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

proprietary dependents excepted, who great.y rejoice and even insult the petitioners and their friends. Since the receipt of this incredible letter, extracts whereof have been industriously sent all over the province, in order to spirit up the temper and violent disposition of their party, I have left nothing in my power unessayed among our friends to oppose the torrent, and to prevail on them to discredit this account, and to believe that his Majesty will yet hear their petitions and redress their aggrievances. And I have been obliged to give many extracts of your letters to me, respecting the state of those petitions, to convince them of my assurances, which has, in some degree, prevented their despair, as they have been from thence induced to discredit the extract.

Our Assembly, anxious to know the result of the petitions, have adjourned to the 6th of May next; being inviolably attached to his Majesty, and firmly determined to become his immediate subjects, if there are any human means left to effect it. And since the assurances that have been received, that our liberties will be preserved on the change, all their constituents (the proprietary dependents and Presbyterians excepted) are determined to support them in the attempt. Should this account from the Proprietor prove true, (which God forbid,) that their petitions are rejected without a hearing, I fear their consternation and distress will be wrought still higher. For, while the present members are continued, I am convinced they will never cease entreating his Majesty to rescue them from the oppression of his private subjects; and that there is a great probability to presume their continuance, will appear from the accounts of the last election. Wherefore I hope the petitions, as you have written, and I have confidently declared, are not rejected,

or laid aside, but will be resumed when the more important American affairs are settled. Nothing less than a change, I think, will satisfy the people; certain I am, a dismission without a hearing never can, but, I fear, will throw this already too unhappy province into equal disorder and confusion with its neighbouring colonies.

You will therefore be pleased to inform me in what state the petitions are before his Majesty's Council, by the earliest opportunity, that I may be enabled to satisfy the people, who rely upon us with certainty. In the mean time, be assured, that nothing in my power shall be wanting to preserve the peace, and render them easy. Believe me, dear friend, ever yours most affectionately,

JOSEPH GALLOWAY.

TO THE EDITOR OF A NEWSPAPER.

*

Humorous Account of News-writers, and of the Intelligence often contained in Newspapers.

SIR,

Monday, 20 May, 1765.

In your paper of Wednesday last, an ingenious correspondent who calls himself THE SPECTATOR, and dates from Pimlico, under the guise of good will to the news-writers, whom he calls a "useful body of men in this great city," has, in my opinion, artfully attempted to turn them and their works into ridicule,

This humorous letter was written in London, probably with the view of exposing the idle and false reports that were constantly circulated respecting the American colonies. It is here printed as transcribed from the original draft, in which the name of the newspaper for which it was intended is not mentioned.