them with joy and gratitude, re-establish their respect and veneration for parliament, restore at once their ancient and natural love for this country, and their regard for every thing that comes from it; hence the trade would be renewed in all its branches; they would again indulge in all the expensive superfluities you supply them with, and their own new assumed home industry would languish. But the suspension, though it might continue their fears and anxieties, would at the same time keep up their resolutions of industry and frugality; which in two or three years would grow into habits, to their lasting advantage. However, as the repeal will probably not be now agreed to, from what I think a mistaken opinion, that the honor and dignity of government is better supported by persisting in a wrong measure once entered into, than by rectifying an error as soon as it is discovered; we must allow the next best thing for the advantage of both countries is, the suspension. For as to executing the act by force, it is madness, and will be ruin to the whole."

Contrary to Dr. Franklin's surmise, shortly after the date of this letter, it began to appear expedient to the administration, then under the Marquis of Rockingham, to endeavor to calm the minds of the colonists; and the repeal of the Stamp Tax was contemplated. Amongst other means of collecting information on the disposition of the people to submit to it, Dr. Franklin was (Feb. 3, 1766,)

"ordered to attend the committee of the whole house of commons, to whom it was referred to consider further the several papers relative to America, which were presented to the house by Mr. Secretary Conway, &c."-For this examination, see APPENDIX, No. 4. It contains a striking account of the extent and accuracy of Dr. Franklin's information, and the facility and manliness with which he communicated his sentiments. He represented facts in so strong a point of view, that the inexpediency of the act must have appeared clear to every unprejudiced mind.

Feb. 24. The resolutions of the committee were reported by the chairman, Mr. Fuller; their seventh and last resolution setting forth, "that it was their opinion that the house be moved, that leave be given to bring in a bill to repeal the Stamp Act." A proposal for re-committing this resolution, was negatived by 240 votes to 133: and the act, after some opposition, was repealed about a year after it was enacted, and before it had ever been carried into execution.'

1 A ludicrous caricature was published on this occasion, of which the following description was given, annexed thereto :

"An account of a humorous political Print, called, THE REPEAL; which (in the Painters' phrase) may be called, A Companion to the TOMB-STONE, a Print not long since published.

"The subject of this print is the Funeral of Miss AME STAMP, the favorite child and youngest daughter of the honora

his

......

........

Dr. Franklin about this period, in addition to agency for Pennsylvania, received the separate ble Mr. George Stamp,' the well-known Gentle Shepherd. At one end of the print stands the Family Vault, with a mutilated inscription, signifying that within it lie (it is to be hoped never to rise again) the remains of Hearth Mon**,• Ship Mon**,................ Excise B***,................ Jew B***,.............. Gen*** Warrants,. &c.' On the top of the vault are two heads on poles, like those on Temple Bar, marked on the skull with the number 1715 and 1745. The vault is supposed to be situated on the side of the river, along the strand of which the funeral procession proceeds. The Reverend Mr. ANTI-SEJANUS,' that noted Constitutionalist, drawn to the life, appears first, reading the burial service; after him follow those two eminent pillars of the law, Sir Bullface Doublejee+ and Mr. Alexander Scotsburn, supporting two flags; on which are delineated the stamps, with the white rose and thistle interweaved, with the old motto of Semper eadem ; to which is annexed a new motto, consisting of those significant words, Three Farthings, taken from the budget. Beneath this motto, as if meant to certify the number of the despicable minority fighting under these banners, appear on one flag the figures 71, and on the other 122, with a flying label surrounding both, bearing these words, All of a STAMP. Next appears the sad father of the deceased child, the honorable Mr. George Stamp himself, with grief and despair pictured on his countenance, carrying in his arms the infant's coffin, on which is written, Miss AME STAMP, born 1765, died 1766.' Immediately after follows the chief mourner Sejanus: then his Grace of Spitalfields and Lord Gawkee: after these Jemmy Twitcher, with a catch by way of funeral anthem; and by his 1 The Right Hon. George Grenville, author of the Stamp Act. 2 Years of rebellion. 4 Sir Fletcher Norton. 5 Mr. Alexander Wedderburn (afterwards Lord Loughborough, haps) the Duke of Bedford. 7 (Perhaps) Lord Gower. Sandwich.

3 Mr. Scott.

6 (Per8 Lord

appointments of agent for the respective colonies of New Jersey, Georgia, and Massachusetts. All of which he continued to fill with equal credit to himself, and advantage to his constituents, during his stay in England.

In the course of this year (1766) he visited Holland and Germany, and received the greatest marks of attention and respect from men of science in those countries. In his passage through Holland, he learned from the watermen the effect which a diminution of the quantity of water in canals has, in impeding the progress of boats.

side his friend and partner Mr. Falconer Donaldson of Halifax. At a little distance, to close the procession, are two worthy B****ps, Dr. Squirt, and another right reverend gentleman, who shall be nameless: and behind them lie, on this side of the river, two huge bales of returned commodities, one marked Stamps from America, the other Black Cloth from America.

"These few mourners are separated from the joyful scene that appears in the back ground, by the River Thames, in which are riding three first-rate ships, called, The RoCKINGHAM,' The GRAFTON," and The CONWAY. Along the shore stand open warehouses for the several goods of our principal manufacturing towns, from which cargoes are NOW shipping for America: among these is a large case, containing a statue of MR. PITT, which is heaving on board a boat number 250; and there is another boat taking in goods, nearer the first-rates, which is numbered 105; numbers which will ever remain sacred to liberty, and render the memory of the triumphant MAJORITY, on this side of the river, revered by our latest posterity."

'The Marquis of Rockingham. Secretary Conway.

The Duke of Grafton.

13 Mr.

Upon his return to England he was induced to make a number of experiments, which tended to confirm the observation. These, with an explanation of the phenomenon, he communicated in a letter to his friend Sir John Pringle, which will be found among his philosophical writings.

In the following year, as also in 1769, he visited Paris, where he was no less favorably received than he had been in Germany. He was introduced to the King (Louis XV.) and his sisters Mesdames de France, and particularly distinguished by them as he was also by the Academy of Sciences (of which he was afterwards elected a foreign associate,') and many other scientific and literary characters.

Mons. Dubourg, an eminent physician and philosopher, undertook a French translation of Dr. Franklin's Letters on his Discoveries in Electricity, and the third English edition of the same was now published in London. With respect to the general merit and originality of the experiments and hypothesis of Dr. Franklin, as described and explained in these Letters, that great natural philosopher, the late Dr. Priestley, bears the following testimony in his "History of Electricity."

66

Nothing was ever written upon the subject of electricity, which was more generally read and

See P. S. of Letter to Governor Franklin, Aug. 22, 1772. (PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE, PART II.)