instinctive antipathy to able men; which antipathy, upon very slight provocation, could degenerate into rooted abhorrence. Burke, Chatham, Fox, Barré, Conway, Shelburne, all enjoyed the honor of his aversion while they were faithful to their country and its constitution; the king softening towards Burke only when, scared by the horrors of the French Revolution, that illustrious man threw himself headlong into the ranks of reaction. And thus it was that the conduct of the mother country toward the colonies grew more and more exasperating. Even when the government conceded something to the Americans, the concession being either inadequate or too late, was felt to be insult added to injury. CHAPTER V. OFFICIAL LABORS CONTINUED. BRITISH troops had been landed in Boston, amid the silent rage of the people. Fourteen men-of-war, one memorable day in September, 1768, had lain with their broadsides toward the town, with springs on their cables and shot in their guns, while the two regiments were conveyed to the shore. "With muskets charged, bayonets fixed, drums beating, fifes playing, and a complete train of artillery, the troops took possession of the Common, the Statehouse, the Court-house, and Faneuil Hall. The main guard, with two pieces of artillery, was stationed at the State-house with their guns pointed toward it. The town wore the aspect of a garrison. Counselors as they entered the council-chamber, citizens as they passed and repassed on their private errands, were challenged by sentinels."* Two years later occurred the affray called the Boston Massacre, the trial of Captain Preston, and the election of Franklin as the London Agent of the province. The minister who then had charge of American affairs was the * "Memoirs of Josiah Quincy." Earl of Hillsborough, an Irish nobleman of moderate ability and vacillating mind. To him Dr. Franklin repaired to announce his election as agent for Massachusetts. Of the interview which followed he drew up a particular account, that his constituents in Massachusetts might know precisely how their representative was regarded by a maternal government. At the door of the minister's residence, Dr. Franklin was told Lord Hillsborough was not at home. He therefore left his name, and drove away. Before the coach had gone many yards, the porter of Lord Hillsborough came running after it, calling out to the driver to stop. "His lordship will see you, sir," said the porter on reaching the door of the vehicle. On being shown into the usual apartment, who should the agent find there but Sir Francis Bernard, governor of Massachusetts, recently home from his province, just baroneted for his superserviceable toryism in America. Franklin, who had been accustomed to wait "three or four hours" in that ante-room before being admitted to the presence of the minister, was pleased on this occasion at being summoned immediately. He relates the conversation : "Being pleased (with the prompt admission) I could more easily put on the open, cheerful countenance that my friends advised me to wear. His Lordship came towards me and said, 'I was dressing in order to go to court; but, hearing that you were at the door, who are a man of business, I determined to see you immediately.' I thanked his Lordship, and said that my business at present was not much; it was only to pay my respects to his Lordship, and to acquaint him with my appointment by the House of Representatives of Massachusetts Bay to be their agent here, in which station if I could be of any service-(I was going on to say-to the public, I should be very happy;' but his Lordship, whose countenance changed at my naming that province, cut me short by saying, with something between a smile and a sneer), "Hillsborough. I must set you right there, Mr. Franklin; you are not agent. "Franklin. Why, my Lord? "Hillsborough. You are not appointed. "Franklin. I do not understand your Lordship; I have the appoinment in my pocket. "Hillsborough. You are mistaken; I have later and better ad vices. I have a letter from Governor Hutchinson ;* he would not give his assent to the bill. "Franklin. There was no bill, my Lord; it was a vote of the House. "Hillsborough. There was a bill presented to the governor for the purpose of appointing you and another, one Dr. Lee, I think he is called, to which the governor refused his assent. "Franklin. I cannot understand this, my Lord; I think there must be some mistake in it. Is your Lordship quite sure that you have such a letter? "Hillsborough. I will convince you of it directly. (Rings the bell.) Mr. Pownall will come in and satisfy you. "Franklin. It is not necessary that I should now detain your Lordship from dressing. You are going to court. I will wait on your Lordship another time. "Hillsborough. No, stay; he will come immediately. (To the servant.) Tell Mr. Pownall I want him. (Mr. Pownall comes in.) Hillsborough. Have not you at hand Governor Hutchinson's letter, mentioning his refusing his assent to the bill for appointing Dr. Franklin agent? "Pownall. My Lord! "Hillsborough. Is there not such a letter? "Pownall. No, my Lord; there is a letter relating to some bill for the payment of a salary to Mr. De Berdt, and