New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-03-10
THE EARLY DAYS OF FRANKLIN.s
MR. EVERETT At TUE ACADEMY.

hall and after the applause which greeted his sp-
pesrspee he'd subsided, began his discourse by
picturesque sketch of young Bepj amin Frank
lin arriving in NeE.Yotk after 8 three days
voyage IN . small sloOp from Boston, from which
city he had fled for refuge from the oppression
of bis brother, to whom he apprsnticsd as a
prirter. An unknown, fnendless, almost penniless
youth CT seventeen, he had come TO NewYork to bet
ter his conditon-tO Nev-York which wss then al
most a. poor as himsef almost "a obscure insig-
rifcAt provincial town Of ten fifteen thous and in
hsbitaIts without booksellers, almost without print
ers and with very little money in her pocket. Old
Mr Bradford, the printer, to whom ne applied, could
give bin no work but recommended rim TO go to his
sc young Mr.. Bradford Of the two printers then
in Philsr elphia. To Philadelphia Franklin Accordingly
went getting there sf:er arduous and tiresome jour-
uey Of three or four days during which he passed
thirty hours without morsel of food
Leaving this yourg and unda1nted sdventurer in
Phsdeptis let me take you, SAID Mr.. Everett. to the
auderoe, in imagination, to the Old Graoary Buryiug
Ground in Boston, where plain granite obelisk
marks the graves of the parents Of Franklin. This
spot at the time Of which spsak in the outskirts
Of Boston, In almost rural secusOn. Now it is in the
very heart OF great city, the metropolis Of New
England. Around it are churches, public eddces,
stately dwellings, and sl the dia ard buss of vas,
population Yet peacefully before 1t waves the noble
row Of English ems long ago planted by some wise
and thoughtful citizen, while within is the quiet
beauty Of trim fences and hedges of graceful groups
Of mountain asb of somber clumps OF cypress aud OF
cedar and overhead the birds tune their songs, un'
conscious CT the sleeping dead AMI the squirrel gam
bols over gravestones carved with names long ago
foIgott D, and with others that shall never die-for
here lie the father and the mother OF Ben amin Frank
Lin.
Cath & Ran;a "a
tive Of NoithamptonshTe tie central county OF Eng
land the same county from which came the Washing
tons. The father Of Benjamin Franklin and the
grandfather of George Washington lived within thirty
Iies Of each other in tie heart of England aud about
the middle Of the 18th century b0tn emsrsed, one to
schusets the other to Virginia, AT sought their
fortunes beyond the deep. Historians have strangely
oyaroN ked this curious fact that from the vicn
az 9, and almost at the same time there TO
the New World the ancestors Q. the two great leaders
civil and military the American Revolution.
Mr.. Everett here read TO the audience a letter ad-
DIRE seed to himsef by Thomas Carlyle the subject
Of "a strange, old, brown Ms, tythe book or tax
book OF the town Of Exeter in VIII ~ the ancestors OF
FIalkli are mentioned atd their field, aocks and
other property enumerated. fnis Old, brown Ms. was
sent by Mr. Caryle 10 Mr. Everett through the hands
of Mr. Abbott Lawrence and is now in possession Of
the Massachusetts Historical Society.
Passing from the grave OF Josss Franklin, man OF
sterling qualities, Republican and noncon'orms',
let U.s. sad Mr. Everett, 20 to Mix street, where 1873
years ago Ben amin Franklin was born, in house
opposite the 'Old South Church. Born beneath
lovly roof born Of humble psrentsgs bat born also to
amarveloIs career, and 10 an undying Names name
peyer to be forgotten while wisdom, prudence, ps-
triOtism, revererced among men. The year OF his
birth, l7O6 WAS year OF great events. IL was the
year Of the Union Of the kingdoms of Eoglsnd aud
Scotland, ard OF the settlement of the crown in the
line of tie ecress Sophia Of Hanover. 10 that year
the woild ringing with tie battles and the vcto-
res Of msribcrougb and Eugene IN Flanders and
Piedmont But none Of these events could compare
in importance 70 the birth Of the man-chd who came
into the world the 18th Of September, In that little
house in Mix street, the youngest child Of Boston
tallow-chsndl,r. No salvos of canon from feudal
towers-no sounding chimes from stately csthedrais
greeted his advent, but ii was the coming of one who
was to advance ecisnce and philosophy, and hu-
mainly, 20 make wser the wise Of earth, to wre5t
from the forked ighnirgs their secrets, and from
mighty monarch The largest part Of bis domnions.
