The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-17

a source of revenue, and at the same
time made the colonies less than ever
willing TO submit to external control.
Franklin was now IS years old. and
the most important part of his public
life was still before him..
The coming storm of the revolution
was not fer the moment seen, and
Franklin went to England as the agent
of Pennsylvania to look after her inter-
ests in a contest with the proprietor.
He expected to return in a few months,
but startling events soon came. conf
pletely overshadowing the original OBJ
ject of his mission, and keeping him
several years at a post which had
grown to be one of national import
ance. First came the stamp act, and in
connection with it Franklin made one
of the few plumbers of his life. He mis-
took the course of public opinion in the
colonies, believing that they would SUBJ
nit to the tax, and accordingly recon-
mended a person for appointment as
seller of the stamps in Philadelphia
Great was the wrath of his country
men, who We're led to believe that he
approved the tax and had even advised
il. But he had from the first protested
against it, and continued to point out
the dangers Of the course which the
government was taking. AS his true
attitude became better known his pop
ularitv returned.
One of the conspicuous incidents of
the stamp-act controversy was the ex-
animation of Franklin at the bar of
the house of commons. Friends and
foes alike piled him with questions con-
corning the resources of. the colonies,
their attitude toward the mother coun-
try, their probable course If parliament
continued to tax them. Never did
Franklin show more plainly his wealth
Of inf. fffafa h s- acfo of glan
statement his tact and keenness. Burke
said of the proceeding that it was like
IAN examination of a master by par
Gel of schoolboys." An English period
ical said: From this examination of
Dr. Franklin the reader may form
clearer and more comprehensive idea
of the state and disposition of Ameri-
ca, of the expediency or inexpediency
of the measure in question, and of the
character and conduct of the minister
who prepared il, than from all that has
been written upon the subject in news
papers and pamphlets. under the title
of essays. letters, speeches and consid-
erations, from the first moment of its
becoming the subject of public >atten-
tion until now The repeal of the
STAMP act, which followed. was believ-
ed in America to be largely the result
of Franklin's efforts. so that his pop
ularity was greatly increased. During
the years that Immediately followed the
repeal he was appointed agent in Eng
land for New Jersey, Georgia and Mas
sachusetts, so that he represented at
the same time four colonies, two of
them of the first Importance. These
appointments, his thorough acquaint-
ance with colonial affairs. and his
great personal prestige. caused him to
be regarded in England as the repre-
sentative of all America. He continued
to labor for friendly adjustment of
difficulties on a basis satisfactory to
the colonies until it became evident, in
IVA, that no such settlement was pos
sible. Then he returned to Philadel-
phia, after an absence of ten years
Events followed each other in rapid
succession, eliminating in the decIara-
ton of independence in 1T76. Franklin
was now 20 years old and might well
have claimed exemption from further
service. But the now nation needed
her greatest and wisest citizen to rep
resent her at the friendly court of
Louis XVI Franklin cheerfully under
took the task, and so entered upon
what proved to be the most difficult
and perplexing period of his life. The
Importance OF his mission was clearly
seen. Lord Rockingham declared that
the presence of Franklin in Paris
much more than Offset the victory of
the English on Long island and the
capture of New York. The people of
Paris We're greatly moved by the ar
rival of this venerable man, whom they
knew by reputation as one of the
worlds sages, and followed him about
with reverent admiration. much as if
Scion or Socrates had suddenly appear
ed in their midst. Franklin shrewdly
made the most of this and turned it all
to account for helping his country's
cause. For nine years he remained in
France. doing a work there (which in
Importance was little, if at all. behind
that of Washington himself in bring
ing the revolution to successful issue
Among the greatest difficulties of the
war were the lack of money and of
credit by which money could be OBJ
tanned. France was well disposed. but
what security could the young and