I think to some other agent, to which the governor had refused his assent. “Hillsborough. And is there nothing in the letter to the purpose I mention ? "Pownall. No, my Lord. "Franklin. I thought it could not well be, my Lord; as my letters are by the last ships, and they mention no such thing. Here is the authentic copy of the vote of the House appointing me, in which there is no mention of any act intended. Will your Lordship please to look at it? (With seeming unwillingness he takes it, but does not look into it.) "Hillsborough. An information of this kind is not properly *Lieutenant-Governor of Massachusetts. brought to me as Secretary of State. The Board of Trade is the proper place. be "Franklin. I will leave the paper then with Mr. Pownall to "Hillsborough. (Hastily.) To what end would you leave it with him? "Franklin. To be entered on the minutes of that Board, as usual. "Hillsborough. (Angrily.) It shall not be entered there. No such paper shall be entered there, while I have any thing to do with the business of that Board. The House of Representatives has no right to appoint an agent. We shall take no notice of any agents but such as are appointed by acts of Assembly to which the governor gives his assent. We have had confusion enough already. Here is one agent appointed by the Council, another by the House of Representatives. Which of these is agent for the province? Who are we to hear in provincial affairs? An agent appointed by act of Assembly we can understand. No other will be attended to for the future, I can assure you. "Franklin. I cannot conceive, my Lord, why the consent of the governor should be thought necessary to the appointment of an agent for the people. It seems to me that "Hillsborough. (With a mixed look of anger and contempt.) I shall not enter into a dispute with you, sir, upon this subject. "Franklin. I beg your Lordship's pardon; I do not presume to dispute with your Lordship; I would only say, that it seems to me that every body of men who cannot appear in person, where business relating to them may be transacted, should have a right to appear by an agent. The concurrence of the governor does not seem to me necessary. It is the business of the people that is to be done; he is not one of them; he is himself an agent. 66 Hillsborough. (Hastily.) Whose agent is he? "Franklin. The king's, my Lord. "Hillsborough. No such matter. He is one of the corporation by the province charter. No agent can be appointed but by an act, nor any act pass without his assent. Besides, this proceeding is directly contrary to express instructions. "Franklin, I did not know there had been such instructions. I am not concerned in any offense against them, and "Hillsborough. Yes, your offering such a paper to be entered is an offense against them. (Folding it up again without having read a word of it.) No such appointment shall be entered. When I came into the administration of American affairs, I found them in great disorder. By my firmness they are now something mended; and, while I have the honor to hold the seals, I shall continue the same conduct, the same firmness. I think my duty to the master I serve, and to the government of this nation, requires it of me. If that conduct is not approved, they may take my office from me when they please. I shall make them a bow, and thank them; I shall resign with pleasure. That gentleman knows it (pointing to Mr. Pownall), but, while I continue in it, I shall resolutely persevere in the same FIRMNESS. (Spoken with great warmth, and turning pale in his discourse, as if he was angry at something or somebody besides the agent, and of more consequence to himself.) "Franklin. (Reaching out his hand for the paper, which his Lordship returned to him.) I beg your Lordship's pardon for taking up so much of your time. It is, I believe, of no great importance whether the appointment is acknowledged or not, for I have not the least conception that an agent can at present be of any use to any of the colonies. I shall, therefore, give your Lordship no further trouble." Dr. Franklin then withdrew, leaving the minister in a rage. "I have since heard," wrote Franklin, a few days after, "that his lordship took great offense at some of my last words, which he calls extremely rude and abusive. He assured a friend of mine that they were equivalent to telling him to his face that the colonies could expect neither favor nor justice during his administration. I find he did not mistake me." His character, in Franklin's opinion, was composed of "conceit, wrong-headedness, obstinacy, and passion." It is instructive to note that, at this very time, there was a calumny current in Massachusetts, that Dr. Franklin was a hired tool of Lord Hillsborough. Thenceforth, the agent could do little more for his constituents than employ his pen in the endeavor to open the eyes of the English people to the consequences of the system in vogue, and keep his own countrymen well advised of the state of things in England. After this interview with Lord Hillsborough, he began to foresee the coming disruption. Such pride in the people, such ignorance in the ministry, he thought, would prevent that radical |