to receive and embrace here the whole family. | thou dost not inquire rightly concerning that "To the Editors of the Pennsylvania Gazette. MESSRS. HALL AND SELLERS,-I lately heard a remark, that on examination of the Pennsylvania Gazette for fifty years from its commencement, it appeared that during that long period, scarce one libellous piece had ever appeared in it. This generally chaste conduct of your paper is much to its reputation; for it has long been the opinion of sober, judicious people, that nothing is more likely to endanger the liberty of the press, than the abuse of that liberty, by employing it in personal accusation, detraction, and calumny. The excesses some of our papers have been guilty of in this particular, have set this state in a bad light abroad, as appears by the following letter, which I wish you to publish, not merely to show your own disapprobation of the practice, but as a caution to others of the profession throughout the United States. For I have seen an European newspaper, in which the editor, who had been charged with frequently calumniating the Americans, justifies himself by saying, that he had published nothing disgraceful to us, which he had not taken from our own printed papers.'-I am, &c. * "A. B." "NEW YORK, March 30, 1788. "DEAR FRIEND,-My gout has at length left me, after five months' painful confinement. It afforded me however the leisure to read, or hear read, all the packets of your newspapers which you so kindly sent for my amusement. "Mrs. W. has partaken of it; she likes to read the advertisements; but she remarks some kind of inconsistency in the announcing so many diversions for almost every evening in the week, and such quantities to be sold of expensive superfluities, fineries, and luxuries just imported, in a country that at the same time fills its papers with complaints of hard times and want of money. I tell her that such complaints are common to all times and all countries, and were made even in Solomon's time; when, as we are told, silver was as plenty in Jerusalem as the stones in the street, and yet even then, there were people that grumbled, so as to incur this censure from that knowing prince. Say not thou that the former times were better than these; for most is that between the name of your city, "But the inconsistence that strikes me the Philadelphia, brotherly love, and the spirit of rancour, malice, and hatred that breathes in its newspapers. For I learn from those papers, that your state is divided into parties, that each ascribes all the public operations of the other to vicious motives; that they do not gree of honesty; that the anti-federalists are even suspect one another of the smallest desuch, merely from the fear of losing power, places, or emoluments which they have in possession or in expectation; that the federalists are a set of conspirators, who aim at establishing a tyranny over the persons and property of their countrymen, and to live in splendour on the plunder of the people. I learn too that your justices of the peace, though chosen by their neighbours, make a villanous trade of their office, and promote discord to augment fees, and fleece their electors; and that this would not be mended by placing the choice in the executive council, who with interested or party views are continually making as improper appointments;" witness a petty fiddler, sycophant, and scoundrel appointed judge of the Admiralty; an old woman and fomenter of sedition' to be another of the judges, and a Jeffries' chief justice, &c. &c.; with two harpies' the comptroller and naval officers to prey upon the merchants and deprive them of their property by force of arms, &c. I am informed also by these papers, that your general assembly, though the annual choice of the people shows no regard to their rights, but from sinister views or ignorance, makes laws in direct violation of the constitution, to divest the inhabitants of their property, and give it council, either fearing the resentment of their to strangers and intruders; and that the constituents, or plotting to enslave them, had projected to disarm them, and given orders for that purpose; and finally, that your president, the unanimous joint choice of the council and assembly, is an old rogue,' who gave his assent to the federal constitution, merely to avoid refunding money he had purloined from the United States. There is indeed a good deal of manifest inconsistency in all this, and yet a stranger seeing it in your own prints, though he does not believe it all, may probably believe enough of it to conclude that Pennsylvania is peopled by a set of the most unprincipled, wicked, rascally, and quarrelsome scoundrels upon the face of the globe. I have sometimes indeed suspected, that those papers are the manufacture of foreign enemies among you, who write with a view of disgracing your country, and making you appear contemptible and detestable all the world over: but then I wonder at the indiscretion of your printers in publishing such writings! There is, how-more than once for the same tax, makes the ever one