take place. I had the misfortune to find these expectations disappointed, and to be treated as the cause of the mischief I was labouring to prevent. My confolation under that groundless and malevolent treatment was, that I retained the friendship of many wife and good men in that country; and among the reft, fome fhare in the regard of Lord Howe.

The well founded esteem, and permit me to fay affection, which I fhall always have for your Lordship; make it painful to me to see you engaged in conducting a war, the great ground of which, (as described in your letter;) is "the ne"ceffity of preventing the American trade from

paffing into foreign channels." To me it feems that neither the obtaining or retaining any trade, how valuable foever, is an object for which men may justly spill each others blood; that the true and fure means of extending and fecuring commerce, are the goodness and cheapness of commodities; and that the profits of no trade can ever be equal to the expence of compelling it, and holding it, by fleets and armies. I confider this war against us, therefore, as both unjust and unwife; and I am perfuaded, that cool and difpaffionate pofterity will condemn to infamy thofe who advised it; and that even fuccefs will not fave from fome degree of dishonour, those who have voluntarily engaged to conduct it.

I know your great motive in coming hither, was the hope of being inftrumental in a reconciliation; and I believe, when you find that to be impoffible,

impoffible, on any terms given you to propofe, you will then relinquifh fo odious a command, and return to a more honourable private ftation..

With the greatest and most fincere refpect, I have the honour to be,..

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most obedient,

Directed to the Right Hon.
Lord Viscount Howe.

humble fervant,

B. Franklin *

[It occurs to me to mention that Dr. Franklin was fuppofed to have been the inventor of a little emblematical defign at the commencement of our difputes; reprefenting the state of Great Britain and her colonies, fhould the former perfift in reftraining the latter's trade, deftroying their currency, and taxing their people by laws made by a legiflature in which they were not reprefented. -Great Britain was fuppofed to have been placed upon the globe: But the colonies, her limbs, being fevered from her, fhe was feen lifting her eyes and mangled ftumps to heaven; her fhield, which she was unable to wield, lay ufelefs by her fide; her lance had pierced New England; the laurel branch was fallen from the hand of Penfylvania; the English oak had loft its head, and ftood by a bare trunk with a few withered branches; briars and thorns were on the ground beneath it; our fhips had brooms at their topmaft-heads, denoting their being upon fale; and Britannia herself was seen sliding off the world, no longer able to hold its balance; her fragments overspread with the label date ebolum Belifaria-This in fhort, was the fable of

the

the belly and the members reverfed. But I tell the story chiefly for the fake of the moral, which has the air of having been fuggefted by Dr. Franklin; and is as follows. The political moral of this picture is now eafily difcovered. Hiftory affords us many instances of the ruin of ftates, by the profecution of measures ill fuited to the temper and genius of its people. The ordaining of laws in favor of one part of the nation, to the prejudice and oppreffion of another; is certainly the moft erroneous and mistaken policy. An equal difpenfation of protection, rights, privileges and advantages, is what every part is intitled to, and ought to enjoy; it being a matter of no moment to the ftate, whether a fubject grows rich and flourishing on the Thames or the Ohio, in Edinburgh or Dublin. These measures never fail to create great and violent jealoufies and animofities, between the people favored and the people oppreffed. From whence a total feparation of affections, interefts, political obligations and all manner of con⚫nections, neceffarily enfues; by which the whole state is weakened and perhaps ruined for ever."

This language is part of the fame fyftem with the following fragment of a fentence, which Dr. Franklin inferted in a political publication of one of his friends. The attempts to establish arbitrary power over fo great a part of the British empire, [are] to the imminent hazard of our most valuable commerce, and of that national ftrength, fecurity and felicity, which depend on union and liberty;'-The prefervation of which, I am told, he used to fay, had been the great object and labor of his life; the whole being fuch a thing as the world never before faw.' E.]

This defign was printed on a card, and Dr. Franklin at the time I believe occafionally used to write his notes on fuch cards. It was alfo printed on a half sheet of paper, with an explanation by fome other perfon, and the moral given above. The drawing was but moderately executed.

Comparison

Comparison of Great Britain and America as to Credit, in 1777*.

IN borrowing money, a man's credit depends on fome or all of the following particulars.

First, His known conduct refpecting former loans, and his punctuality in discharging them. Secondly, His industry.

Thirdly, His frugality.

Fourthly, The amount and the certainty of his income, and the freedom of his eftate from the incumbrances of prior debts.

Fifthly, His well founded profpects of greater future ability, by the improvement of his estate in value, and by aids from others.

Sixthly, His known prudence in managing his general affairs, and the advantage they will probably receive from the loan which he defires.

Seventhly, His known probity and honeft character, manifested by his voluntary discharge of his debts, which he could not have been legally compelled to pay.-The circumstances which give credit to an individual ought to, and will have, their weight upon the lenders of money to, public bodies or nations.-If then we confider and

*

[This paper was written, tranflated, printed, and circulated, while Dr. Franklin was at the court of Paris, for the purpose of inducing foreigners to lend money to America in preference to Great Britain. E.]

compare

compare Britain and America, in these several particulars, upon the question, "To which is it fafeft "to lend money?" We fhall find,

1. Refpecting former loans; that America, which borrowed ten millions during the laft war for the maintenance of her army of 25,000 men, and other charges; had faithfully discharged and paid that debt, and all her other debts, in 1772.

Whereas Britain, during thofe ten years of peace and profitable commerce, had made little or no reduction of her debt; but on the contrary, from time to time, diminished the hopes of her creditors, by a wanton diverfion and mifapplication of the finking fund deftined for difcharging it.

2. Refpecting industry; Every man [in America] is employed; the greater part in cultivating their own lands; the reft in handicrafts, navigation, and commerce. An idle man is a rarity; idlenefs and inutility are difgraceful.-In England, the number of that character is immenfe; fashion has spread it far and wide; Hence the embarraffments of private fortunes, and the daily bankruptcies arifing from an univerfal fondness for appearance and expenfive pleasures; And hence, in fome degree, the mifmanagements of public bufinefs; for habits of bufinefs and ability in it, are acquired only by practice; and where univerfal diffipation, and the perpetual pursuit of amusement are the mode; the youth, educated in it, can rarely afterwards acquire that patient attention and clofe application to affairs, which are fo neceffary to a statesman charged with the care of national Ccc welfare.