With each succeeding issue the newspaper grew more tantalizing, more exasperating, till in January, 1723, James Franklin a second time felt the strong hand of the law. The real cause of displeasure was some remarks on the behavior of Governor Shute, one of the many arrant fools a series of stupid English kings sent over to govern the colonies. He quarreled with the General Court because it would not suffer him to approve or disapprove the speaker; because it ventured to appoint public fasts; interrupted its sessions by long adjournments; suspended military officers, and assumed the direction of Indian wars; and when he could contain himself no longer, he suddenly set off for England. Of this the "Courant" had something to say.

Could any one, it was asked, suppose that the departure of the governor for England with so much privacy and displeasure was likely to promote the welfare of the province when he reached the British court? Would it not be well to send one or two persons of known ability, and born in the province, to the British court, there to vindicate the conduct of the House of Representatives since the late misunderstanding? Ought the ministers to pray for Samuel Shute, Esquire, as immediate governor, and at the same time for the lieutenant-governor as commander-in-chief? Was not praying for the success of his voyage, if, as many supposed, he wished to hurt the province, praying in effect for the destruction of the province? The pretended cause of offense was an essay on religious hypocrisy. For publishing this, James Franklin was forbidden by the General Court to "print or publish the New England Courant, or any other such pamphlet or paper of a like nature, except it be first supervised by the Secretary of the Province."

In this strait the printer called his friends about him for advice. Were the order to be obeyed; were James Franklin to go once each week to the office of the secretary, show his manuscript, and ask leave to publish a column or two of extracts from London newspapers five months old, some fulsome praise of Governor Shute, two or three advertisements for the apprehension of runaway apprentices and as many more for runaway slaves, the "Courant" would, they felt, fall at once to the level of the "News Letter" and the "Gazette," and die of dullness in a month. Change the publisher and this would be avoided, and the "Courant" could continue to be as impudent as ever, for the order applied to James Franklin and to him alone. His friends therefore urged him to make the change; their advice was taken, and the "Gazette" of February 4th-11th, 1723, contains this falsehood: "The late Printer of this paper, finding so many Inconveniences would arise by his carrying the Manuscript and Public news to be supervised by the Secretary as to render his carrying it on unprofitable, has entirely dropt the undertaking." Thenceforth the newspaper issued under Benjamin Franklin's name. The public were assured the late printer had abandoned the enterprise entirely. Lest anyone should inquire into the truth of this statement, the old indenture was cancelled and Benjamin declared free. But the elder brother had no intention of freeing his apprentice, and the cancelled indenture was replaced by a new one which the brothers kept carefully concealed.

It was now pretended that the "Courant" was conducted by a "Club for the Propagation of Sense and Good Manners among the docible part of Mankind in His Majestys Plantations in America." Of this club Dr. Janus was perpetual dictator, and of Dr. Janus an account was given in a humorous "Preface" which Benjamin wrote for the first number of the "Courant" printed in his own name.

"The Society," he wrote, had “design'd to present the Public with the effigies of Dr. Janus; but the Limner, to whom he was presented for a draught of his Countenance discried (and this he is ready to offer upon Oath) nineteen features in his face more than ever he beheld in any Human Visage before ; which so raised the price of his Picture that our Master himself forbid the extravagance of coming up to it. And then besides, the Limner objected to a Schism in his Face which splits it from his Forehead in a Straight line down to his chin in such wise that Mr. Painter protests 'tis a double face and will have four pounds for its portraiture. However tho' this double face has spoilt us a pretty Picture, yet we all rejoice to see old Janus in our company. ... As for his morals he is a chearly Christian as the Country Phrase has it. A man of good temper, courteous Deportment, sound Judgement; a mortal Hater of Nonsense, Foppery, Formality and endless ceremony." To him all letters must be addressed, and thenceforth not a number of the "Courant" issues without some pretended communication "To the Venerable Old Janus," "To Good Master Janus," "To the ancient and venerable Dr. Janus," "To Old Janus the Couranteer." "The gentle reader," "the ingenuous and courteous reader," is assured that the "design of the Club is to contribute to the diversion and Merryment of the town," that "pieces of pleasantry and Mirth have a secret charm in them to allay the heats and Tumors of our Spirits and make us forget our restless resentments, and that no paper shall be suffered to pass without a latin motto if one can possibly be found. Such mottoes charm the Vulgar and give the learned the pleasure of construing. Gladly would the Club add a scrap or two of Greek; but the printer, unhappily has no type. The candid reader therefore will not impute this defect to ignorance; for Docter Janus knows all the Greek letters by heart."

Under the management of the club, the "Courant" grew daily in favor. Each week the list of subscribers became longer, the borrowers became more numerous, and the advertisements steadily increased. Flushed with success, Benjamin in a humorous notice informed his readers that the club had raised the price of the paper to twelve shillings a year. And well he might, for so sprightly and entertaining a newspaper did not exist anywhere else in the colonies. But for this prosperity James Franklin was soon to pay dearly. The very act by which he evaded the order of the General Court placed him in the power of his apprentice, and set the lad an example of dishonesty which Benjamin was quick to follow. From the few glimpses we obtain of James Franklin in the "Autobiography" of Benjamin, he seems