of your inconsistencies that consoles trouble of collecting, in many cases, exceed me a little, which is, that though living you the value of the sum collected. Things that give one another the characters of devils; are practicable in one country are not always dead you are all angels! It is delightful so in another, where circumstances differ. when any of you die, to read what good hus- Our duties are however generally so small as bands, good fathers, good friends, good citi- to give little temptation to smuggling. zens, and good Christians you were, concluding with a scrap of poetry that places you, with certainty, every one in heaven. So that I think Pennsylvania a good country to die in, though a very bad one to live in." "M. Veillard. "PHILADELPHIA, April 22, 1788. "MY DEAR FRIEND,-I received but a few days since your favour of November 30, 1787, in which you continue to urge me to finish the Memoirs. My three years of service will expire in October, when a new president must be chosen; and I had the project of retiring then to my grandson's villa in New Jersey, where I might be free from the interruption of visits, in order to complete that work for your satisfaction; for in this city my time is so cut to pieces by friends and strangers, that I have sometimes envied the prisoners in the bastile but considering now the little remnant of life I have left, the accidents that may happen between this and October, and your earnest desire, I have come to a resolution to proceed in that work to-morrow, and continue it daily till finished, which if my health permits, may be in the course of the ensuing summer. As it goes on I will have a copy made for you, and you may expect to receive a part by the next packet. It is very possible, as you suppose, that all the articles of the proposed new govern ment will not remain unchanged after the first meeting of the congress. I am of opinion with you, that the two chambers were not necessary, and I disliked some other articles that are in, and wished for some that are not in the proposed plan; I nevertheless hope it may be adopted, though I should have nothing to do with the execution of it, being determined to quit all public business with my present employment. At 83 one certainly has a right to ambition repose. "We are not ignorant, that the duties paid at the custom-house on the importation of foreign goods are finally reimbursed by the consumer, but we impose them as the easiest way of levying a tax from those consumers. If our new country was as closely inhabited as your old one, we might without much difficulty collect a land-tax, that would be sufficient for all purposes: but where farms are at five or six miles distant from each other, as they are in a great part of our country, the going of the collectors from house to house to demand the taxes, and being obliged to call "Believe me ever, my dear friend, yours most affectionately, B. FRANKLIN." "M. Dupont de Nemours, at Paris. "PHILADELPHIA, June 9, 1788. "SIR,-I have received your favour of December 31, with the extract of a letter which you wish to have translated and published here. But seven states having, before it arrived, ratified the new constitution, and others being daily expected to do the same, after the fullest discussion in convention, and in all the public papers, till every body was tired of the argument, it seemed too late to propose delay, and especially the delay that must be occasioned by a revision and correction of all the separate constitutions. For it would take at least a year to convince thirteen states that the constitutions they have practised ever since the revolution, without observing any imperfections in them, so great as to be worth the trouble of amendment, are nevertheless so ill formed as to be unfit for continuation, or to be parts of a federal government. And when they should be so convinced, it would probably take some years more to make the connexions. An eighth state has since acceded, and when a ninth is added, which is now daily expected, the constitution will be carried into execution. It is probable, however, that at the first meeting of the new congress, various amendments will be proposed and discussed, when I hope your Ouvrage sur les principes et le bien des republiques en general, &c. &c., may be ready to put into their hands; and such a work from your hand, I am confident, though it may not be entirely followed, will afford useful hints, and produce advantages of importance. But we must not expect that a new government may be formed, as a game of chess may be played, by a skilful hand, without a fault. The players of our game are so many, their ideas so different, their prejudices so strong and so various, and their particular interests, independent of the general, seeming so opposite, that not a move can be made that is not contested; the numerous objections confound the understanding; the wisest must agree to some unreasonable things, that reasonable ones of more consequence may be obtained, and thus chance has its share in many of the determinations, so that