Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-04-24

situation without a struggle. | lament the sonar.
alton between Great Britain and her colonies; but
1t Is inevitable
SO parted the great champion of the British ar
istocracy, and the man of the people. For what
noble purpose vii they two act together once more,
When will an age again furnish minds Ike theirs
Burke rcvered Franklin TO the last, tOretold the
steady Frightening Of his fame; aud drew from his
integrity the pleasing hope Of ultimate peace.
"On the morning after his conversation with
Burke, franklin posted to Portsmouth witt, nil
speed, and before his departure from London was
known, was embarked for PHILADELPHIA. Wbnt
tidings were to greet his %landingl
'IIe has left with bad designs, said Hutchinson;
had I been the master, his embarkntion would have
been prevented with his superiority, said Chr
nicr, and with the confidence Of the americans. he
will be able to cut out work for the ministers who
have prosecuted him. Vergennes felt assured he
would spread the conviction that the British min
istry had irrcvocably chosen its part, and that
America had no choice but independence.
With personal friends, with merchants, with
manufacturers, with the liberal statesman Of Eng
land, with supporters Of the ministry, Franklin
had labored on all occasions earnestly, disintcrest-
elly and long. with his disappearance from the
scene, the last CLEAN ofa compromise vanished
The administration and their followers called him
insincere. They insisted on believing 10 the last
that he had private instructions which would haye
JUSTIFIED him in accepting the regulating act tor
massachusetts,, anu tilty httllDuIel HIS answers To
m infcxible aud subtle hostility 10 England. But
nothing dccci,cs like jealousy he pcrsc, eringly
cndea,oYed To open the eyes Of the king aud his
servants. AZ the bar Of the house of commons be
first revealed his conviction that persistence IN tax
alton would compel independence; Il was ff the
use Of the government that once to Strahan and
then to Lord Howe he explained the American
question with franhiess and precision. The Brit
ish ministry oNerreached themselves Ivy not beliey-
ing him. Speaking the truth to them in sinceri.
ty,' said Franklin, was my only hnesse.'
The ability displayed 10y him in his intercourse
with the British government has, in It's way, never
been exceeded. He contemplated the course Of
events ~ calmly as he would have watched a pro-
cess Of nature. His judgment was quick and in
fallible; his communications prompt, precise, and
unequivocal; his frankness perfect. lie never
Stunned responsibility, and never assured too
much. Ia every instance, his answers to the min
istry and their emissares, were those which the
voice Of America would have dictated could he have
taken her counsel. In him il discerned no def
cheney and no excess. Full Of feeling, even to pas
sion, he observed, and reasoned, and spoke serene
~. Or all mcn he was a friend 10 peace; but the
terrors Of a sanguinary civil war did not con-
fuse his perceptions or impair his decision. Nei-
ther Chatham, nor Rockingham, nor Burke, blam-
ell Franklin for renouncing allegiance: and we
shall see Fox once more claim his friendship, and
Shclburne and the younger Pitt rest upon him with
the confidence which he deserved. He went home
to the work of independence, and, through indie
%pendence, of peace"
We have given a taste of the things to be
found in this brilliant volume. The narrative
is largely, and perhaps mainly, constructed from
the vast manuscript material which the author,
with unsparing diligence and with as unsparing
expense, has collected. Hence it contains so
much that was never before printed. We hope
the extracts we have made will 50 commend
themselves that this volume may find a pla:e in
the families Of all who read them.
THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY.-The May number If this
magazine has teen received. l. presents an interest
ing table Of contents as follows: American Antidui-
ty; Roger Pierce Amours lie Voyage; Intellectual
Character; Loo Loo; Charley's Death; The Gaia
combs Of Rome; The Pure Pearl Of Divers Bay
Camille; The Hundred Days; Epigrnm on J. NJ;
Bcetho,en-llis Childhood and Youth; A Word to the
Wise; Henry Ward Beecher; Mercedes; The Auto
crat OF the Breakfast Table. Most Of these papers will
compare well with the leading articles in Blackwood.
The Literary Notices are keen and critical.
This number concludes the first volume. The next
volume will also contain seven numbers the succeed
ing volumes will therefore commence in January and
July.