Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-06-29

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afFectionate friend through life. In 1907, ne
led me into the practice of the Law a, the bar
of The General Court, mt which l continued
until the Revolution shut up the Courts oil Jus
iiss.'
These opportunities Of Information, ceaseo
at this period, with my reiifemeh, rom 'h's
interesting scene OF action. had been more
than a year soliciting leave TO 60 home' win
a view TO place my daughters IN the soe'e"
and care Of their friends, and to return tor
shor, time, to NV station at Paris. But the
meiamorpho,s through which our government
was then passing from its Chrysald TO us VI
ganic form, suspended its action IN agrea' de-
gree and il was not i'll the last Oh August
that received the permission had asked.
And here I cannot leave this great and good
country, without expressing nv sense OF ITS
preeminence Of character. among the nations
of the earth A more benevolent people have
never known, nor greater warmth aud deVo-
tecness in their select friendships. Their kind
ness aud accommodation TO strangers, Is unpar'
alleled and the hospitality Of PARIS IS beyond
any ihlng had conceived 10 be practicable M
a large city. Their enincnce, TOO, III science,
the communicative dispositions Of their scien-
,ihc men. t1e polttness oil the general man
ners the case and sivaciiy ofther converse
ton, give a charm 10 their society, to be found
no where else. In n comparison of this, with
other coun'ries W. have The proof of primaey
which was givet 10 Ihemlsioees, after the
battle NJ Ss amis Every general voted 10
bimselfthc ffsf reward ~ vaior, and me Sc
cond 10 Themistocles. So, ask the Travelled
inhabitant of any nation, IN what country Oh
earth would YOU rather live 7 Certainly, III
my own, where are all my friends, my rela.
II. A f,ga f..EtA
and recolcctions Of my life Which would be
your second choice France.
Ca the Goth Of September left Paris fpr
Have, where was detained by contrary
winds, unit the 9Th Of October On that day,
and the oh crossed over to Cowes, where
had engaged the Clermoni, Captain Colby TO
tonch for me. She did so ; but here again we
were detained by contrary winds, until the
22d, when we embarked, and landed nj Nor.
folk on the 23d OF November. On my way
home | passed some days at Eppington, ii
Chesterfield, the residence of my friend and
connection, Mr.. Eppes and while there, re.
c.ivea a letter from the President, General
Washington. by express, covering an appoint
ment 10 be Secretary OF State. I received II
with real regret. My wish has been TO return
o Paris, where had left my household eslab.
lishment, as II there myself and 10 see the end
Of the Revolution, which then thought, would
be certainly and happily closed in iess than
a year. then meant TO return home, to with
draw from political lfe into which had been
impressed by the circumstances Of the times,
10 sink into the bosom of my family e. friends
aud devote myself to studies. more congenal
10 nv mind. IN my answer Of December,
18th. I expressed these dispositions eandidly TO
The President, aud my preference oil a return
TO Paris but assured him, TINT IL was believ.
cd could be more useful IN the administration
of the government, would sacrifice my own
iscliDatious without hesitation, and repair 10
that destination this left TO his decision. |
arrived at Monte clio, on the 23d Of December
where | received a second letter from the Pre-
siden,, expressing his continued wish. that
should take my station there, but leaving me
still at liberty 10 continue in my former Office
III could not reconcile myself TO that now pro.
posed This silenced my reluctance, and |
accepted the new appointment
"In the interval Of my stay Mt home, my Ell.
dest daue liter Ind been hlppily married to the
eldest son of the TuckRhoe branch Of Ran.
dophs, young gentleman of genius, srience |
and honorable mind. who afterwards filled
dign fed station in the General Government,
and the most dign fed in his own State left
Monticello, on the LIST Of March, 1870, for
New York. A. Philadelphia called on the |
venerable aud beloved Franklin he was |
then on The bed of sickness from which he ne |
yer rose My recent return from a country |
in Which he had leit so many friends, aud the
perilous cOnvulsion 10 which they had been
exposed revived all his anAipties to know what
part they had taken, what had been their
course and what their fate. lie went over all |
in succession, with a rapidity and animation, |
almost too much for his strength. When all |
his enquiries were satisfied, aud II pause took /
place, | told him had learned with much plea.
sure that since his return TO America, he had |
been occupied in preparing for the world. the
history Of his own life. cannot say much of
that, said he but will give you sample of
what shall leave and he directed his little
grandson (Wm. Bache) who was standing by
he bed side, TO hand him paper from the Ia.
bic, TO which he pointed. He did go aud the
Doctor putting II into nv hands, desired me to .
lake It aud read it al my leisure. II was about
a quire OF fnlio paper. written in large aud
running hand, very like his own. | looked
p,o il slightly ,tbeu shut il. and said ! would
accep, his permission 10 read and would care
fully return it. He said, no, keep it, Not
certain of his meaning. again looked into il.
olded il for my pocket, aud said again would
certainly return il. No. said he, keep il
pu, IL into my pocket, and shortly after. took
cave of him. He died on the l7th of the en-
iuing north OF April and as Understood
hat he had beque.thed all his papers TO his
grandson. William Temple Franklin, I imme-
iiately wrote 10 NJ. Franklin, to inform him
possessed this paper. which should consider
rs his property. aud would deliver 10 his order.
He came on Immediately to New York, called
IN me for il. and delivered il to him. As he
,ut il into his pocket, he said ,carelessy, he had
,ither the original, or another copy Of il,
do not recolect which. This last expression
struck my attention forcibly. and for the first
me suggested 10 me the thought that DR..
rankin had meant il RS a confidential demos
e in my hands, that had done wrong in part
ing from II. have not yet seen the collection
he published Of DR.. Franklin's works. and |
therefore, know not il this is among them. |
have been told il is not. II contained a mar.
retive of the negotiations between Dr.. Frank. |
in and the British ministry, when he was en-. /
3eavoring TO prevent the contest of arms which |
follower. The negotiation was brought about |
by the intervention OF Lord Howe aud his sis