the play is more like tric-trac with a box of dice. "We are much pleased with the disposition of your government to favour our commerce, manifested in the late réglement. You ap greatest perfection the art of making themselves beloved by strangers. And now, even in my sleep, I find, that the scenes of all my pleasant dreams are laid in that city, or in its neighbourhood. "I like much young M. Dupont. He appears a very sensible and valuable man, and I think his father will have a great deal of satisfaction in him. pear to be possessed of a truth, which few go- | whose conversation is instructive, whose vernments are possessed of, that A must take manners are highly pleasing, and who, above some of B's produce, otherwise B will not be all the nations in the world, have in the able to pay for what he would take of A. But there is one thing wanting to facilitate and augment our intercourse. It is a dictionary, explaining the names of different articles of manufacture, in the two languages. When I was in Paris, I received a large order for a great variety of goods, particularly of the kind called hardwares, i. e. wares of iron and steel: and when I showed the invoice to your manufacturers, they did not understand what kinds of goods or instruments were meant by the names: nor could any English and French dictionary be found to explain them. So I sent to England for one of each sort, which might serve both as explanation and as a model, the latter being of importance likewise, since people are prejudiced in favour of forms they have been used to, though perhaps not the best. They cost me twenty-five guineas, but were lost by the way, and the peace coming on the scheme dropped. It would however, as I imagine, be well worth receiving. For our merchants say we still send to England for such goods as we want, because there they understand our orders, and can execute them precisely. With great esteem, I am, &c. "B. FRANKLIN.' "Madame Lavoisier. "PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 23, 1788. "I HAVE a long time been disabled from writing to my dear friend, by a severe fit of the gout, or I should sooner have returned my thanks for her very kind present of the portrait, which she has herself done me the honour to make of me. It is allowed by those who have seen it to have great merit as a picture in every respect; but what particularly endears it to me is the hand that drew it. Our English enemies, when they were in possession of this city and my house, made a prisoner of my portrait, and carried it off with them, leaving that of its companion, my wife, by itself, a kind of widow. You have replaced the husband, and the lady seems to smile as well pleased. "It is true, as you observe, that I enjoy here every thing that a reasonable mind can desire, a sufficiency of income, a comfortable habitation of my own building, having all the conveniences I could imagine; a dutiful affectionate daughter to nurse and take care of me, a number of promising grandchildren, some old friends still remaining to converse with, and more respect, distinction, and public honours than I can possibly merit; these are the blessings of God, and depend on his continued goodness: yet all do not make me forget Paris and the nine years' happiness I enjoyed there. in the sweet society of people "Please present my thanks to M. Lavoisier for the Nomenclature Chimique he has been so good as to send me, (it must be a useful book) and assure him of my great and sincere esteem and attachment. My best wishes attend you both, and I think I cannot wish you and him greater happiness than a long continuance of the connexion.-With great regard and affection, I have the honour to be, my dear friend, your most obliged and most obedient humble servant, “B. FRANKLIN.” Dr. Ingenhauz. "October 24, 1788. "You have always been kind enough to interest yourself in what relates to my health: I ought therefore to acquaint you with what appears to me something curious respecting it: you may remember the cutaneous malady, I formerly complained of, and for which you and Dr. Pringle favoured me with prescriptions and advice. It vexed me near fourteen years, and was, the beginning of this year, as bad as ever, covering almost my whole body except my face and hands: when a fit of the gout came on, without very much pain, but a swelling in both feet, which at last appeared also in both knees; and then in my hands. As these swellings increased and extended, the other malady diminished, and at length disappeared entirely. Those swellings have some time since begun to fall, and are now almost gone; perhaps the cutaneous may return, or perhaps it is worn out. I may hereafter let you know what happens. I am on the whole much weaker than when it began to leave me. But possibly that may be the effect of age, for I am now near 83, the age of commencing decrepitude. "I grieve at the wars Europe is engaged in, and wish they were ended; for I fear even the victors will be the losers. “B. FRANKLIN." "P. S. Our public affairs are drawing to wards a settlement. I have served out the