The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1860-01-12
Doctor Franklin.

The leading property of DIR. Frankln's mind
great as IL was--the faculty which made him re-
markable, and set him apart from other men. the
generator. in truth. of all his, power-was good
sensc--only plain good sense--nothipg more
He was not man Of genious there was no bril-.
liancy about him little or no fervor; nothing
like poetry or eloquence; and yet, by the sole,
untiring. continued operations of his humble un.
pretending quality of mind he came to do more
in the world Of science, more in council more in
the revelation of empires, tuneaucated---or self
educated as he was,) than five hundred Others
might have done, each with more genius, more
fervor, more eloquence. more brilliancy. ...-
He was born of English parents, in Boston,
Massachusetts,, New England, about l7Oe. we
believe When a lad, he ran away to Philadel.
Pha. After long course Of self.denial, hardship.
and wearying disappointment which nothing
but his frugal temperate, courageous good sense
carried him through, he became to be successive
ly, journeyman printer. (or pressman, rather.
on account of his great bodily streneti,) in a
London printing Office; editor and publisher as
home, In Philadelphia, of many papers, which
had prodigous influence on the temper of hi.
countrymen; agent for certain colonies to this
goVernWent; an author of celebrity; a philoso-
Pher, whose reputation has gone over the whole
o! the learned world n very able negotiator: a
statesman, minister plenipotentiary to France,
Of whose king he obtained. while the Bourbons
were in their glory, by his great moderation.
wisdom, and republican address, treaty, which
enabled our thirteen colonies of North America to
year, tn seorn yes. all these things did Benja-
- u
mon sense. A., g.. .... .... .. .... ..- ..
He died in 1895, "full of years and honors,'
the pride and glory Of that empire, the very
foundation Of which he had helped into the ap-
pointed place. with his own po werful hand He
was one Of the few---the priesthood of liberty
that stood mp uudismayed, unmoved, while the
ark Of their salvation thundered and shook and
lightened in their faces; putting their venerable
hands upon IL, nevertheless, and abiding the is
sue while the declaration Of Independence went
forth like the noise OF q trumpet to the four
corners OF the earth. He lived until he heard
the war-likc flourish echoing through the general
solitudes Of America--the roar Of battle on every
side OF him-al Europein commotion---her over
peopled empires riotous with a new spirit-his
country quietly taking her place among the ma
tions What more could be wishedi Nothing
1t was time to give up the ghost
He was great, and Of course good man.
We have but few things to lay seriously to his
charge, very few; and after all, when we look
about us recollecting, we do, the great good
which he has done every phere; the little mischief
he has done the less than little that he ever med
itated dnvrhers, in all his life, to the cause of
humanity, We have no heart, we confess It again,
to speak uEkindly of him. The evil that Benja-
min Franklin did, in the whole Of his fourscore
years and upwards of life, was, in comparison
with his good works. but as the dust in the bal
lsnce.-Blaekooods Magazine. " .