The Compleated Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (1757-1790)

by Benjamin Franklin

  As to public affairs, the Congress was not able to assemble more than 7 or 8 states during the whole winter, so the Treaty with Prussia remained unratified until the spring. There were some few faults in our constitutions, which is no wonder, considering the stormy season in which they were made, but these were soon corrected. The disposition to furnish Congress with new powers augmented daily, as people became more enlightened; and I did not remember ever to have seen during my long life more signs of public felicity than appeared at present throughout these states.

  “WHY DON’T THESE DAMNED AMERICANS PAY THEIR DEBTS?”

  During some years past, the British newspapers were filled with reflections on the inhabitants of America for not paying their old debts to English merchants. And from those papers the same reflections were translated into foreign prints, and circulated throughout Europe, whereby the American character, respecting honour, probity and justice in commercial transactions, was made to suffer in the opinion of strangers, which may be attended with pernicious consequences. At length we were told that the British court has taken up the complaint, and seriously offer’d it as a reason for refusing to evacuate the frontier posts according to the treaty. Yet this same nation has itself run into debt to the amount of two hundred and seventy five millions sterling, much of it to foreigners, which they now confess they never expect or intend to pay, and might therefore, one would think, have a little charity for their own debtors and formerly best customers, whom they themselves have foolishly ruin’d by a most unjust and destructive war. And the heir to the crown, too, is already a bankrupt. But this is the nation which exclaims continually, Damn these rascally Americans. Why don’ t they pay their debts!!!

  Clearly the present inability of many American merchants to discharge their debts contracted before the war is not so much their fault as the fault of the crediting nation who by making an unjust war on them, obstructed their commerce, plundering and devastating their country. We may begin by observing that before the war our mercantile character was good. Our ports were all busy, receiving and selling British manufactures, and equipping ships for the circuitous trade; the seas were covered with those ships and with several hundred sail of our fishermen, all working for Britain; and then let us consider the effect that the conduct of Britain in 1774 and 1775 and the following years must naturally have on the future ability of our merchants to make the payments in question. The first step was shutting up the Port of Boston by an act of Parliament; the next to prohibit by another the New England fishery. An army and a fleet were sent to enforce these acts. Here was a stop put at once to all the mercantile operations of one of the greatest trading cities of America; the fishing vessels all laid up, and the usual remittances by way of Spain, Portugal, and the Straits render’d impossible.

  The ships of the fleet employ’d themselves in cruising separately all along the coast. The marine gentry, seldom so well contented with their pay, as not to like a little plunder, they stopp’d and seiz’d under slight pretences the American vessels they met with, belonging to whatever colony. This check’d the commerce of them all. Ships loaded with cargoes destin’d either directly or indirectly to make remittances in England were not spared. Then came another act of Parliament, forbidding any inquisition into those past facts, declaring them all lawful, and all American property to be forfeited whether on sea or land, and authorizing the King’s British subjects to take, seize, sink, burn or destroy whatever they could find of it. Before the declaration of open war, General Gage, being with his army in peaceable possession of Boston, shut its gates, and plac’d guards all around to prevent its communication with the country. The inhabitants were on the point of starving. The general propos’d to them a capitulation, in which he stipulated that if they would deliver up their arms, they might leave the town with their families and goods. But when they began to pack up for their departure, the general seized an immense value of all merchant goods. But the cry nevertheless continu’d, These Boston people do not pay their debts!

  The army, having thus ruin’d Boston, proceeded to different parts of the continent and possessed all the capital trading towns. The troops gorg’d themselves with plunder. They stopp’d all the trade of Philadelphia for nearly a year, of Rhode Island longer, of New York near eight years, of Charleston in South Carolina and Savannah in Georgia, I forget how long. This continu’d interruption of their commerce ruin’d many merchants. The army also burnt to the ground the fine towns of Falmouth and Charles Town near Boston, New London, Fairfield, Norwalk, Esopus, Norfolk (the chief trading city in Virginia), besides innumerable country seats and private farm houses. This wanton destruction of property operated doubly to the disabling of our merchants in making their payments, by the immediate loss they sustain’d themselves, and also the loss suffer’d by their country debtors, who had bought of them the British goods, and who were now render’d unable to pay. The debts to Britain of course remain’d undischarg’d, yet the clamour continu’d, These knavish Americans will not pay us!

  Our enemies are very industrious in depreciating our national character. Their abuse sometimes provokes me, but this I forbear, though there is abundant room for recrimination, because I would do nothing that might hasten another quarrel by exasperating those who are still sore from their late disgraces. The two separated nations are now at peace, and there can be no use in mutual provocations to fresh enmity.

  TAXES AND THE NATIONAL DEBT

  Honesty in money matters is a virtue as justly to be expected from a government as from an individual subject, and therefore I am quite of the opinion that our independence is not quite compleat till we have discharg’d our public debt. Our modes of collecting taxes were yet imperfect, and we needed more skill in financeering; but we improve in that kind of knowledge daily by experience. I am persuaded that the whole will be paid in a few years.