three years term of my presidentship, limited by the constitution; and being determined to engage no more in public business, I hope, if health permits, to be a better correspondent. We have no philosophical news here at present, except that a boat moved by a steam engine, rows itself against tide in our river, and it is apprehended the construction may be so simplified and improved as to become generally useful." "B. Vaughan. "October 24, 1788. This, however, nations seldom do, and we have had frequent instances of their spending more money in wars for acquiring or securing branches of commerce, than an hundred years' profit or the full enjoyment of them can compensate. "Remember me affectionately to good Dr. Price and to the honest heretic Dr. Priestley. I do not call him honest by way of distinction; for I think all the heretics I have known have been virtuous men. They have the virtue of fortitude, or they would not venture to own their heresy; and they cannot afford to be deficient in any of the other virtues, as that would give advantage to their many enemies; and they have not like orthodox sinners, such a number of friends to excuse or justify them. It is not to Do not, however, mistake me. my good friend's heresy that I impute his honesty. On the contrary, 'tis his honesty that has brought upon him the character of heretic. B. FRANKLIN." “Mrs. Partridge. PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 25, 1788. “HAVING now finished my term in the presidentship, and resolving to engage no more in public affairs, I hope to be a better correspondent for the little time I have to live. I am recovering from a long continued gout, and am diligently employed in writing the History of my Life, to the doing of which the persuasions contained in your letter of January 31, 1783, have not a little contributed. I am now in the year 1756, just before I was sent to England. To shorten the work, as well as for other reasons, I omit all facts and transactions that may not have a tendency to benefit the young reader, by showing him from my example, and my success in emerging from poverty, and acquiring some degree of wealth, "MY DEAR CHILD,-I received your kind power, and reputation, the advantages of cer- letter of the 12th instant, enclosing one for tain modes of conduct which I observed, and Mr. Philip Vanhorn, physician in Philadelphia, of avoiding the errors which were prejudicial which you desired me to deliver, and to solicit If a writer can judge properly of his the forgiveness of his daughter. I immeown work, I fancy on reading over what is al-diately made inquiry for him, as to be instruready done, that the book may be found enter- mental in so charitable a work, and in concurtaining, interesting, and useful, more so than rence with you, would have given me great I expected when I began it. If my present pleasure: but I am assured by our oldest instate of health continues, I hope to finish it habitants, who have had most acquaintance this winter: when done, you shall have a ma- and best opportunities of knowing their felnuscript copy of it, that I may obtain from low-citizens, particularly some of our physiyour judgment and friendship such remarks cians, that no physician or other person of that as may contribute to its improvement. name has ever been a resident here: so that there must have been some mistake in the information that has been given you, if indeed the whole story is not an imposition. to me. "The violence of our party debates about the new constitution seems much abated, indeed almost extinct, and we are getting fast into good order. I kept out of those disputes pretty well, having wrote only one piece, which I send you enclosed. "You kindly inquire after my health; I have not of late much reason to boast of it. People that will live a long life and drink to the bottom of the cup must expect to meet with some of the dregs. However, when I consider how many more terrible maladies the human body is liable to, I think myself well off that I have only three incurable ones, the gout, the stone, and old age. And those notwithstanding, I enjoy many comfortable intervals, in which forget all my ills, and amuse myself in reading or writing, or in conversation with friends, joking, laughing, and telling merry stories, as when you first knew me, a young man about fifty. "I regret the immense quantity of misery brought upon mankind by this Turkish war; and I am afraid the king of Sweden may burn his fingers by attacking Russia. When will princes learn arithmetic enough to calculate, if they want pieces of one another's territory, how much cheaper it would be to buy them than to make war for them, even though they were to give an hundred years' purchase; but if glory cannot be valued, and therefore the wars for it cannot be subject to arithmetical calculation, so as to show their advantages or disadvantage; at least wars for trade, which "My children and grandchildren, the have gain for their object, may be proper sub- Baches, are all well and pleased with your rejects for such computation; and a trading