Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-04-11
LECTURE OF HON EDWARD EVERETT
ON FRANKLIN'S EARLY DAYS.

ON FRANKLIN'S EARLY DAYS.
The lecture of the Hon. Edward Everett, on
the early days of Franklin, delivered at the
Maryland Institute, in Baltimore, on Monday
night, for the benefit Of the Union Protestant
Inhrmary, drew together a very large and
highly respectable anditOry, more than half of
whom were ladies. At eight o'clock, the lee
turer escorted by the Hon. Thomas Swami,
Hon. John p. Kennedy and others, and the
committee of the association, appeared upon
the rostrum and was received with warm and
continuous applause.
After few Introductory remarks by the Hon.
Thomas SWsRn. Mr.. Everett said: Ladies and
gentlemen 1 am happy To appear before you in
behalf of that meritOriOus and charitable insti-
tuition upon whose invitation / am now here.
Its prafsewOrlhy character needs neither eulogy
nor comment, and its objects will excuse any
shortcomings or defects IN my efforts tonight.
Mr.. Everett here introduced thrilling apos-
trOphe to that charity which has for its object
the relief of the sick and suffering lie then
adyerted To the circumstances under which the
lecture had been prepared some years since for
delivery before the Franklin Medalists of the
schools of Boston. These medals had been
founded by bequest of Franklin, as rewards
of merit for superior scholarship.
Illness had prevented his perfecting it at the
time and II was therefore but an imperfect treat
ment of the subject. He introduced the immedi-
ate matter of his lecture by description of the
old Granary burying ground at Boston, where
granite obeliSk marks the grave of the par
ents of Franklin. At the time it was beyond
the limits of the city, but now il is in its very
centre, and surrounded by splendid buildings
Eleven noble elm trees, planted about century
ago. by men who for the act deserve the graft
tude OF pOsterity, surround the sacred spot. The
ground was for long time neglected, but with
In the last thirty years it has received apprO-
pirate attention. and is adorned with a variety
of tr 9Ear oil oDH
highly imaginative description of this ancient
resting place of the dead, in language poetic
and exquisite, and with fervOr of manner that
can b. appreciated, not reported.
The lecturer then gave some account Of the
humble parents of benjamin Franklin, Josiah
Franklin and Abiah FOlger. They reared a
family Of thirteen children of whom Benjamin
was the youngest son, and they died without
either having experienced days sickness,
except their last, one at the age of eighty, the
other at the age of eighty-four. Franklin had
caused simple marble slab to be placed over
their graves. 1t had decayed by time, and in
its place the citizens of Boston had erected a
granite obelisk with the original inscription
upon 1t, the fragments of the marble slab being
placed beneath the corner stone.
The lecturer then traced the father of Frank
lin back to his home in England. The families
OfFrankliE and " ashingtO ton came from the same
county, ,NOrthamptOHshlre, In the central part of
England, and for three hundred years had dwelt
within thirty miles Of each other. The family
of the WashingtOnS belonged to the landed
gentry. The Franklin were Blacksmiths and
in addition to that trade titled some acres Of
leasehOld land. Ii was singular that two of the
most remarkable men OF our revolution should
each have sprung-thOugh from difereat
spheres in life-frOm the same district in the
mother country.
Mr.. Everett here read a portion of a letter
from Carlyle, the author, sent to him with an
old manuscript, being an old type book from
1910 to 400, containing notices of the family
of Benjamin Franklin. blackmith, and also gave
an account of the emf grafton Of the father of
Franklin to this country. On his arrival at BOs-
ton he started the business OF "A silk dyer and
afterwards that Of a tallOw chandler and soap
boiler. The spot where stood the house in which
Franklin was born. a small wooden tenemen',
is now occupied by a substantial granite struc-
ture, upon which is inscribed in bold letters the
words ..the birth place Of Franklin At eight
he was sent to school, his father intending him
for the church. but that determination wss
changed, and after but two years schooling he
was taken in his fathers establishment as er-
rand boy. AT twelve he was bound apprentice
10 his brother to learn the trade of a printer.
At seventeen the tyranny of his brother drove
him forth q wandereT to seek his fortune.
The lecturer drew a striking picture of the
youth Of Franklin, his character and his in
spiratiOns, the want of appreciation under
Which he laDOred, ana the perlls from which IN
youth he narrowly escaped shipwreck
The lecturer described in spirited and vivid
manner the SCENE at the Inauguration OF the
Franklin statute at Boston, and his emotions
upon that occasion, concluding with the senti-
ment that occasion taught, that whatever of
calumny, detractiOn, personal comments, envy
and hate the good and worthy may encounter
in life, there comes time whom justice at last
Is done, and death secures the honor and yene-
ration which may have been deserved.
The lecturer concluded with apOstrOphe
II Franklin. which WAS chaste in diction and
magnificent in thought and of which mere
sketch can render no adequate idea. The lee
turer was listened to throughout with intense
interest and absorbed attention. 1t abOunded
in eloquent passages in which vivid fancy,
beauty Of dictiOn, and grace and impressive
hess of manner produced the most thrilling
effects.
At the conclusion Of the lecture, a magnif-
cent basket Of flowers was brought forward
and presented to Mr.. Everett by the Hon
John =. Kennedy in the name of the ladies of
the Association. and the audience having again
manifested their feelings, by another Outburst
of applause, then dispersed, highly grstiied
with the effort Of the distinguished orator.