Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-04-24

steadI bril- 81 BIZ hme nd drew from his
1hts HleshlS h6pst 81 nate pescss
% hss iofhi4t 1ftsss IN ceHvefnt tim with
Bull, snt lin possEd o. Portsmouth With AT speed,
and 6eG4e liz departure from London VAS known.
was embarked for Philadelphia " hat tidings were
10 greco his landing 81
s He has left with bad designs, said Hutchinson;
had been the master, his epbar katou would have
been prevented With his superiority said Gar
nier and with the confidence Of the Americans, be
have prosecuted him. Vergennes felt assured be
would spread the conviction that the British minis
try had irrss9caby chosen its part and that Amer
lea had no choice but independence. SO.
With personal friends, with merchants, with man
ufacturers, with the liberal, statesmen of England,
with supporters Of the ministry, Franklin had labor
ed on all occasions earnestly, dsinterestedly and
long. With his disappearance from the scene, the
last CLEAN Of compromise vanished. The admin
istration and their followers called him insincere
They insisted on believing to the last that he bad
private instructions which would have justified him
in accepting the regulating act for Massachusetts,
and they attributed his answers to inlexihle and
subtle hostility to England But nothing deceives
like jealousy; he perseveringly endeavored to open
the eyes of the king and his servants. At the bar
of the house of commons he first revealed his con-
vction that persistence in taxation would compel in
dependence it was for the use of the government
that once to Strahan and then to Lord Howe he ex-
planned the American question with frankness and
precision. The British ministry overreached them
selves by not believing him. Speaking the truth
to them in sincerity said Franklin, was my only
finesse."
The ability displayed by him in his intercourse
with the British government has, in its way, never
been exceeded. He contemplated the course of
events calmly as he would have watched pro-
cess of nature. His judgment was quick and infal.
lible; his communications prompt, precise, and I'M
equivocal; his frankness perfect He never shun-
ned responsibility, and assumed too much. In
every instance, his answers to the ministry and
| their emissaries, were those which the voice of
America would have dictated could he have taken
her counsel In him is discerned no deficiency and
no excess. Full Of feeling, even to passion he Oh.
served, and reasoned, and spoke serenely. Of all
men he was friend TO peace; but the terrors of a
sanguinary civil did confuse his perceptions
| impair his decision. Neither Chatham, nor Rock
| ngham, nor Burke, blamed Franklin for renouncng
| allegiance; and we shall see Fox once more claim
his friendship, and Shelburne and the younger Pitt
rest upon him with the confidence which he deserv.
ed. He went home to the work of independence,
and, through independence 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 man.
uscript material which the author, with unsparing
diligence and with as unsparing expense, has col
| lected. Hence it contains much that never was
before printed. We hope the extracts We have made
| will so commend themselves that this volume may
find place in the families of all who read them
| Boston Post.