Compared 10 this event. Of how little consequence was
the union OF England and Scotland which might have
beer deferred Like the union with Irelsnd the ba
ties Of Marlborough and Eugepe for which the world
TsA ueitEer wiser nor better, nor more ADVANCED IN
any 1sy.
From Mix street, Mr. Everett asked the audience
to accompany him 10 INA. natiou TO the corner u
Union and Hanover streets in Boston, 80 named SY
tie loyal czers Of tn day ir honor Of ths events OF
l7C6. Here, in house long since torn down, was
sptL. the youth Of Franklin the sgne, inventive,
courageous, yet wary, discreet and practical youth
In play ard in mischief the bold and active leader
OF bis comrades; at home Passonsely fond Of read
rg which ne gratihed al night in the garret oy de-
vOuripg Pluta!chs Lives Defoe Essay on Projects,
Cotton Math.r, Esssy on Doirg Good, and The Spec.
tstor, On vbich lie formed hi. ON pure and lucid
style. Here too he wrote articles for his brothers
newspaper, The Ner- Engioad C0uTdnt, siding them
under TIE door at night. Bet amin Franklin, ssld Mr.
Everett with significant emphasis, did not dsdain 20
become contributor 20 the weekly ne~spapere, TO
the CouraHis and Ga-ates and Edgers OF his Day.
Tbis auson 70 the orators engagement win Bonner
called forth pro.rscted appliance.
Mr.. Everett then drew vivid sketch OF Franklin
a. schoo. r School street. Boston OF near ne spot
where tie statue Of Franklin now stands, Wnich vsS
inaugurated On his birthday, September IL 1890 ne
described the long PROCESSION that OCCASION where
I'll the piofs s.cDs G. a,d trades OF me city were rep
resented, anc, paying nigh compimet, 10 the eio-
qgeEce O. Robert C. Winthrop, VITO delivered tue al
dIess ~ The IsugGIaao1 be o0rtfssted hat striking
AID .petdit scene, where al tha. brilliant and
dignfed and powerful IN q great metropolis wa, -
ssmtirt To do honor 20 the OF the torora BOY
WHO - Ire sge -! len, torn irCtn -choo ard rom
the books be loved 80 well sud taken home 70 the
orucgesy OF the chandler shop 70 eat Tieks and trim
tallyr can1--s-
With This so.t q vo:k tie boy grew discon.entei
and logged 10 escape from II oy gong 70 se. H's
father 70 pscliy Tim, sosed hin 20 s-I7c. another
I! AGe q s. OF cutler. Pu. after tsS days work q;
the he vas released from il BY disagreement. BE-
tween ns istber ard the master cuter on the <ubJec
of TIE boy iscen.3res. be Dot deGtiEsd 10 DC
cutler Ct that so-t, said NJ. Everest 10 reserved
10 weld toe blade Of Diplomacy 20 cut the Gortisn
knot OF q Eat uar controversy to sever tns bonts
Of tupfe.
Ths boy BsLsmin was next spprehsioei to his
brother JsDes printer sui pubisher o. newspaper
In e. 81 stiest al tie OF ph.ch Low faakh
s-erue. Here ne s.t type, cau-c tss paper 20 Sod
ger b.ri s,i cilec.ed .ubscrgtis ~ they b@taue
Due. He rose WITH 10: t-sE 81 sa Up VIA ne s'sI'