New Orleans, she covered and commanded the whole vast frontier of the British settlements; that those posts were trading stations, as well as military positions, and, in connection with a numerous band of Jesuit missionaries, gave her an unrivalled influence with most of the more powerful Indian tribes, it will be readily seen that the dangers to which the colonies were exposed, were well calculated to fill the breasts of reflecting men, even the most resolute and firm, with the liveliest anxiety.

As it had been found impracticable to obtain a law for a general military organization, Franklin proposed to effect as extensive an embodiment of force as possible by voluntary subscription. To prepare the way for such a step, by pressing the subject upon the public mind, he wrote and published a pamphlet entitled “ Plain Truth." In this he set forth the defenceless condition of the province, and the necessity and duty of combination and discipline, in as impressive language as he could command; anticipated and answered objections, particularly such as had been more commonly urged among the people at large; and announced that articles of association would shortly be presented for general subscription, to serve as a basis for the enrolment, organization, and training, of such of the people as should come forward, in this way, for the patriotic purpose of defending the community from aggression and injury.

The effect of this appeal to the people was surprising and decisive. The articles of association were promptly called for; and having settled the main points, in consultation with a few judicious friends, Franklin drew them up in due form, and gave notice of a meeting, at which they would be presented for subscription. The meeting was well attended; numerous printed copies, with pens and inkstands, were distributed among the assemblage to

VOLUNTEER MILITIA.

251

expedite the signing; and, after Franklin had read the articles, and made a few remarks on their scope and object, they were, as he relates, "eagerly signed, not the least objection being made."

Upon collecting the several papers, after the meeting, twelve hundred subscriptions were counted up as the result of this first movement, in Philadelphia only; and the articles being distributed throughout the province, the number of men who thus voluntarily pledged themselves to unite for the common defence, rose to upward of ten thousand. They all equipped themselves as promptly as circumstances permitted; formed themselves into companies and regiments, under officers of their own choice, and turned out weekly to drill. The women, ever at least as ready as their brethren to obey the call of patriotism, in their own sphere of action, furnished the respective corps with the requisite banners, which were handsomely emblazoned with bearings chiefly devised by Franklin; who was elected colonel of the Philadelphia regiment, in the first instance; but not deeming himself particularly qualified for military command, he modestly declined the office, suggesting that a Mr. Lawrence, (his individual name is not given,) should be chosen instead, which was accordingly done.

Much alarm had been created, about this time in Philadelphia, by the appearance of a Spanish privateer in Delaware bay. Franklin's next proposal was, therefore, to construct a battery at a suitable point on the bank of the Delaware river below the city; and to defray the expense of the work he prepared a scheme for a lottery. The plan was promptly adopted and the battery erected, with a strong breastwork of log-cribs filled with earth. A few cannon, procured at Boston, were placed in the battery; but more being wanted, orders were sent for them to London, and application was also made to the

Proprietaries of the province for aid. But as considerable time must elapse before these measures could take effect, a committee of four, Franklin being one, was despatched, on behalf of the military association, to New York, for the purpose of obtaining the necessary ordnance, as a loan, to be returned when their own supply should be received. This mission resulted in obtaining eighteen guns. "They were fine cannon;" says Franklin, "eighteen-pounders, with their carriages, which were soon transported and mounted on our batteries, where the association kept a nightly guard, while the war lasted," Franklin taking his own turn duly, " as a common soldier."

The public spirit, energy, and capacity, displayed by Franklin, in these emergencies, gained him the respect and confidence of the governor and council; and they advised with him whenever their co-operation with the association was deemed expedient. At his suggestion, too, they proclaimed a public fast, to be accompanied by appropriate religious services, throughout the colony. As this was the first event of the kind, however, in Pennsylvania, Franklin, as a New-Englander and familiar with the usages on such occasions, was requested to prepare the proclamation. He accordingly drew up one, and it was sent throughout the province, both in German and English. The clergy availed themselves of the promulgation of this document, to commend the association to the approbation of the people and urge them to join it; and it would soon, probably, have embraced most of the population able to bear arms, except the Quakers, had not peace shortly superseded this appeal to their patriotism.

Some of Franklin's personal friends felt apprehensive that the leading part he took, in the military arrangements mentioned, would deprive him of the favor he enjoyed

HIS RULE AS TO PUBLIC OFFICE.

253

among the Quakers, who always had a strong majority in the provincial Assembly; and that he would thus lose the clerkship of that body. A certain young man, who was exceedingly desirous to be clerk himself, told Franklin, one day, that it had been determined to reject him, when the choice of that officer should come up, at the next session; and advised him to decline being a candidate, rather than suffer the mortification of a defeat. Franklin's reply to his adviser, whose motive he well understood, was quite characteristic. He said to him at

once, that he liked the rule, adopted by a man he had read of, neither to seek nor refuse office; and that he should act on the same rule, with only a single addition; for, said he—“I shall never ask, never refuse, nor ever resign an office;" adding that, if the Assembly intended to give the clerkship to another, they should "first take it" from him, as he would not, by resigning it, forego his "right of some time or other making reprisal on his adversaries."

The above answer disposed of his competitor, and at the next session Franklin was again made clerk without opposition; for, while he had discharged the duties of that office, in the most correct and acceptable manner, the majority were too shrewd to reject him for the sole reason that he had exerted himself, most efficiently, in providing for the defence and safety of the community. Besides, it was by no means certain, and subsequent occurrences fully showed the fact, that even the non-combatant Quakers really disliked the military measures in question, so long as they were not personally required to take part in them. Franklin, indeed, states that, although they were opposed to offensive war, yet he found "a much greater number of them than he could have imagined," unequivocally in favor of such measures as were neccessary for defence; and that of the “ many

pamphlets, pro and con, published on the subject," some which were in favor of defensive preparations, were written "by good Quakers."

These views, on the part of that class of people, were still further manifested by the proceedings of the firecompany, to which Franklin belonged, but which consisted mostly of Quakers, a majority of whom, on a motion made by him, voted to appropriate the company's surplus funds, amounting to sixty pounds, to the purchase of tickets in the lottery formed to defray the cost of the battery, already mentioned, for the defence of the city.

The truth is, the non-combatant principles of the Quakers gave them, in the then existing exigencies of the province, not a little embarrassment, especially whenever application was made to the Assembly, on behalf of the Crown, for grants of money, for the public defence. The result of such applications was, generally, a grant of the sums needed, but so worded as to evade an explicit and direct appropriation for warlike purposes. The usual form of the grant was " for the king's use," without particularizing the objects for which the money was to be actually expended.

The form mentioned served well enough, when the call came directly from the king; but in other cases a different phraseology was requisite, and the selection of it was occasionally marked by as much humor as shrewdness. When for instance, a request came from one of the New England colonies for a supply of powder, the Assembly of Pennsylvania would not vote money for the purchase of the black-grained munition of war, under its own distinctive name of gun-powder; but they voted three thousand pounds, to be subject to the governor's order, "for the purchase of bread, flour, wheat, or other grain." To tease the Quaker majority of the Assembly,