membrance of them. They are my family, nation as well as a single trader ought to cal- living in my house, and we have lately the adeulate the probabilities of profit and loss, be- dition of a little good-natured girl, whom I before engaging in any considerable adventure.gin to love as well as the rest. "You tell me our poor friend Ben Kent is gone, I hope to the regions of the blessed; or at least to some place where souls are prepared for those regions! I found my hope on this, that though not so orthodox as you and I, he was an honest man, and had his virtues. If he had any hypocrisy, it was of that inverted kind, with which a man is not so bad as he seems to be. And with regard to future bliss, I cannot help imagining that multitudes of the zealously orthodox of different sects, who at the last day may flock together, in hopes of seeing each other damned, will be disappointed, and obliged to rest content with their own salvation. "You have no occasion to apologize for your former letter. It was, as all yours are, very well written. That which is enclosed for your cousin came too late, he being sailed. "By one of the accidents which war occasions, all my books containing copies of my letters were lost. There were eight volumes, and I have been able to recover only two. Those are of later date than the transaction you mention, and therefore can contain nothing relating to it. If the letter you want a copy of, was one in which I consoled my brother's friends, by a comparison drawn from a party of pleasure intended into the country, where we were all to meet, though the chair of one being soonest ready, he set out before the rest: I say if this was the letter, I fancy you may possibly find it in Boston, as I remember Dr. Billis once wrote me that many copies had been taken of it. ing a dispute that happened between queen Anne and the archbishop of Canterbury concerning a vacant mitre, which the queen was for bestowing on a person the archbishop thought unworthy, made both the queen and the archbishop swear three or four thumping oaths in every sentence of the discussion; and the archbishop at last gained his point. present at the tale being surprised, said, But did the queen and the archbishop swear so at one another? O! no, no, said the relator; that is only my way of telling the story.— B. FRANKLIN.” Yours, &c. "To the President of Congress. One "PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 29, 1788 “SIR,-When I had the honour of being the minister of the United States at the court of France, Mr. Barclay arriving there, brought me the following resolution of congress : Resolved, that a commissioner be appointed by con gress with full power and authority to liquidate and finally to settle the accounts of all the servants of the United States, who have been intrusted with the ex penditure of public money in Europe, and to commence and prosecute such suits, causes, and actions as may be necessary for that purpose, or for the recovery of any property of the said United States in the hands of any person or persons whatsoever. That the said commissioner be authorized to ap point one or more clerks, with such allowance as he may think reasonable. take an oath, before some person duly authorized to That the said commissioner and clerks respectively administer an oath, faithfully to execute the trust reposed in them respectively. Congress proceeded to the election of a commissioner, and ballots being taken, Mr. T. Barclay was elect ed.' "In pursuance of this resolution, and as soon as Mr. Barclay was at leisure from more pressing business, I rendered to him all my accounts, which he examined and stated methodically. By his statements he found a belance due to me on the 4th May 1785, of 7533 livres, 19 sols, 3 deniers, which I according "I too should have been glad to have seen that again, among others I have written to him and you. But you inform me they were devoured by the mice, poor little innocent creatures, I am very sorry they had no better food. But since they like my letters, here is another treat for them.-Adieu, ma chere enfant, and believe me ever, your affectionately received of the congress banker; the difuncle, B. FRANKLIN." ference between my statement and his being only seven sols, which by mistake I had overcharged, about three pence halfpenny sterling. "At my request, however, the accounts were left open for the consideration of congress, and not finally settled, there being some articles on which I desired their judgment, and having some equitable demands, as I thought them, for extra services, which he had not conceived himself impowered to allow, and therefore I did not put them in my account. He transmitted the accounts to congress, and had advice of their being received. On my arrival at Philadelphia, one of the first things I did was to despatch my grandson W. Ť. Franklin to New York, to obtain a final settlement of those accounts, he having long act ed as my secretary, and being well acquainted with the transactions, was able to give an explanation of the articles, that might seem |