To indulge in the fashions and manufactures of

Great Britain."

66

What is now their pride?" "To wear their old clothes over again, till they can make new ones."

After a long and warm debate, the obnoxious act was repealed. In that debate some of the members did not spare the doctor, or the constituents whom he represented. Mr. Nugent, who had been one of the busiest of the examiners, made a violent speech, the following extract from which is preserved in Franklin's notes: "We have often experienced Austrian ingratitude, and yet we assisted Portugal. We experienced Portuguese ingratitude, and yet we assisted America. But what is Austrian ingratitude, what the ingratitude of Portugal, compared to this of America? We have fought, bled, and ruined ourselves to conquer for them, and now they come and tell us to our noses, even at the bar of this House, that they were not obliged to us." In the course of Franklin's examination, he had, indeed, shown that the colonies had little occasion for gratitude, having doue more for themselves than the British government did for them, and having suffered more for the British Empire than they had been requited for. He showed that even in the wars which had grown out of colonial questions, it was the honor of the crown, or the interests of British traders and manufacturers, and not the welfare of the old and loyal colouies, which was at stake. And he exhibited, moreover, the fact that the old provinces had been embroiled in war, and exposed to ravages and

incursions from the Indians, by distant boundary disputes between England and France, in which, except as Britons, alive to the honor of the whole nation, they had no concern. He exposed the fact that of the large regular force nominally employed in the provinces, the greater part were in distant garrisons, while the colonists themselves, with very slight as sistance, bore the burden of the war.

The Stamp Act was repealed. But the eagerness of debate had called out hot words, which caused the measure to be shorn of much of its propitiatory character. Ministers were accused of having sacrificed the dignity of the realm by giving way before a rebellious spirit; and to save appearances, the Declaratory Act was passed, in which was asserted the right of Parliament "to bind the colonies in all cases whatsoever." As this declaration was accompanied by no immediate exercise of the right it affirmed, but rather by a practical waiving of that right, if it existed, in the repeal of the Stamp Act, it gave little present uneasiness. But the thoughtful saw in it the germ of future difficulties and unhappiness. The principle which it involved either was the deliberate opinion of the British government, or it was forced upon that government, as a rule of conduct, by the fact of having asserted it. It placed an obstacle in the of reconciliation which was never overcome, way and aided the rankling discontent which broke out in open war when the British ministry attempted to carry out the doctrine that Parliament had absolute and arbitrary right of rule over the provinces.

CHAPTER XXI

THE bill to repeal the Stamp Act passed the Commons in February, 1766, and the Lords in March, receiving the royal assent on the 18th of the same month. Writing to his wife in April, Franklin says,

My dear child, as the Stamp Act is at length repealed, I am willing you should have a new gown, which you may suppose I did not send sooner, as I knew you would not like to be finer than your neighbors, unless in a gown of your own spinning. Had the trade between the two countries totally ceased, it was a comfort to me to recollect that I had once been clothed from head to foot in woolen and linen of my wife's manufacture; that I never was prouder of any dress in my life; and that she and her daughter might do it again, if it was necessary. I told the Parliament that it was my opinion, before the old clothes of the Americans were worn out, they might have new ones of their own making. I have sent you a fine piece of Pompadour satin, fourteen yards, cost eleven shillings a yard; a silk negligée, and petticoat of brocaded lutestring for my dear Sally, with two dozen gloves, four bottles of lavender water, and two little reels." The letter then goes on to enumerate various other articles, and describes their use. Among the merchandise in the inventory are

mentioned "three fine cheeses." One can scarce forbear a smile, at this distance of time, in thinking of "Poor Richard" forwarding such a consignment as Pompadour satin, lavender, corkscrews, and

cheeses; but the smile is inevitable when we find the doctor suggesting in his letter that "perhaps a bit of the cheese may be left when he comes home." We have before remarked on the interest he took in minute affairs about his household, as shown in his letters. An extract from a letter to him from his wife, written a few months previous to the above, will give her testimony to his character. The conclusion is exquisite. The original is in the possession of Mr. Watson, the annalist. She is describing the arrangement of their new house, erected during the doctor's absence, in Franklin Court:

"In the room down stairs is the sideboard, which

is very handsome and plain, with two tables made to suit it, and a dozen of chairs also. The chairs look as well as Paduasoy, The little south room I

are plain horse-hair, and and are admired by all. have papered, as the walls were very much soiled. In this room is a carpet I bought cheap for its goodness, and nearly new. The large carpet is in the blue room. In the parlor is a Scotch carpet, which has had much fault found with it. Your time-piece stands in one corner, which is, as I am told, all wrong; but I say we shall have all these as they should be when you come home. If you could meet with a Turkey carpet, I should like it; but if not, I shall be very easy, for as to these things I have become quite indifferent at this time. In the north room, where we sit, we have a small Scotch carpet, the small book-case, brother John's picture, and one of the king and queen. In the room for our friends we have the Earl of Bute hung up, and a glass. May I desire you to remember drinking-glasses, and a large table-cloth or two; also a pair of silver canisters! The closed doors in your room have been framed for glasses, unknown to me; I shall send you an account of the panes required. I shall also send the measures of the fire-places, and the piers of glass. The chimneys do well, and I have baked in the oven, and found it is good. The room we call yours has in it a desk, the harmonica made like a desk, a large chest with all the writings, the boxes of glasses for music and for the electricity, and all your clothes. The pictures are not put up, as I do not like to drive