, when they have approached the throne with the utmost duty and loyalty, to breathe forth their complaints against proprietary oppression and injustice, which has often wounded their own welfare, and obstructed their essential duties to the crown; and that they have nothing now left, but to groan, if they dare to groan at all, under the tyranny of a private subject, without the least hopes of redress, the royal ear being shut against a part of his liege subjects, the most dutiful and loyal. They further say, what you well know, that the laws are not, nor have been, for many years duly executed; that no justice is to be obtained against the Proprietors, or their adherents; that the most flagitious offenders, even murderers and rebels, are travelling about the country with impunity; and that they have no protection of life, nor safety of person or property. These, with many other complaints, are constantly issuing from the hearts of the people; the |