Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1841-02-04
CHARACTER OF FRANKLIN.
by GEORGE BANCROFT.

, ows, one newspaper, the New England Cou
rant, The fourth American periodical, was cs-
tablshed as an organ Of independent opinion.
by James Franklin. Its temporary success
was advanced by benjamin, his brother and
apprentice, boy Of fifteen, who wrote pieces
for It's humble columns, worked i'm COMPOSING
the types, as well as in printing on the sheets;
and himself, as carrier, distributed the papers
10 tie customers. The little sheet saiirized
hypocrisy aad spoke OF religious knavcs the
worst. This was described as tending TO a.
buse the ministers of religion in manner
which. was intolerable. II can well remem-
ber," writes Increase Mather, the more than
four score years Of age. 'whcn the civil gov
ernment would have taken an eilectual course
to suppress such cursed libel" In July Of
the same year, resolve passed the council,
appointing 4 censor for the press of James
Franklin; but the house refused It's concur
renee. The ministers perscvcred, and in Jam
uary, 1898, committee Of enquiry was rails
cd b. the Legislature. Benjamin Franklin
being examined escaped with an admonition;
James the publisher, refusing 10 discover the
author Of the offence was kept in Jail for a
month; his paper was censured as rejecting
injuriously on the reverend ministers of the
gospel. and by vote Of the house and council,
was forbidden to print it, "exceptit be first
supervised"
Nexed at the arbitrary proceedings of the
assembly; willing TO escape from town
where good people pointed with Horror at his
freedom; Indignant also, al the tyranny OF a
brother, who, as passionate master, often
beat his apprentices, --Beniamin Franklin,
ihen but II years old, sailed clandestinely for
New York, and finding there no employment,
crossed to Amboy; went on foot to Della
ware, for want of wind. rowed in boat from
Berlngion to Philadelphia, and bearing marks
OF his labor at the oar, weary, hungry, having
Tor MS whole stock OF cash single dollar, the
runaway prentlce-greatest of the sons of
n. England OF tho generation; the humble
pupil oithe free schools Of Bos' N, rich in the
boundless hage of youth and un> Ancious pow
or CT genius, which modestly adorned--stop-
ped on shore to seek food, occupation, shell
ter and fortune.
On the deep foundations of sobricty, fru-
galiiy and industry, the young journeyman
built his fortune and his fame; and he soon
came to have printing Office Of his own.-
Ioiling early and late, with his own hands
ne set types and worked at the press; with
his own hands would trundle to the Office, in
wheeibarrcw, the reams Of paper which he
was to use. His ingenuity was such, he
could iora letters, make types and wood cuts,
ana engraTe vigne;is IN copper. The assem-
bly, OF Pennsylvania respected his merit, and
chose him its printer. He planned news
paper; and, when he became its proprietor
and its editor, he freely deleaded absolute free
dom Of thought and speech, and the inaliena-
bic power OF the people DESTROYS of advan-
eng education he planned improvements in
the schools of Philadelphia; he invented the
system OF subscription libraries, and laid the
foundation OF one that was long the most con-
siderable library in America: he concerted
the establishment OF an academy; which was
rIpened into university; he saw the benefit
OF union In the pursuit CT science, and founded
a philosophical society for its advancement.--
Ihe intelligent and highly cultivated Logan
bore testimony TO his merits before thew had
burst upon the world :-"Our most ingenious
pEnter has the earliest Understanding, with
extreme modesty. He is an extraordinary
man --''eXceilent yet .;umble.'' 500 not
imagine, he adds, .'ihat overdo in nv char
acter OF Benjamin Franklin, for am farther
short In It," When the scientific world be-
gan to investigate the wonders Of electricity
Franklin cxceiled all observers in the marvel
Ions simplicity and lucid exposition of the
experiments, and In the admirable sa-
gacity with which he elected from them
the laws which they illustrated. 1t was
he who first suggested the explanation Of
thunder gusts and the northern lights on cleo
trIcai principles; and in the summer of 1852
going ont into the fields, with no instrument
but kite, no companion but his son, ostab.
llshed his theory, by obtaining a line connec-
ton with thunder cloud. Nor did he cease
till he had made the lightning household
pasllme, taught his family to catch the subtle
, mud in lis lnconceivably rapid leaps between
| the earth and the sky, and compelled il to
give warning of It's passage by the harmless
ringing of bells.
With placid tranquility, benjamin Frank
lin looked q~ly and deeply into the Sc
crois OF nature. His clear understanding was
never perverted by passion or corrupted by
, pride Of theory. 'fnc son Of rigid Calvan-
ist, the grandson of tolerant Quaker, he had
( from boyhood been familiar not only with
theological subti!itles, but with a catholic
respect for freedom Of mind. Skcp;lcal Of
tradition as the basis OF faith, he respected
reason, rather than authority, and after mo-
menIary lapse into fatalisn. escaping from
! the raa2es OF fixed DEGREES and free will. he
gained. with increasing years, and increasing
trust in the oyerruiing providence Of God.
Adbeung to none 'Of ALT the religions in the
colonies, he yet devou1y, though without
form, adhered to religion. But though ia.
nous as disputant, and having a natural
aptitude Tor metaphysics he obcyed the ten.
doncy Ct his age, ard sought by observation
to win an insight into the mysteries OF being
Loving truth, without prejudice and with
ont bias, he discerned intutively the identity
OF the laws OF nature with those OF which hu.
manity is conscious so that his mind wa;
like mirror, in which the universe, as it re
fiectcd-liself, revealed her laws. He wa:
free from mysticism, even to a fault. Iii:
morality, regulating ascetic seventies, ant
tho system which enjoins them was indui
INF n re x,.l,;rb IL, 81 u,
sway but his affections were ola calm in
tensity, in all his career, he love Of maj
gained Tie mastery over personal interests
i.c bad not The imanination which insnir