  Direct taxes on land are practical in countries that are filled up with inhabitants. But at present we are so sparsely settled, often 5 or 6 miles distant from one another in the back countries, that the collection of a direct tax going from house to house is almost impossible, amounting to more than the value of the tax. Our debt occasion’d by the war being heavy, we are under the necessity of using indirect taxes, i.e., duties on importation of goods and excises, and every method we can think of to assist in raising a revenue to discharge it; but in sentiment we are well disposed to freedom of commerce and to abolishing duties on importation as soon as we possibly can afford to do so. Let the merchants on both sides form treaties with one another. Laissez les faire.

  Fortunately, our duties are generally so small as to give little temptation to smuggling, as this government affords no protection from the practice. But the people concern’d in smuggling are so dexterous that it is hardly possible for any government to prevent them entirely. Our own laws are daily evaded and transgress’d by them. And when such come hither from foreign ports to purchase provisions, while no compact or treaty subsists that forbids supplying them, our traders do not readily conceive that the commerce with them is not allowable.

  THE INSTRUCTION OF YOUTH ESTEEM’D AMONG THE MOST HONOURABLE

  It gives me extreme pleasure to find that seminaries of learning are increasing in America, and particularly that the University of Pennsylvania continues to flourish, and the English School in Philadelphia. Having acquired some little reputation among my fellow citizens by projecting the Public Library in 1732 and obtaining subscriptions by which it was established, in 1749 I was encouraged to hazard another project, that of public education for our youth. As in the scheme of the library, I had provided only for English books, so in this new scheme my ideas went no further than to procure the means of a good English education. Before I went about to procure subscriptions, I thought it proper to prepare the minds of the people by a pamphlet, which I wrote and printed, and distributed with my newspapers, gratis: the title was Proposals relating to the Education of Youth in Pennsylvania . The instruction of youth is one of the e
mployments which are most useful to the public. It ought therefore to be esteem’d among the most honourable. Its successful exercise does not, however, always meet with the reward it merits, except in the satisfaction of having contributed to the forming of virtuous and able men for the service of their country.

  CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS ARE OFTEN MISMANAG’D

  I also offered the following hints for consideration on the Orphan School House in Philadelphia: Charitable institutions, however originally well intended, and well executed at first for many years, are subject to be in a course of time corrupted, mismanag’d, their funds misapplied or perverted to private purposes. Would it not be well to guard against those by prudent regulations respecting the choice of managers, and establishing the power of inspecting their conduct, in some permanent body, as the monthly or quarterly meeting? Would it not be more reputable for the institution, if the appearances of making a profit from the labour of orphans were avoided, and the dependence for funds rely wholly on charitable contributions? If this should be concluded, then it may be proper to open an account with each orphan on admission, the orphans to have credit for any substance brought in with them, and for the profit made of it, and of their labour, and made debtors for their maintenance and education. At their discharge on coming of age, they may be exhorted to pay the balance against them if ever able, but not to be compell’d. Such as receive a balance may be exhorted to give back a part in charity to the institution that has taken such kind care of them, or at least to remember it favourably if God should bless them with ability either in a benefaction while living or a legacy on decease. When discharg’d, the orphans should receive, besides decent clothing and some money, a certificate of their good behaviour if such it has been, as a recommendation; and the managers of the institution should still consider them as their children, so far as to counsel them in their affairs, encourage and promote them in their business, watch over and kindly admonish them when in danger of misconduct.

  I APPLAUD HIS ZEAL FOR PRESERVING THE PURITY OF OUR LANGUAGE

  I wrote also a paper entitled Idea of an English School, which was printed and afterwards annexed to Mr. Peter’s sermon preached at the opening of the school. Although Latin and Greek were to be taught, the original idea of a compleat English education was not to be forgotten, as will appear by the following extracts. On page 1, “The English tongue is to be taught grammatically and as a language.” On page 4, in reciting the qualifications of a person to be appointed rector, it is said, “Great regard is to be had to his polite speaking, writing and understanding the English tongue.”

  Recently I received Noah Webster’s Dissertations on the English Language, an excellent work that will be greatly useful in turning the thoughts of our countrymen to correct writing. I applaud his zeal for preserving the purity of our language, both in its expressions and pronunciation, and in correcting the popular errors that several of our states are continually falling into.

  The Latin language, long the vehicle used in distributing knowledge among the different nations of Europe, is daily more and more neglected; and one of the modern tongues, viz., the French, seems in point of universality to have supplied its place. It is spoken in all the courts of Europe, and most of the literati, those even who do not speak it, have acquired knowledge enough of it to enable them easily to read the books that are written in it. This gives a considerable advantage to that nation; it enables its authors to inculcate and spread thro’ other nations such sentiments and opinions on important points as are most conducive to its interests, or which may contribute to its reputation by promoting the common interests of mankind. It is perhaps owing to its being written in French that Voltaire’s Treatise on Toleration has had so sudden and great an effect on the bigotry of Europe, as almost entirely to disarm it. The general use of the French language has likewise a very advantageous effect on the profits of the bookselling branch of commerce, it being well know that when more copies struck off from one composition of types can be sold, the profits increase in a much greater proportion than they do in making a greater number of pieces in any other kind of manufacture. And at present there is no capital town in Europe without a French bookseller’s shop corresponding with Paris.

  Our English language bids fair to obtain the second place. The great body of excellent sermons in our language and the freedom of our writings on political subjects have induced a number of divines of different sects and nations, as well as gentlemen concerned in public affairs, to study it, so far at least as to be able to read it. And if we were to endeavour the facilitating its progress, the study of our tongue might become more general. If, therefore, we would have the benefit of seeing our language more generally known among mankind, we should endeavour to remove all the difficulties, however small, that discourage the learning it.

  It gave me great pleasure to receive several kind letters of congratulations from my old friends in Boston, that they were not estrang’d from me by the malevolent misrepresentations of my conduct that had been circulated there. Our good God brought us old folks, my sister Jane Mecom in Boston and me, the last survivors of 17 brothers and sisters, to the beginning of a new year. I wrote to her, sending her two volumes of my papers that were printed in London.

  One of them was about the new alphabet, which she desired.129 I had written several letters in the new spelling to my friends; their objection that rectifying our alphabet will be attended with inconveniences and difficulties is a natural one; for it always occurs when any reformation is proposed, whether in religion, government, laws, and even down as low as roads and wheel carriages. The true question, then, is not whether there will be no difficulties or inconveniences, but whether the difficulties may not be surmounted, and whether the conveniences will not, on the whole, be greater than the inconveniences. To anyone who spells well in the present mode, I imagine the difficulty of changing that mode for the new is not so great, and we might perfectly get over it in a week’s writing. As to those who do not spell well, if the two difficulties are compared, viz., that of teaching them true spelling in the present mode, and that of teaching them the new alphabet and the new spelling according to it; I am confident that the latter would be by far the least trouble.

  THAT IS WHY I LOVE LIFE!

  As to my health, the pains caus’d sometimes by the stone did not augment; my appetite continued good, and my temper generally cheerful; my strength and activity has diminished by slow degrees, as might be expected at the age of fourscore. I enjoy however the conversation of my friends and my books, my hearing and sight being as good as ever. After long absence in Europe I find myself happily at home in a good and convenient house which I built for myself to retire into some 25 years ago, with a fine family of grand children about my knees who afford me great pleasure, and an affectionate good daughter and son-in-law to take care of me, and in one of the most flourishing cities and best provinces of America, enjoying the universal esteem and respect of the people.

  On the whole the stone does not give me more pain than when I was at Passy; and except when standing, walking, or making water, I am very little incommoded by it. I have try’d all the noted prescriptions for diminishing the stone without procuring any good effect. Sitting, or lying in bed, I am generally quite easy, God be thanked, and as I live temperately, drink no wine, and use daily the exercise of the dumb bell (which exercises the upper part of the body without much moving the parts in contact with the stone), I flatter myself that the stone is kept from augmenting so much as it might otherwise do, and that I may still continue to find it tolerable. People who live long drink of the cup of life to the very bottom and must expect to meet with some of the usual dregs; and when I reflect on the number of terrible maladies human nature is subject to, I think myself favour’d in having only three incurable ones that have fallen to my share, viz., the gout, the stone, and old age, and that these have not yet deprived me of my natural cheerfulness, my delight in books and enjoyment of social conversation. There are many sor
rows in this life, but we must not blame Providence inconsiderately, for there are many more pleasures. This is why I love life.

  I am now surrounded by my offspring, a dutiful and affectionate daughter in my house, with six grandchildren, with whose pretty actions and prattle, and promising tempers and qualities of body and mind, I am extremely pleased and entertained. What their conduct may be when they grow up and enter the important scenes of life, I shall not live to see and I cannot foresee. I therefore enjoy among them the present hour, and leave the future to Providence. He that raises a large family does indeed, while he lives to observe them, as Watts says, stand a broader mark for sorrow. But then he stands a broader mark for pleasure too. When we launch our little fleet of barques into the ocean, bound to different ports, we hope for each a prosperous voyage; but contrary winds, hidden shoals, storms and enemies come in for a share in the disposition of events; and though those occasion a mixture of disappointment, yet considering the risk where we can make no insurance, we should think ourselves happy if some return with success.

  My daughter lives with me and is the comfort of my declining years, while my son, estrang’d from me by the part he took in the late war, keeps aloof, residing in England, whose cause he espous’d; whereby the old proverb is exemplified,My son is my son till he takes him a wife,

  But my daughter’s my daughter all days of her life.